Self-care Prevention Research Articles

Between principles and pragmatism – primary healthcare and social services professionals’ experiences and perceptions of self-care for older adults with home care: a qualitative study

Objective To explore the experiences of healthcare and social services professionals and their perceptions of using Certificate for self-care with support (CSS) for preventive self-care for older adults with home care, including the CSS process and collaborations between primary healthcare and social services. Design An inductive qualitative study including seven focus group interviews analyzed with reflexive thematic analysis. Setting and subjects The study was conducted in the Stockholm Region 2022/23. In total, 23 informants were recruited from four key partners involved in the CSS process: professionals from primary care rehabilitation and primary healthcare, social services officers, and home care staff. Result The analyses resulted in five interconnected themes: ‘Guidelines with scope for interpretation,’ ‘Support for self-care is needed, but complicated in practice,’ ‘To trust the other professions’ competence,’ ‘There is a transfer of responsibility,’ and ‘Communication is key.’ The overarching theme ‘Principles or pragmatism for safe person-centered care,’ anchoring the other themes, revealed a common goal of achieving safe and individualized care within available resources, but from two conflicting perspectives: the importance of following the process according to the guidelines or taking a more pragmatic approach. Conclusion This study highlights the need to establish structures facilitating safe self-care among frail groups, such as older persons dependent on home care. Our findings emphasize that the demarcation between, and responsibilities of, organizations need to be discussed and clarified to offer person-centered support. Comprehensible guidelines and functioning communication channels must be established so that all important perspectives can be heard, not least the patient’s.

A Remote Oral Self-Care Behaviors Assessment System in Vulnerable Populations: Usability and Feasibility Study.

Preventative self-care can reduce dental disease that disproportionately burdens vulnerable populations. Personalized digital oral self-care behavioral interventions offer a promising solution. However, the success of these digital interventions depends on toothbrushing data collection e-platforms attuned to the needs and preferences of vulnerable communities. The aim of this study is to assess the usability and feasibility of the Remote Oral Behaviors Assessment System (ROBAS), which has been adapted to address the unique requirements of socioeconomically disadvantaged minority individuals. A cohort of 53 community-clinic participants, including 31 (58%) Latino and 22 (42%) Black individuals with no prior experience using electric toothbrushes, were recruited to use ROBAS, with planned assessments at baseline, 2 months, and 4 months. Beyond evaluating ROBAS's technical performance, extensive feedback was gathered to gauge users' experiences, viewpoints, and overall contentment. The System Usability Scale (SUS) served as a primary metric for assessing user satisfaction and acceptability. ROBAS exhibited largely reliable and consistent data-gathering capabilities. SUS scores (mean 75.6, SD 14.5) reflected participant contentment within a range of values for other commonly used digital devices and technologies. Among participants who answered questions about willingness to pay for ROBAS, 97% (30/31) indicated that they were willing to pay for ROBAS either as a one-time payment or as a subscription-based service. Additionally, 87.5% of participants expressed that they would endorse it to acquaintances. Most participants expressed no reservations about privacy; among those who expressed privacy concerns (n=20, 50%), the concerns included exposure of information (n=18, 45%), monitoring of brushing habits (n=12, 30%), and collection of information (n=14, 35%), although these concerns did not significantly correlate with specific participant traits. In qualitative terms, users valued ROBAS's ability to monitor brushing habits but called for refinements, especially in Wi-Fi and application connectivity. Recommendations for system improvements encompassed enhanced app functionality, individualized coaching, more comprehensive brushing data, and the addition of flossing activity tracking. The research highlights ROBAS's promise as a digital platform for unobtrusively tracking daily oral self-care activities in marginalized communities. The system proved to be both feasible, as evidenced by its stable and accurate data capture of brushing behaviors, and user-friendly, as reflected by strong SUS scores and positive user feedback. Influential factors for its uptake included ease of learning and operation, and the feedback provided.

Effect of Video Education on Knowledge of Pregnancy Blood Pressure and Preventive Self-Care Among Primiparous Pregnant Mothers: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Background: Hypertensive disorders during pregnancy pose a significant public health problem with serious consequences for maternal and fetal health. Women with a good knowledge of pregnancy hypertension are more likely to promptly report symptoms and seek medical attention. In addition, self-care knowledge can effectively prevent or control blood pressure during pregnancy. Objectives: This study evaluated primiparous women’s knowledge of pregnancy blood pressure disorders and self-care by providing video education. Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 84 primiparous mothers in Dezful City, Iran, within June to September 2023 were divided into two intervention and control groups based on the multistage sampling technique. Knowledge and self-care questionnaires regarding pregnancy hypertension were sent to both groups before and after the intervention. Education was provided through video education. The data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and independent and paired t-tests. Results: Video education increased the intervention group’s knowledge of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (pre = 9.76 ± 3.42; post = 16.83 ± 3.74; P < 0.001) and self-care (pre = 50.66 ± 10.63; post = 54.07 ± 8.67; P < 0.001). However, knowledge (pre = 8.35 ± 3.36; post = 8.87 ± 3.58; P = 0.519) and self-care related to pregnancy blood pressure (pre = 50.36 ± 2.79; post = 50.30 ± 10.92; P = 0.833) in the control group did not change before and after the intervention. Conclusions: Using educational videos can improve mothers’ knowledge regarding pregnancy blood pressure and preventive self-care.

Women's self-care for Coronavirus prevention and the related factors in Iran: A cross-sectional study.

Promoting self-care can be an effective way to decrease the rate of transmission and expansion of the infection. However, there seem to be different related factors to self-care by gender. This study aims to assess women's self-care for COVID-19 prevention and some related factors in Tehran-Iran in 2021. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study that was performed on 403 women living in Tehran in 2021. Subjects of the study were recruited using a multi-stage sampling method. Data was collected using a socio-demographic questionnaire as well as a valid and reliable questionnaire to assess women's self-care for COVID-19 prevention (SCVP-38). The questionnaires were sent on the Google platform to the eligible participants. After completion of the forms, the created data in the Excel software in Google Drive were converted to SPSS 24 and then analyzed by using t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression tests. The overall mean score of self-care was 71.84±17.81 percent. The highest and lowest scores were respectively related to using masks in public vehicles and not touching the face. Significant negative correlations were shown between the women's self-care on Corona prevention with stress, anxiety, concerns, and fear (P<0.001). Linear multiple regression showed two factors including women's age (p = 0.033) and their number of children (p = 0.042) predict the self-care, so that, for increasing each year to women's age, SCVP increases by 0.463 units, and with increasing each child, SCVP decreases by 3.608 units. We concluded that in the COVID-19 pandemic, women in Tehran are performing more than 70% of measures of self-care. Also, education about self-care is recommended for younger women with more children. Moreover, promoting the self-care program can improve women's mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Components of peritonitis preventive self-care education programs associated with self-care knowledge and behavior among patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis in Japan: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundPreventing peritoneal dialysis (PD)-associated peritonitis remains a major concern in continuing safe treatment and improving patient quality of life. This study aimed to determine the self-care education and quality care initiatives performed for patients undergoing PD and explored their association with patient self-care knowledge and behavior regarding peritonitis prevention.MethodsA nationwide cross-sectional survey was conducted with PD patients and their nurses in Japanese hospitals as respondents. Nurses provided the regular practice of self-care education and quality care initiatives for PD patients within the hospital while patients answered questions on their self-care knowledge and behaviors. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to explore the factors of patients’ self-care knowledge and behaviors.ResultsWe analyzed data on 170 patients (mean age: 65.1 years old) matched with those of 58 nurses from 58 hospitals. Although most educational contents were taught, teaching methods varied; evaluating patients’ learning levels and re-educating during follow-up periods were less frequently performed. As for quality care initiatives, 60% of hospital nurses monitored peritonitis rates, 33% shared peritonitis-associated information with relevant departments, and 47% had performed home visits before PD patients' discharge in the past. The factors of patients’ self-care knowledge include nurses’ re-educating during follow-ups (odds ratio (OR) = 1.11, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.01–1.22, p = 0.025), sharing information with relevant departments (OR = 1.66, 95% CI = 1.01–2.74, p = 0.047), and patients’ younger age (OR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.96–1.00, p = 0.019). Hospitals performing home visits and patients’ perceived social support were associated with both self-care knowledge (OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.01–1.34, p = 0.038 and OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.10–1.61, p = 0.003, respectively) and behavior (OR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.02–1.64, p = 0.031 and OR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.14–2.28, p = 0.007, respectively).ConclusionsRe-education during follow-up visits, sharing information, and home visits before discharge may benefit patients in promoting peritonitis preventive self-care.

Self-destructive behaviors and type II Diabetes Mellitus: possible triggers for non-adherence to treatment

In Brazil, there are about 13 million people living with diabetes mellitus (DM), when poorly controlled, can generate several complications, such as peripheral neuropathy and even amputation of limbs. Most cases of leg or foot amputation are a consequence of lack of preventive self-care. Self-care is an act of self-preservation, however, there are behaviors incoherent with this search, the so-called self-destructive behaviors. This study aims to identify the possible triggers of self-destructive behaviors in patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) with peripheral neuropathy. This is a qualitative study, exploratory and interpretative in nature, with a descriptive character. A semi-structured interview was used as an instrument with eight patients with peripheral neuropathy due to DM. The data were analyzed from content analysis and categorized. Three categories were added that can influence self-destructive behaviors: a) the conception of health and disease: the need to look beyond the disease; b) DM2 and its invisibility; and c) the psychological dimension of DM care. From the interviews and theoretical contribution, this study sought to reflect on the possible crossings regarding the treatment of DM2.

Effective Prevention and Management Tools for Metabolic Syndrome Based on Digital Health-Based Lifestyle Interventions Using Healthcare Devices.

Digital health-based lifestyle interventions (e.g., mobile applications, short messaging service, wearable devices, social media, and interactive websites) are widely used to manage metabolic syndrome (MetS). This study aimed to confirm the utility of self-care for prevention or management of MetS. We recruited 106 participants with one or more MetS risk factors from December 2019 to September 2020. Participants were provided five healthcare devices and applications. Characteristics were compared at baseline and follow-up to examine changes in risk factors, engagement, persistence, and physical activity (analyzed through device use frequency and lifestyle interventions performed). Participants with 1–2 MetS risk factors showed statistically significant reductions in waist circumference (WC) and blood pressure (BP). Participants with ≥3 MetS risk factors showed statistically significant reductions in risk factors including weight, body mass index, WC, BP, and fasting blood sugar (FBS). The prevention and improvement groups used more healthcare devices than the other groups. Smartwatch was the most frequently used device (5 times/week), and physical activity logged more than 7000 steps/week. WC, BP, and FBS of the improvement group were reduced by more than 40%. Based on engagement, persistence, and physical activity, digital health-based lifestyle interventions could be helpful for MetS prevention and management.

Immunity-enhancing Micronutrients and Community Pharmacists: An Opportunity to Expand Self-Care Practices among the Public

Background: The urban lifestyle and environment pose a constant immune challenge to city dwellers. A major such challenge is influenza, which creates substantial public health and socio-economic burdens. The global healthcare paradigm has begun emphasizing the importance and cost-effectiveness of self-care in partnership with healthcare professionals such as community pharmacists for the management of mild ailments. For the general public, micronutrient supplementation is an affordable and potentially feasible self-care strategy for immunity enhancement and disease management. At the same time, micronutrient deficiencies are a serious public health concern in both developing and developed areas. Objective: This review focuses on the clinical evidence for the efficacy and safety of three key micronutrients — vitamins C, D and zinc — on respiratory infections. Key findings: These micronutrients are important for optimal immune function through their complementary roles in supporting both innate and adaptive immunity, as well as epithelial barriers. The need to improve public awareness of self-care in prevention and health management is highlighted by recent public health issues and the global fight against antimicrobial resistance. Community pharmacists could play a crucial role in empowering patient autonomy. Conclusion: With this review we aim to offer insights into the supplementation of these micronutrients as a self-care approach to the management of immune health.

The Value of Self-Care: “Health Enthusiasts” and Healthificated Consumption

From a common sense perspective health is an absolute value. However, even in European societies, with their well-developed institutional infrastructure of preventive healthcare, individuals need to be encouraged, or even forced, for practicing self-care. The Russian state is also interested to promote a healthy lifestyle and self-preservation behavior among the population. Nevertheless, sociological data demonstrate that Russians are more inclined to use their health than to save and increase it for the future. Sociologists give mainly structural explanations for health investments unattractiveness, while the individuals' recognition of the value of health remains outside their attention. This paper examines the deficits of an individual’s intrinsic motivation to invest in one’s health within a valuation framework, emphasising the constructed and fluid nature of the social worth of self-care in market societies. The Russian case exemplifies the local meanings behind the value of health investments in terms of gaining return from health as a capital, consumer good and personal value. An abductive analysis of 26 in-depth interviews with Russians who enjoy health investments (‘health enthusiasts’) reconstructs mindsets that make investing in one’s health attractive. Streamlined by the valuation framework, the study reveals three levels of self-care value: physical (body taming for self-maximisation); positional (the ability to achieve new health indicators through science-based self-management as a new precursor of social status); and transcendent (projecting the desired self in terms of authentic self-expression and autonomous sustainability). Empirics signify the involvement of ‘health enthusiasts’ into consumption of market products that have been marketized as “good for health”. These commodities praise the value of health, legitimize individual interest to it, ritualize health care practices and contribute to a more self-focused, autonomous, and resilient entrepreneurial self. “Health enthusiasts” begin experiencing health as an asset, an investment into vitality and personal productivity. They discover own human potential and practice self-care as a path of “returning to oneself”. The results of the study demonstrate that market driven cultivation of self-care value may produce a utilitarian approach to self among Russians. This approach increases the subjective value of self and supports preventive self-care that is in demand in Russia. At the same time, market driven individual obsession with health may increase social competition and disintegration.

Effects of Conformity to Masculine Norms and Coping on Health Behaviors in Men With Multiple Sclerosis.

The role of conformity to masculine gender norms in health behaviors in men with multiple sclerosis (MS) has not received attention. This cross-sectional study explores these issues and their relationship to coping and health behaviors. Eighty-one men with MS completed the Conformity to Masculine Norms Inventory-46 and the Ways of Coping Questionnaire and provided demographic and clinical variables. These results were used to predict subscale scores of the Health Behavior Inventory-20 in multivariable regression models. Models for the Preventive Self-care and Avoiding Anger and Stress subscales were successfully fit. For the former, respondents endorsing lower levels of masculine conformity related to Emotional Control and higher levels of Heterosexual Self-presentation predicted greater self-care, as did higher use of Positive Reappraisal as a coping strategy. For men reporting low levels of Positive Reappraisal as a coping strategy, increasing Heterosexual Self-presentation was associated with higher levels of self-care. For those with high levels of coping with Positive Reappraisals, increased Heterosexual Self-presentation was associated with modest declines in self-care. For the Avoiding Anger and Stress subscale score, men endorsing Violence or Heterosexual Self-presentation as important aspects of masculinity also reported less efforts in controlling stress and anger. Masculinity adherence to traditional gender norms was a significant predictor of how men engaged in health behaviors and, in the case of Preventive Self-care, was found to interact with Positive Reappraisal as a coping strategy. Such information is novel and important to providers serving male patients with MS and can improve provider awareness/conceptualization of male patient needs.

Relationship between health literacy and self-care for prevention of high blood pressure among firefighters in Tehran in 1398

Relationship between health literacy and self-care for prevention of high blood pressure among firefighters in Tehran in 1398

Knowledge and self-care of nurses at the emergency and intensive care wards of Shohada-ye Ashayer Hospital, Khorramabad, Iran, in prevention from coronavirus disease 2019, 2020

Background: The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has endangered the health of all people. Healthcare workers, especially nurses working in emergency and intensive care wards, are always at the forefront of the fight against such infectious diseases. This study aimed to determine the level of awareness and self-care of staff working in emergency and intensive care wards in prevention from COVID-19 in Shohada-ye Ashayer Hospital, Khorramabad, Iran. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 162 nurses in Shohada-ye Ashayer Hospital. The samples were selected the census sampling method and completed a designed online questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed and interpreted in SPSS software (version 23). Results: The mean age of participants was obtained at 32.28±5.12 years, and 87% of the subjects were women. The mean scores of knowledge and self-care among the subjects were estimated at 21.5±2.6 and 36.1±4.1, respectively. It was also revealed that 87.9% of the participants had good knowledge regarding the prevention from COVID-19 and 85.2% of the cases had good performance in self-care of COVID-19. Conclusion: The findings of this study indicated that the staff working at the emergency and intensive care wards of Shohada-ye Ashayer Hospital had a good level of awareness and self-care in prevention from COVID-19. However, in some cases, more training is needed to better perform COVID-19 prevention.

Abstract P114: A Nurse-Led Multi-Component Behavioral Activation Program to Improve Treatment Decision-Making and Health Outcomes in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a complex condition that requires a multifaceted management approach to reduce disease- and treatment-related complications. However, under-prescription of oral anticoagulant (OAC), non-adherence, suboptimal anticoagulation and risk factor control leave patients to increased risks of adverse outcomes. Methods: This mixed-methods study comprised a randomized controlled trial and an exploratory qualitative study. Community-dwelling patients with AF but no OAC treatment (N = 89) were randomized to receive either the Nurse-led Multi-component Behavioral Activation (N-MBA) program or standard care. The N-MBA program equipped patients as an active agent to manage their AF. Firstly, the nurse enabled patients to be aware of their stroke risk by using a decision-aid, then empowered them to discuss OAC use with physicians actively and be responsible for the medication and lifestyle-related self-care for stroke prevention. A purposive subsample (n=10) from the N-MBA program were interviewed for their engagement experience. Results: As compared with those received the standard care, the N-MBA group showed significantly greater intention to use OAC, and their OAC treatment option was more compatible with physician’s decision at immediate post-test ( p = .002). They also reported greater improvements on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) (immediate post-test: p = .023; 6-month post-test: p = .047) and AF knowledge (immediate post-test: p = .004) after attending the program. The N-MBA program was highly receptive with excellent attendance (92%) and mean satisfaction score (4.94/5.00 ± 0.88). The participants expressed that the decision-aid enabled them to make the OAC treatment decision through better understanding of their stroke risk, pros and cons of different treatments. Through attending the interactive health counseling, they found themselves as more assertive to discuss the treatment options with their physicians. Together with the prompt access of a nurse for advice, they perceived themselves as capable to perform AF-related self-care. Conclusions: The preliminary analysis showed that the N-MBA program is feasible and effective to optimize treatment decision making and HRQoL in AF patients.

Scale of Assessment of Self-Care Behaviors with Arteriovenous Fistula in Hemodialysis: A Psychometric Study in Brazil.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Brazilian Scale for the Assessment of Self-Care Behaviors with Arteriovenous Fistula in Hemodialysis. Cross-sectional validation study, followed the recommendation provided by Sousa and Rojjanasrirat. Content validity, explanatory and confirmatory factor analyses used to check validity and Cronbach's alpha was the reliability measure. Three hundred hemodialysis patients with arteriovenous fistula were included in the study. The expert committee assessed the content validity. Exploratory factor analysis confirmed the same two-factor structure found for the original scale, explaining 60.10% of the variance. Such solution was checked by confirmatory factor analysis with Cronbach's alpha equal to 0.920, 0.810, and 0.884 for the overall scale, the self-care in management of signs and symptoms and the self-care in prevention of complications subscales respectively. The scale has good psychometric properties to assess self-care behaviors and can be used with Brazilian patients on hemodialysis with arteriovenous fistula.

How mindful of their own health are healthcare professionals? perception and practice of personnel in a tertiary hospital in Nigeria.

To assess health professionals' perception and determinants of their health and practice of preventive self-care. An analytic cross-sectional design was employed, and 232 professionals were selected by stratified sampling from all health professional departments of Delta State University Teaching Hospital. Healthcare professionals who had worked in the hospital for at least six months were included in the sampling frame. Pregnant women and supernumerary professionals were excluded. A self-administered questionnaire was used, and data analysed using SPSS. The main outcome measures were the level of perception of self-health and level of practice of preventive selfcare. More than four-fifths of doctors and 64.8% of nurses had good perception of their health, with significant association between perception and service area (X2 = 11.828, p =0.008). Screening practice was lowest amongst doctors except for HIV/HBV screening. Whereas 63.4% of all participants adjudged their BMI to be normal, only 36.2% actually had normal BMI, the difference being significant (p <0.001). Almost 20% of doctors had not had a BP check in a year or more, and the same proportion of doctors and nurses had never checked their FBS. The proportion of personnel who had never checked their serum lipid profile was high among nurses (76.1%) and doctors (58.3%). Respondents had good perception but poor preventive behaviour, beginning management after disease onset. This may be ominous for the sector. Urgent health promotion action to safeguard productivity is needed. Comprehensive data from a multi-centre study will provide a deeper understanding of the issue. None declared.

Validation of the scale of assessment of self‐care behaviours for arteriovenous fistula in patients ongoing haemodialysis in Turkey

Several guidelines recommend that patients with chronic kidney disease treated by haemodialysis (HD) take care of their own arteriovenous fistula (AVF). The dialysis nurse plays an important role in the development of such self-care behaviours. A very small number of instruments are available to assess self-care behaviours with AVF in Turkey. Cultural adaptation and psychometric testing of the Turkish version of the scale of assessment of self-care behaviours with arteriovenous fistula in haemodialysis (ASBHD-AVF) patients. Cross-sectional validation study. This study was conducted involving 160 patients in the Bolu region in Turkey. The guidelines provided by Sousa and Rojjanasrirat were taken into account in the scale translation, adaptation and validation process. Validity was analysed through content validity and construct validity. The latter was measured through principal component analysis with varimax rotation, considering only factor loadings of 0.30 or larger. Reliability analysis was based on internal consistency measured by Cronbach's α. A two-factor structure was extracted explaining 59.01% of the total variance. Cronbach's α was 0.91, 0.85 and 0.84 for the overall scale, the self-care in prevention of complications subscale and the self-care in management of signs and symptoms subscale, respectively. The Turkish version of the scale of ASBHD-AVF patients is a reliable and valid instrument and can therefore be used.

Preventive Self-Care Serious Games for Diabetes: A Game Design

Diabetes is a significant factor that contributes to obesity. In recent years, there has been an increasing number of patients, including adults and children diagnosis of diabetes. Extensive awareness has been carried out for educating people to prevent from diagnosed with diabetes such as sharing the information through electronic media, social media, forum by medical experts, and others. However, less implementation of awareness is given through entertainment computing, such as serious games to attract people to learn in a fun way. In order to overcome the problem, a serious game to prevent diabetes through awareness was developed, namely as Grab2BeHealthy to educate people in choosing healthy food. The primary purpose of this study is to design the game architecture for this serious game using SGDA framework. There are a few literature studies addressed on game design framework and the implementation of a serious game in the healthcare industry, especially for awareness and diseases prevention. The game design architecture was developed using game design framework as a guideline to meet the objective of prevention. The prototype development has been tested by 50 players to proof the game design architecture.

Patient-centred health educational intervention to empower preventative diabetic foot self-care

Introduction: Diabetes is a disease in which the body's ability to produce or respond to the hormone insulin is impaired, resulting in abnormal metabolism of carbohydrates and elevated levels of glucose in the body. Due to these factors, diabetes can cause several complications that include heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, eye complications, kidney disease, skin complications, vascular disease, nerve damage and foot problems. Aim: The primary objective of the project was to educate patients who had been diagnosed with diabetes or were being followed up for diabetes management by other departments with regard to their own responsibility in maintaining preventative foot self-care. Educating patients with diabetes to take an active part in their own self-care is the cornerstone of establishing effective diabetes self-management. Diabetes education allows patients to explore effective interventions into living their life with diabetes and incorporate the necessary changes to improve their lifestyle. Method: Ten patients completed a validated educational foot care knowledge assessment pre-test to determine their existing knowledge about their own foot care after a thorough foot assessment. Preventative diabetic foot self-care education was conducted through a lecture, visual aids and a return demonstration. Patients were then subjected to a post-test questionnaire with the same content as the aforementioned pre-test to determine their uptake of the educational content. Results: Correct cutting of toenails was the most identified educational need. It was a limitation in the pre-test (30%) and it remained the lowest scoring item on the post-test (70%). Walking barefoot was thought not to be dangerous by 60% of participants pre-test but, with remedial education, all participants identified this as a dangerous activity post-test. The importance of having corns and calluses looked after by a health professional rather than self-care was also understood to be of high importance. Conclusion: Effective communication with patients by healthcare providers who can mould educational content to the identified patient needs by teaching much needed skills is a key driver in rendering safe, quality-related healthcare educational interventions.

THE IMPACT OF PARTICIPATION IN SOCIAL HEALTH NETWORKS

Stress and compassionate fatigue are common among graduate level students working in healthcare professions, however, few studies focus on preventative self-care and its’ impact on these learners. As part the University of Louisville’s Behavioral Health Workforce Enhancement Training Program (BHWET), graduate students are trained to work with older adults in rural communities. The focus of our BHWET program is to provide holistic, behavioral health care through our FlourishCare Network. As part of the student’s weekly curriculum, an interdisciplinary group of learners from counseling psychology, social work and psychiatric nursing were invited to the attend the sessions were invited to participate in a 2-semester Microclinics and Health Matters course that was designed to promote self-care and harness the power of social networks to promote health. A total of 15 students completed the program. Biomarkers including BMI, Cholesterol, A1C, Blood Pressure were taken every week time the course was offered. Cortisol levels were taken every 4 months to measure stress levels. Across the initial 12 weeks of programming, there were positive outcomes for the participants in terms of either maintenance of healthy goals or biomarkers. Additionally, the program had an impact on the older adult clients that were being served by the students compared to students that did not participant. In a review of the plan of care items, which is central to our work with FlourishCare clients, plan of care items showed a stronger focus on connecting clients to social health interventions and a stronger connection to education about health-related content.

The New Agenda for Neck Pain Research: A Modified Delphi Study.

Though a large amount of research on neck pain has been conducted, no coordinated agenda has identified and addressed high-priority research questions. To identify and rank the neck pain research priorities of neck pain researchers. A total of 400 experts in the field of neck pain were invited to participate in this modified Delphi study. The study was conducted in 3 rounds. The first round aimed to identify the most important relevant questions that neck pain researchers should address. These questions were then categorized and ranked during the second and third rounds. A total of 117 experts agreed to participate (29% response rate). A total of 15 neck pain research priorities were identified. The top 5 research priorities were to (1) establish effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of available treatments for neck pain, (2) translate research evidence into clinical settings, (3) identify the effectiveness of education and self-care in prevention and treatment of neck pain, (4) identify causal factors in the development of neck pain, and (5) define the natural course and prognostic factors in people with neck pain. A new research-priority agenda was developed through a consensus process from a group of neck pain researchers. This agenda can be used as a guide for researchers and funding agencies to ensure that future research addresses the most important research questions in this area. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2019;49(9):666-674. Epub 10 Jul 2019. doi:10.2519/jospt.2019.8704.