Message from the editor
Journal
Journal of Nursing Research
Journal Volume
25
Journal Issue
3
Pages
173
Date Issued
2017
Author(s)
Abstract
This issue of The Journal of Nursing Research includes nine original articles that address various health issues from different cultural perspectives, including Iran, Jordan, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey, and the United States. These articles include seven quantitative studies, one qualitative study, and one systematic review. One randomized controlled trial conducted by Bastani et al. in Iran compares the effects of kangaroo care and in-arms holding on the sleep and wake states of preterm infants. The authors conclude that kangaroo care provides better outcomes for infants as compared with simple in-arms care. Quality assurance is an important step during the implementation of clinical trial studies. Salman-Engin et al. examines implementation fidelity in terms of the adherence and competence of a prenatal coparenting intervention delivery by community mentor teams for expectant unmarried mothers and fathers that are comprised of experienced community interventionists with no formal couples’ therapy training. The results found acceptable levels of adherence and competence for the 7 mentors and 14 families in this pilot study. Two studies in this issue address the psychometric testing of research instruments. Yoon & Kim tested the Korean version of the Revised Index for Social Engagement in Long-Term Care Facilities in South Korea and Dalky, Meininger, & Al-Ali tested the Arabic version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL) for use among family caregivers of relatives with psychiatric illnesses in Jordan. Both scales were found to be acceptable in relevant research applications. Health–related Quality of life (QOL) is a major concern in both clinical work and research. Two studies in this issue relate to QOL, with one by Chang et al. addressing mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in Taiwanese elderly and one by Dai et al. assessing non-small-cell lung cancer from prechemotherapy through Cycle 4 of chemotherapy in Taiwanese cancer patients. In Chang’s study, the prevalence of MCI in older people living in publicly managed congregate housing was 16.1% and the study confirmed that QOL and activities of daily living were significant factors for predicting MCI in older people. Several important determinants of better QOL for lung cancer patients are reported in Dai’s study based on the longitudinal study design. Karatas, Ozturk, & Bektas studied bullying against nursing students at a university in southeastern Turkey, finding that 78.1% of the participants reported experiencing at least one bullying incident during the preceding 6-month period. Various forms of bullying are also elicited in this study. This issue’s qualitative study, conducted by Rabiei, examined the help-seeking behaviors of Iranian multiple sclerosis patients and elicited four main themes. Finally, the one systematic review article in this issue identified 10 psychometric properties of the instruments that are used to evaluate the cultural competence of healthcare providers and found that no single tool is sufficiently comprehensive to evaluate cultural competence in all contexts. This issue offers new information from disparate cultural perspectives. We hope you enjoy the readings and that they benefit your clinical care and research.
Type
editorial