Search

The development, implementation, and qualitative evaluation of smartphone-based pain management applications may provide an opportunity for more optimal management of pediatric pain in the homesetting. The present mixed-method study was conducted to assess a smartphone-based pain management application regarding the feasibility, adherence, participant satisfaction, and effectiveness on pain intensity and quality of life in adolescents with chronic pain. The study was carried out in the quantitative and qualitative stages using a mixed-method approach. The quantitative stage included 128 adolescents who met the ICD-11 criteria of chronic pain. After random allocation, adolescents allocated to the intervention group received a pain management program through a smartphone-based application. No education was given to the adolescents in the control group. The adolescents were assessed regarding pain intensity and different dimensions of quality of life at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and three-month follow-up. The findings in the quantitative stage were explained by qualitative interviews. The findings of the quantitative stage showed significant improvements in the pain intensity, emotional, social, and school functioning but not in the physical functioning of the adolescents. A high level of adherence (78.12%) and satisfaction (Mean = 26.45, SD = 6.45) with thes martphone-based pain management program was found. Based on the qualitative interviews, adolescents' pain management strategies can be classified in three main categories: physical management, psychological management, and interpersonal resources. The results confirm the positive effect of a smartphone-based pain management program on the pain intensity and different dimensions of quality of life of adolescents with chronic pain. Within the context of chronic pain management, a mobile application incorporating both the psychological and physical management of pain may help adolescents with chronic pain to reduce the negative impacts of pain on their life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spiritual health has attracted a lot of attention in health-related and nursing sciences and numerous researches. Yet, this concept has remained complex and ambiguous, and there is no consensus in this regard. This ambiguity can be challenging for holistic nursing; therefore, clarification of the concept is required for development of nursing knowledge. The present study aimed to explore the concept of spiritual health in health-related and nursing literature. Walker and Avant (Strategies for theory construction in nursing, Appleton & Lange, Norwalk, 1995) concept analysis method was used in this study. The results were categorized as antecedents, attributes, and outcomes of spiritual health. The critical attributes extracted for spiritual health included transcendence, purposefulness and meaningfulness, faithfulness, harmonious interconnectedness, integrative power, multidimensionality, and holistic being. Besides, the antecedents of spiritual health included capability and potentiality for transcendence, and spiritual awareness. Finally, well-being and moral development were the outcomes of spiritual health. Spiritual health is one of the basic aspects of health and providing a clear theoretical definition can result in a common understanding of this concept for nurses. Clarifying this concept would also be useful for provision of spiritual care interventions and development of nursing theories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with chronic diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), are prone to emotional distresses and reduction in life quality more than others. This study aimed to assess the relationship between religious beliefs and quality of life among patients with MS. In this study, 145 MS patients completed 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the Duke University Religion Index (DUREL) questionnaires. The results indicated that unorganized religious activities were significantly associated with marital status and education level. Besides, internal religion was positively correlated to mental health. However, religious variables were not effective prognostic factors in physical and mental quality of life. Overall, further studies have to be conducted to determine the role of religion in quality of life of MS patients with different religious backgrounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]