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Topic: Early‐life experiences, the transmission of health and disease within families, and the influence of cumulative risks as well as protective factors throughout life shape the trajectory of health, including mental health. Long‐term health trajectories established early in life are influenced by biologic, social, and environmental factors. Negative trajectories may be more salient if exposures to adversity occur during critical developmental periods. Purpose: The purpose of this brief is to (a) review pediatric health disparities related to depression and the intergenerational transmission of pediatric depression using a Life Course Health Development (LCHD) model and (b) provide recommendations for pediatric mental health research. Sources: Peer‐reviewed papers available for PubMed, CINAL, and Medline. Other sources include published books, papers, and gray materials. Conclusions: The LCHD model is a perspective to guide and foster new scientific inquiry about the development of mental health outcomes over the life course. The model enables synthesis of mental health, nursing, and public health, linking mental health prevention, risk reduction, and treatment in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Telomere length (TL) is proposed to play a mechanistic role in how the exposome affects health outcomes. Little is known about TL during adolescence, a developmental period during which precursors of adult‐onset health problems often emerge. We examined health and demographic sources of variation in TL in 899 youth aged 11–17. Demographic and health information included age, sex, race, household income, caregiver age and marital status, youth tobacco exposure, body mass index, pubertal status, health problems, medication use, and season of data collection. Genomic DNA was extracted from saliva, and T/S ratios were computed following qPCR. Age, race, season of data collection, and household income were associated with the telomere to single copy (T/S) ratio. We found that T/S ratios were larger at younger ages, among Black youth, for saliva collected during autumn and winter, and among households with higher income. Analyses stratified by race revealed that the association between age and T/S ratio was present for Black youth, that season of collection was present across races, but that family demographic associations with T/S ratio varied by race. The results provide information for future telomere research and highlight adolescence as a potentially important developmental phase for racial disparities in telomere shortening and health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Cesarean rates are particularly high among Hispanic women in some regions of the United States, placing a disproportionate health burden on women and their newborns. This integrative review synthesized the literature on mode of birth (vaginal vs cesarean) and related childbirth complications (hemorrhage, surgical site infection, perineal trauma) among Mexican American women living in the United States. Methods: Four electronic databases, PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and SCOPUS, were searched to identify studies meeting the inclusion criteria, research studies that included Mexican American women who were pregnant or postpartum. Results were limited to English language and publications that were peer‐reviewed and published before May 2020. Covidence was used in article identification, screening, and assessment. Critical appraisal of the research was performed using the Quality Assessment Tool for Studies with Diverse Designs. Results: Ten articles met inclusion criteria. In some studies, Mexican American women born in the United States were more likely to have cesareans than women born in Mexico; in other studies, these findings were reversed. Mexican American women often had lower unadjusted cesarean rates compared with non‐Hispanic white women, but adjusting for birth facility (some facilities perform more cesareans than others), sociodemographic, and risk factors often revealed Mexican American women have a higher adjusted risk for cesarean birth. Women with higher socioeconomic status had higher cesarean rates compared with women with lower socioeconomic status. In studies of birth outcome by level of acculturation, women who were US‐oriented had higher rates of cesarean and more frequent perinatal complications. By ethnic subgroup, rates of cesarean and complications varied among Hispanic women. Discussion: Birth facility was associated with perinatal outcomes for Mexican American women; those who gave birth at higher‐performing facilities had better outcomes when compared with women who gave birth at lower‐performing facilities. After adjusting for pregnancy complications, Mexican American women had a greater risk for cesarean birth compared with non‐Hispanic white women, a finding that may have clinical practice implications. Level of acculturation affected birth outcomes, but more research using precise instruments is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experiencing chronic stress early in life is associated with later health disparities, and poverty may be a significant stressor for both mothers and children. With a sample of primarily Black and White mothers (N = 75) and toddlers (N = 71) living in poverty in the United States, we examined the direct relations between sociodemographic conditions of poverty and chronic physiological stress. Mothers completed questionnaires on sociodemographics, including mother/toddler race, mother's education, father's education, poverty level, economic hardship, marital status, unemployment status, and toddler sex. Physiological chronic stress was measured by assaying the cortisol content of 4 cm samples of hair cut from the posterior vertex of mothers and toddlers (20–24 months of age) to represent 4 months of stress. Mothers' and toddlers' chronic stress was significantly, moderately, and positively associated. Toddlers had a trending relationship of moderately higher chronic stress if they were Black compared to not Black. Mothers had significantly, moderately higher chronic stress if they were Black or had a Black toddler (compared to not Black), not married (compared to married), or were working (compared to not working). The findings suggest that these mothers, simultaneously navigating poverty and parenting a toddler, need resources to reduce chronic stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need for human touch is universal among critical care patients and is an important component of the nurse–patient relationship. However, multiple barriers to human touch exist in the critical care environment. With little research to guide practice, we argue for the importance of human touch in the provision of holistic nursing care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships among the mother's internal working model of feeding, attentional process, feeding behaviors, and responsiveness accounting for maternal psychological distress, which may contribute to preterm infants' feeding difficulties. Design and Methods In this descriptive study, 21 mother-preterm infant dyads were videotaped during feeding. Results Surprisingly, the internal working model of feeding was a significant negative predictor of maternal feeding behaviors and maternal attention. All other correlations were non-significant. Conclusions Given the early timing of the data collection, it is possible that mothers had not developed a frame of reference of their infant as a person. Research to help further understand factors and timing affecting maternal feeding behaviors is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine how mothers of preterm infants perceive the feasibility and acceptability of a guided feeding intervention. Design and Methods In this multiple case study design, feasibility was assessed by retention of participants through all intervention sessions. Acceptability was assessed with a semi-structured interview. Results Participants found the intervention useful for demonstrating and explaining behaviors that facilitate feeding, and helpful in dispelling previous, erroneous understandings about infant behaviors. Practice Implications The results are encouraging. The intervention was found to be both feasible and acceptable. The effectiveness of this intervention needs to be assessed in a randomized controlled trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To examine phenotypic considerations in the study of fatigue and to explore significant issues affecting the extension of biobehavioral research of fatigue by the inclusion of genetic and genomic markers. Theoretical Organization: Fatigue is a condition that has an adverse effect on quality of life that has been a focus of nursing inquiry. Yet, the study of fatigue has been stymied by the lack of phenotypic clarity. To expand the biobehavioral inquiry of fatigue, phenotypic clarity is needed. In addition, examining genomic factors associated with fatigue may help to elucidate the pathophysiology of fatigue and, in the future, lead to targeted interventions that address the molecular basis of fatigue. Conclusions: Given that nursing has been at the forefront of the study of fatigue, nurse scientists should consider enhancing phenotypic clarity by the development of a case-definition and use of a core measure of fatigue, one that can be augmented by condition- or population-specific measures as needed. Following the establishment of phenotypic clarity, the integration of genomics into biobehavioral research offers an opportunity for further clarity of phenotypes and for theoretical specification of the pathophysiology of conditions such as fatigue. Clinical Relevance: The development of targeted interventions for fatigue depend on a more precise definition of fatigue and a better understanding of the biologic processes that contribute to its development and persistence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternal cortisol plays an important role in foetal development and is often used to measure stress. In addition to stress, prenatal and post-partum women experience a mix of positive and negative emotions. However, few studies have examined the relationship between cortisol and maternal psychological health or how these relationships change from the prenatal to the post-partum periods. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between maternal cortisol and stress, happiness, and depression components of psychological well-being, in late pregnancy and early post-partum. The study used a repeated measure design with 41 women; 21 women completed all data collections. As expected, maternal salivary cortisol increased from awakening to 30 minutes after awakening during pregnancy. Levels of salivary cortisol were lower at post-partum. Stress, happiness and depression were significantly correlated at both prenatal and post-partum measurements. Prenatal cortisol awakening response was correlated with happiness. Maternal psychological well-being and cortisol did not differ by parity, race or employment. Maternal cortisol could potentially serve as a biochemical marker of maternal psychological well-being. Interventions to decrease maternal stress may promote maternal psychological well-being. Longitudinal studies with larger sample and diverse ethnicities may increase our understanding of the role of cortisol in foetal and maternal health. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

purpose. To explore the relationships among, stress, social support, mastery, and depression design. Descriptive correlational study setting. 60-bed, Level 3 NICU in an urban medical center in a Mid-Atlantic state participants. 31 mothers who delivered infants born between 26 and 36 weeks gestation. Inclusion criteria included no maternal illness or complications requiring hospitalization beyond four days, and no report of a recent major stressful life event other than the birth of the child. major outcome measures. The Mastery of Stress Instrument, the Account of Social Resources Inventory, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale results. Social support was positively related to mastery and inversely related to depression. conclusions. Mothers of preterm infants experienced significant levels of stress and depression in the early postpartum period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]