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Manuscript type: Research paper. Research aims: This study aims to shed light on the factors that facilitate online purchase of perfume. It specifically: 1) explores the antecedents of online purchase behaviour in the case of experience goods; 2) analyses the motivations, perceived benefits and perceived risks associated with online purchase of perfume; and 3) identifies perfume e-shoppers' profiles. Design/Methodology/Approach: A qualitative research approach involving interviewing 27 perfume e-shoppers from Brazil, Iran and Portugal was adopted. Research findings: The findings of this study reveal that there are three types of perfume e-shoppers: 1) experienced e-shoppers, 2) bargain e-seekers, and 3) expert e-shoppers. Competitive prices, enjoyable online experiences and greater varieties of perfumes are among the perceived benefits that motivate the online shoppers. The inability to test the perfumes, particularly those that are never tried before, appears to be the major drawback. Theoretical contribution/Originality: This study provides interesting cues on a topic that has so far been disregarded by the literature despite its growing importance as a business sector--online purchase of perfumes. It offers the categorisation of three e-shopper profiles, based on consumers' narratives, and highlighted the importance of further addressing the dynamic nature of consumer behaviours, particularly in the online context. Practitioner/Policy implications: The findings show that the main trigger of buying perfume online is the price discounts, which is particularly important to less experienced Web shoppers. This indicates that experience goods such as perfume should, at the initial stage, be sold in stores that offer an assortment of products. Online perfume stores should consider alternatives to provide perfume testing. Research limitation/Implications: Purposive sampling does not allow results' generalisation; hence future research is needed to further validate the findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Administrative Sciences / Revista Ciências Administrativas is the property of Journal of Administrative Sciences / Revista Ciencias Administrativas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Health care challenges in remote rural municipalities (RRMs) emphasize the importance of primary health care (PHC) and require an expanded scope of practice. Doctors are key actors in this context. The aim of this study was to explore the level of integration of doctors in RRMs and working practices. We conducted a qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews with 46 PHC doctors working in 27 RRMs in Brazil. Content analysis was performed, resulting in the identification of categories of analysis grouped under three core dimensions: doctor training and experience; comprehensive care and timely access; and the community-based approach. Doctors working in RRMs were mainly recent graduates with limited experience who had undertaken their degree outside Brazil, and care was focused on the individual. The findings also revealed weak sociocultural adaptation and a harsh working environment and issues related to social status that reinforced prejudice against rurality and poverty. Practice was limited in scope and care tended to be oriented towards acute problems, disease-centered and focused on the biomedical model of medicine. Barriers to the delivery of comprehensive care include both structural constraints, such as poor facilities and centralization of services in administrative centers, and the lack of professional competencies necessary for PHC in these areas. The findings point to the need to promote an expanded scope of practice in PHC delivery in RRMs, with major public investment in the promotion of training and strengthening career pathways in these areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Bioetica is the property of Conselho Federal de Medicina and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

kwong e.w.-y., pang s.m.-c., choi p.-p. & wong t.k.-s. (2010) Influenza vaccine preference and uptake among older people in nine countries. Journal of Advanced Nursing 66(10), 2297–2308. Aim. This paper is a report of a study delineating factors that influence older people’s preferences and uptake of the influenza vaccine in nine countries. Background. Vaccination uptake for the aging population in many countries still remains below the World Health Organization recommended rate. Older people who perceive higher susceptibility to and severity of influenza, and more benefits from vaccination and action cues prompting vaccination, tend to accept the vaccine, but those with more perceived barriers to vaccination are less likely to accept it. Method. A total of 208 older people from China, Indonesia, Turkey, Korea, Greece, Canada, the United Kingdom, Brazil and Nigeria were recruited to 14 vaccinated and 12 unvaccinated focus groups. They shared their experiences of influenza, and influenza vaccination, and promotion of influenza vaccination in focus groups. The data were collected in 2007. Findings. We identified five themes and generated a hypothetical framework for in-depth understanding of vaccination behaviour among older people. Participants’ vaccine preferences were determined by their behavioural beliefs in vaccination, which were based on their probability calculation of susceptibility to and severity of influenza and vaccine effectiveness, and their utility calculation of vaccine, healthcare and social costs. Action cues prompting vaccination and vaccine access further affected the vaccine uptake of participants with vaccine preferences. Vaccination coverage was likely to be higher in the countries where normative beliefs in favour of vaccination had formed. Conclusion. The hypothetical framework can be used to guide healthcare providers in developing strategies to foster normative beliefs of older people in vaccination, provide effective action cues and promote vaccine access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study and experience obtained during a two-year sojourn in an academic environment in Brazil as of July 1962. The study of the role of the accountant in other countries is in keeping with the development of world commerce and the necessity of recognizing the earth as one ever-narrowing commercial community. This paper is offered as a contribution towards the development of that understanding. Each observer, however, forms his opinion based on the limits of his experience, his background, and his special prejudices. This is especially true when observing a foreign scene. Thus opinions differ from visitors' opinions seldom have much substance; long-time residents' opinions often reflect a subtle shift in their original "national" perspectives. The implications for international public accounting are likewise rather dear. Those persons pushing for immediate or near immediate amalgamation of every nation's public accounting societies and the introduction of American standards must realize that the maturation process must first get at least a good hold. This process will be aided in direct proportion to the participation of foreign accountants in both the educational and professional fabric of every country. The process basically consists of the introduction of the broad ideas of business administration into the academic fabric of the country. The concept of financial information as useful for something other than formulations of historical, backward-looking, taxpaying records must precede the development of a strong accounting profession.

Copyright of Revista de Ciencias Médicas de Pinar del Río is the property of Editorial Ciencias Medicas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

During the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses were placed in an unprecedented context in which they engaged with community members, family members, and friends while positioned between dire hospital situations and community disbelief about the seriousness of the pandemic, often along political lines. A secondary analysis of a qualitative study exploring experiences of 39 nurses in the United States and Brazil in engaging with the community and political discourse during the pandemic provided insights into the impact of these interactions on nurses, and implications for how nurses may emerge from this pandemic time stronger and more supported by those in administrative positions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mobility challenges may indicate functional decline and are a relevant problem faced by older people. An individual's perception of mobility is affected and moderated by several factors and varies significantly from one community to another. Providing an improved understanding of how older people perceive and experience mobility is a step towards better preparing nurses for roles they are increasingly expected to play. Purpose: The purpose of the study was to investigate perceptions and experiences of mobility in a group of Brazilian community‐dwelling older people living with mobility challenges. Method: Data were generated between June and October 2018 through in‐depth interviews, socio‐demographic surveys and field notes. Purposive sampling strategies were used to recruit 23 Brazilian older people to participate in this focused ethnographic study. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Findings: Perceptions of Brazilian community‐dwelling older people living with mobility challenges were culturally learned and influenced by the social, physical and health environments. Participants' previous experiences with mobility had significant implications on values they attributed to mobility challenges. In addition, older people's experiences with mobility challenges were an integral part of sense of self and strongly related to contextual factors. Conclusions: This study contributes new information to the field of inquiry on mobility of older people as it focuses on the perceptions of a specific age group and culture and attends to the interrelationships between health conditions and contextual factors affecting the mobility of older people. Implications for practice: This study's particular contributions to the nursing discipline are related to improving care by revealing the significance of the context of mobility in which nursing actions are applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Danger Assessment (DA) is a widely-used risk assessment instrument designed to help women understand their risk of femicide. Currently, no validated tool exists in Brazilian Portuguese. The purpose of this study was to conduct a cross-cultural adaptation of the DA for use in the Brazilian context as a precursor to validation and broader testing among women in Brazil. This study describes a community participatory approach for translation and cultural adaptation of the DA from European to Brazilian Portuguese that engages the target population in the process. Using a three-step process, a final version of the DA-Brazil instrument was developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Prior research provides limited information on the roles that leisure can play among Western international students studying in Eastern countries. Exploring this directional difference can provide its implications for Western international student support. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore leisure behaviours and leisure benefits associated with acculturation among Western international students residing in South Korea.Method: Using a purposeful criterion sampling strategy, a total of 18 participants (7 males and 11 females) were recruited. This study employed semi-structured in-depth interviews and a content mapping and content mining question strategy was incorporated.Results: The following core themes were associated with the health benefits of leisure activities experienced by international students living in South Korea: (a) promoting mental health, (b) experiencing dynamics of inter-and intra-group friendships, and (c) facilitating acculturation.Conclusions: The findings showed that participants developed friendships with the host individuals and other international students, became well acculturated into a new culture and experienced benefits to their mental health, indicating that leisure participation can be instrumental in improving social and psychological wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores associated factors and perceptions of oral health among crack users recruited in open drug scenes in Brazil. A mixed methods approach was used. The quantitative component analysed findings from a large (N = 7381), population-based survey. The outcomes under analysis were 'self-perception of oral health' and 'self-reporting of problems affecting the mouth, teeth and gingiva (gums)'. The qualitative component comprised a focus group, with 12 individuals recruited from a drug treatment clinic. Lower self-perception of oral health problems vis-à-vis a higher prevalence of problems affecting the mouth, teeth, and gingiva were found in users who had a lower level of education, used substances daily, had worse self-perception of physical health, did not receive health care and regularly used alcohol and/or tobacco. The results show an association between substance use and decline in oral health, as well as the lack of health services focusing on such issues. Oral health services should be emphasised as a gateway to the health system. So far, the putative cross-referral between services and professionals working in oral health and other health professionals working in the field of drug dependence has not been observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Zika virus outbreak in Brazil (2015–2016) affected thousands of children who were born with Congenital Zika Syndrome (CZS). Families play an important role in their care of children with complex needs, yet their knowledge, experience and skills are rarely harnessed in existing interventions to best support these families. Objective: This study explores the use of mothers as facilitators for a community-based group intervention for children with CZS and their caregivers in Brazil. Methods: Four facilitators were trained to deliver the 10-week intervention called "Juntos". Two were mothers of a child with CZS ("expert mothers") and two were therapists (speech therapist and physiotherapist). The intervention was delivered to three groups, generally including 8–10 caregivers. Two researchers, who were psychologists, observed the groups and held focus group discussions at the end of each session. They undertook semi-structured interviews post intervention with a purposive sample of caregivers, and with the facilitators. Observation notes were collated and summarised. Transcripts were transcribed and thematically analysed using five elements to assess feasibility: acceptability, demand, implementation, practicality and adaptation. Results: The use of expert mothers as facilitators was considered to be acceptable and there was demand for their role. Their experiential knowledge was viewed as important for sharing and learning, and supporting and encouraging the group. The intervention was delivered with fidelity by the expert mothers. The practicality of the intervention was facilitated by holding the group sessions in the community, providing transport costs to facilitators and participants, paying expert mothers and therapist facilitators equally and supporting the expert mothers through a mentorship programme. Equal payment with the therapist enabled the expert mothers to better facilitate the groups, through increased confidence in the value of their role. Adaptation of the intervention included development of video resources and mentoring guidelines. Conclusion: The use of expert mothers as facilitators of caregiver groups provides a unique approach to harness the knowledge, experience, and skills of families to provide care, and is likely to be feasible in similar contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: An occupational repertoire is the array of occupations that an individual has the perceived capacity to perform at a specific point in time. The Occupational Repertoire Development Measure – Parent is a new tool that uses parent report to identify the occupations children can and do perform and their interests in and opportunities for doing them. This study aimed to test the face validity, comprehensiveness, and internal consistency of the Occupational Repertoire Development Measure – Parent as a tool to measure the occupational repertoire of children aged between 2 and 12 years. Method: Twenty-nine occupational therapists completed an online questionnaire about the Occupational Repertoire Development Measure – Parent, and 27 parents completed it and then provided feedback via a structured interview. Descriptive statistics, content analysis, and the content validity index guided data analysis. Results: Participants view the Occupational Repertoire Development Measure – Parent as practical, simple, and supportive of occupation-centred practice to optimize children's development of a meaningful repertoire. Overall, self-care occupations were rated highly relevant. Lower-scoring occupations were those perceived as performed only by older children, nonessential for children with disabilities, or culturally unimportant. Conclusion: Results indicate value in the further development of the Occupational Repertoire Development Measure – Parent and validate that it asks relevant questions to understand a child's performance, engagement, and opportunities, leading to optimal repertoire development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sexual exploitation of children and adolescents is a frequently underestimated health problem which includes transactional sex (TS), or the practice of sexual activity based on an expected return of benefits, favours and/or support in some form. This qualitative study focuses on age-disparate transactional sex (ATS) in urban favela communities of Rio de Janeiro between adult men (over 18) and girls and adolescents (G/A) (under 18), involving a minimum 5-year age disparity. We have employed social norms theory as a framework to identify the prevailing social norms contributing to or protecting children and adolescents from these relationships. Data collection utilised semi-structured interviews (n = 30) and ten focus groups with a total of 130 men/boys and women/girls selected through purposive sampling and varying in age from 15 to 65. Overall the findings identify factors, especially the essentialisation of gender, which promote the acceptability of ATS. When ATS surpassed the acceptability threshold, social norms discouraged direct interference. Concluding remarks point to possible strategies for reducing the occurrence of ATS. These must include girls, boys, women and men with community involvement in the deconstruction of social norms involving gender, age and economic consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The use of electronic health records (EHR) is related to the improvement of service quality and care coordination. The design of this platform generally focuses on the individual use of the system and does not integrate the specific needs of workers to provide support for collaborative activities. OBJECTIVE: The study investigated how activity ergonomics (AE) contributed to improve the design of an EHR that supports the collaborative mental health care of children and youth. METHODS: This qualitative study, based on the theoretical framework of AE, used individual and group interviews and document analysis as research procedures. The data collection occurred between March and September 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. RESULTS: The study highlighted the following points: the characteristics that marked the different perceptions of workers regarding the use of a communication tool for collaborative care; the problems related to spreadsheet usability; and the desirable attributes that should be considered in the conception of a new EHR. CONCLUSIONS: The research indicated that AE favors improving the design of an EHR by incorporating the work dimension into the project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Occupational Therapy / Cadernos Brasileiros de Terapia Ocupacional is the property of Cadernos de Terapia Ocupacional da UFSCar and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objectives : Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major public health problem, particularly in low and middle-income countries. The aim of this study is to consensualise improvement actions for the Tuberculosis Control Programme of the Pernambuco state (SPTC), Brazil. Methods : Firstly, a preliminary workshop was conducted with experts (n = 8), including key stakeholders and health professionals, to select structure and process indicators pertaining to the tuberculosis control programme. Then, an e-Delphi was carried out with a purposive sample of 11 local TB experts. The first-round questionnaire was comprised of 19 open-ended questions on possible improvement actions, based on programme indicators obtained in the previous stage. In the second-round experts rated each action for relevance and feasibility, using a four-point scale. In the last round the participants rated the actions again, in the light of group's answers. We used published criteria to define consensus at the outset of the study. Key findings : Eighty-nine improvement actions achieved a high degree of consensus in both feasibility and relevance in round three. Eighty-six actions were grouped under 19 structure and process indicators, while three were consideredcross-sectional in scope (i.e. related to more than one indicator). Ten out of the 86 actions obtained at least 70% of ratings on the highest score of the scale both for relevance and feasibility. These included: "Request and availability of sputum pots can be made by any health professional in the health unit". Conclusions : The wide array of actions obtained in this Delphi represent a resource from which local SPTC services can select the actions most suitable for each context. The ten most relevant and feasible actions represent a particularly useful starting point to streamline change and potentially improve programme indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The study explored the views and attitudes of nurses and physicians on family presence during resuscitation in emergency departments in Brazil. Background: International emergency associations endorse family presence during resuscitation; however, the extent to which it is practiced remains unclear, particularly in the Brazilian context. Research of emergency staff views and attitudes towards this practice is desirable so that actions can be identified to support families at the bedside. Methods: A qualitative research was conducted. Thirty‐two health professionals (11 physicians and 21 nurses) working in two emergency departments in southern Brazil were purposefully recruited in January 2015. In‐depth interviews were conducted, and data were analysed using content analysis. Findings: Nurses and physicians found family presence during resuscitation controversial and the general attitude towards this practice was negative. They reported that 'changes are needed' to adapt hospital infrastructures for family presence, and to train staff to respond to the information and emotional needs of families. Discussion: Translating a family nursing framework into clinical practice involves the need for reassessing educational and management policies in clinical contexts. Conclusion: This research brings new understanding about the attitudes of some Brazilian nurses and physicians on the implementation of family presence during resuscitation and identifies the need to develop policies and strategies to improve family presence in emergency departments. Implications for nursing and health policy: Hospital‐based policies are required to improve family‐centred care in emergency departments while providing a criterion of legality and safety to professionals to invite families to be present during invasive procedures. Also, family‐focused education in health science degrees, continuing education and in the community is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Older adults with chronic illnesses face many challenges related to their diseases and need higher resilience capacities to overcome. Resilience, as a mediator among various dimensions of health, can lead to positive health outcomes in such people. The current study aimed at discovering the impact of resilience on the perception of chronic disease from older adults' perspective. Methods: The current qualitative study was conducted in specialized clinics of Shahid Beheshti Hospital, Kashan, Iran. A total of 25 older adults with chronic diseases were recruited by purposive sampling. Data were generated by semi-structured interviews and continued until data saturation. All interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded by MAXQDA7 software. Data were analyzed based on Graneheim and Lundman approach. Results: Three main themes were extracted from the data including achieving spiritual transcendence (approaching God, appreciate the beauty around); creating peace and balance (controlling the inner stress, maintaining solidarity of family); overcoming the disease (compliance with treatment, building effective interpersonal relationships). Conclusion: The themes indicated that effective interventions such as teaching stress management, communication skills, and adherence to treatment should be provided by healthcare providers and policy makers to improve the resilience of the older adults with chronic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Enfermagem Referência is the property of Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Coimbra and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista de Enfermagem Referência is the property of Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Coimbra and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Aims and objectives. This study aimed to analyse the relationship between the worsening of clinical outcomes (cardiovascular death, recurrent cardiovascular ischaemic events and stroke) and sleep quality, daytime sleepiness and risk for obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome in patients admitted to cardiac care units due to an acute myocardial infarction. Background. There is evidence that sleep disorders can contribute to the worsening of cardiovascular diseases. Design. This is a descriptive study with follow-up. Methods. Data collection was conducted in a large university hospital in Brazil from October 2013 to March 2014. Patients admitted with acute myocardial infarction provided data about sleep quality, daytime sleepiness and risk factors for obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome by answering specific questionnaires. Clinical data were obtained from medical charts. Data were analysed with descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression models. Results. The worsening of clinical outcome occurred in 12-4% of patients and was independently associated to poor sleep quality. Conclusion. Poor sleep quality, excessive daytime sleepiness and high risk for obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome were frequent in hospitalised patients with acute myocardial infarction and affect negatively the process of recovery. Relevance to clinical practice. It is important to evaluate sleep quality and sleep disorders, aiming at preventing and reducing unfavourable outcomes of cardiovascular disease, particularly for acute myocardial infarction patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The Brazilian Government created Participatory Health Councils (PHCs) to allow citizen participation in the public health policy process. PHCs are advisory bodies that operate at all levels of government and that bring together different societal groups to monitor Brazil's health system. Today they are present in 98% of Brazilian cities, demonstrating their popularity and thus their potential to help ensure that health policies are in line with citizen preferences. Despite their expansive reach, their real impact on health policies and health outcomes for citizens is uncertain. We thus ask the following question: Do PHCs offer meaningful opportunities for open participation and influence in the public health policy process? Methods: Thirty-eight semi-structured interviews with health council members were conducted. Data from these interviews were analyzed using a qualitative interpretive content analysis approach. A quantitative analysis of PHC data from the Sistema de Acompanhamento dos Conselhos de Saude (SIACS) database was also conducted to corroborate findings from the interviews. Results: We learned that PHCs fall short in many of the categories of good governance. Government manipulation of the agenda and leadership of the PHCs, delays in the implementation of PHC decision making, a lack of training of council members on relevant technical issues, the largely narrow interests of council members, the lack of transparency and monitoring guidelines, a lack of government support, and a lack of inclusiveness are a few examples that highlight why PHCs are not as effective as they could be. Conclusions: Although PHCs are intended to be inclusive and participatory, in practice they seem to have little impact on the health policymaking process in Brazil. PHCs will only be able to fulfil their mandate when we see good governance largely present. This will require a rethinking of their governance structures, processes, membership, and oversight. If change is resisted, the PHCs will remain largely limited to a good idea in theory that is disappointing in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The Consumo Alimentar e Atividade Fisica de Escolares ( CAAFE) questionnaire is an online research tool that has been developed to enable the self-report of physical activity and diet by Brazilian schoolchildren aged 7-10 years. Formative research was conducted with nutritionists during the development of the web-based questionnaire. The suggestions and insights obtained were used to design a tool to monitor schoolchildren's food consumption based on the concept of healthy and unhealthy food indicators. The present study aimed to report the focus group discussions conducted with nutritionists concerning the CAAFE questionnaire. Methods Focus group discussions were conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire, and these were then analysed thematically. Results Twenty-four nutritionists participated (four focus groups; average per group: six people); the majority ( n = 22) had experience with 7-10-year-old children. Four themes emerged: (i) healthy and unhealthy food indicators; (ii) suggestions for the online instrument; (iii) potential applications; and (iv) challenges for its construction. Conclusions Comments made by nutritionists enabled the construction of an instrument that is able to answer questions related to food consumption in schools and at home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives To validate nursing interventions from the Nursing Interventions Classification for preventing cardiovascular events in outpatients with diabetes. Background Cardiovascular disease is the main cause of death among diabetic patients. Although nurses play an important role in preventing cardiovascular events in this population, their specific contribution is difficult to measure. Documenting nursing interventions using a standardised nursing system may provide nursing visibility. However, there are no studies that analysed which nursing interventions would be the most relevant, based on expert opinion, aimed at preventing cardiovascular events in diabetic patients. Design This is a content validation study, which was designed as a descriptive one. Methods For this content validation study, we used the Fehring model. Nursing interventions were selected from the Nursing Intervention Classification. Experts were asked to analyse the degree of relevance of 225 nursing interventions regarding the prevention of cardiovascular events in diabetic patients, considering its title and definition. We considered nursing interventions which obtained weighted arithmetic averages >0·80 to be valid. Results Among 50 invited experts, 14 (71·4% female; 36·5 + 9·7 years) responded and agreed to participate in this study. They analysed 225 preselected nursing interventions, and validated 29. Conclusion The validated nursing interventions included documentation as well as biological, social and spiritual issues. Relevance to clinical practice The validated nursing interventions encompass a wide range of nursing knowledge, and these results provide empirical evidence for further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives. To identify differences in cyclosporine levels between blood samples collected from a peripheral venous access, catheter line used for drug infusion and catheter line not used for drug infusion in adult patients receiving allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Background. Cyclosporine is an immunosuppressant that prevents graft-versus-host disease, has a narrow therapeutic window and causes nephrotoxicity. For cyclosporine infusion, a tunnelled central venous access device is used; however, because of the lipophilic properties of the drug, it can adsorb to the catheter surface and falsely raise cyclosporine concentrations in blood specimens. Design. Prospective observational study. Methods. The study collected 135 blood samples from 16 patients. In 13 subjects, samples were obtained from the three lines at three time points (1, 7 and 14 days after the start of cyclosporine infusion), and for three subjects, samples were only obtained at 1 and 7 days after the start of infusion. The 5-ml blood discard method was used for samples collected from the catheter. Using this procedure, the catheter line was washed with saline solution, 5 ml of blood and saline solution were aspirated from the catheter line and discarded, and then sample blood used for the test was collected. The paired t-test with the Bonferroni correction was used to analyse the differences in cyclosporine serum levels. Results. Significant differences were observed when the drug serum levels obtained in the line used for drug infusion were compared with the levels obtained in the line not used for infusion or the peripheral venous line. No differences in drug levels were identified in blood collected from the peripheral venous line and the line not used for drug infusion. Conclusion. Drug adsorption occurs in the line used for infusion. Therefore, the blood sample collected from the line not used for cyclosporine infusion can be considered reliable for drug concentration determination. Relevance to clinical practice. Nurses should standardise one line of the tunnelled central venous access device for cyclosporine infusion, which avoids the need for evasive procedures and provides patients with more comfort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

im: This study aimed to describe perceptions and experiences related to access and utilization of health care services of African and Brazilian immigrant women in Portugal. Subjects and methods: Six focus groups were conducted with 35 African and Brazilian women with low income and living in Lisbon, chosen through purposive sampling. Content analysis was undertaken through identification of themes and categories. Results: African and Brazilian women expressed different perceptions and patterns of use of health care services. Most participants pointed out several barriers to access and utilization of services related to legal issues, economic constraints or health professionals’ attitudes. Conclusion: These results highlight the challenges to providing health care within a multicultural setting and the need to assure the provision of integrated and comprehensive health care services. Improving access to general health care is essential in order to minimize disadvantages from vulnerable subgroups, like immigrant women. Supporting better integration into the health system may lead to improved health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]