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This paper refers to a brief interaction with a mental health professional via written electronic communication. Web consulting services have proved popular, but there is controversy regarding the efficacy of such brief interventions to address problems and enable service users to access other forms of counseling. University students are accustomed to new technologies and often present difficulties suitable for simple intervention. Additionally, interventions of this type lead to the creation of a "database" of students' issues that can be used by future service users, alleviating the heavy workload of most services. Data from prior investigations are presented and ways to further investigate, validate and evaluate the function and outcome of web consulting in the context of students' psychological counseling are discussed. (Contains 1 figure.)

Background Research evidence supports that the role of the professional practice environment is crucial for the delivery of quality care as it is significantly correlated with patient and nurse outcomes. However, in countries sharing similar cultural and ethnic backgrounds, like Cyprus and Greece, as well as the increased mobility of patients and healthcare workers, there is a lack of information regarding this issue. The aim of this study is to explore and compare Cypriot and Greek nurses' perceptions of their professional practice environment. Methods A descriptive comparative survey was employed using a sample of nurses in Cyprus ( N = 150) and Greece ( N = 147). Information was collected with the Revised Professional Practice Environment Scale ( RPPE). Results The results revealed significant differences between the two countries in three out of eight factors of the RPPE, with Greece's mean value being higher than Cyprus's: Handling Disagreements and Conflicts, Leadership and Autonomy in Clinical Practice, and Teamwork. Conclusions The findings generate additional knowledge about the organizational context of care delivery that might help nursing leaders to understand how nurses perceive their work environment and how this influences their work, and consequently the care provided. The results can be utilized by nurse ward managers to improve the quality of nursing care provided. Further research is needed using different approaches to explore nurses' experience in more depth. Implications for nursing or health policy Measuring nurses' perceptions of their professional practice environment may assist managers and policymakers in introducing interventions that contribute to a better practice environment and consequently to improved nursing, as well as patient, outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Raingauge data from four meteorological stations in Chalkidiki peninsula (Greece) were used to identify the characteristics of the synoptic circulation patterns associated with cold-season heavy rainfall events and corresponding flooding over the area. Precipitation climatology over the complex topography of Chalkidiki is characterized by limited annual rainfall, but in the occurrence of heavy rainfall episodes daily accumulations are exceptionally high with increased precipitation rates, leading often to severe flooding. Fifty-five cases of high daily accumulations for the period of 1997 to 2010, mostly observed during December and October, were classified into eight clusters by applying S-Mode Factor Analysis and Cluster Analysis to the ERA-Interim grid point reanalysis data. The results revealed that, in most cases, intense rainfall and flooding is produced by synoptic scale disturbances that generate and sustain cyclonic activity over south Italy, the Ionian, and less frequently over the Aegean Sea. In particular, the atmospheric circulation patterns associated with heavy rainfall are characterized by the presence of a southeasterly-easterly low-level humid flow over Chalkidiki in conjunction with the potentially unstable lower troposphere influenced by mid-level cyclonic vorticity advection and enhanced low-level convergence over the complex terrain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Research evidence supports that the role of the professional practice environment is crucial for the delivery of quality care as it is significantly correlated with patient and nurse outcomes. However, in countries sharing similar cultural and ethnic backgrounds, like Cyprus and Greece, as well as the increased mobility of patients and healthcare workers, there is a lack of information regarding this issue. The aim of this study is to explore and compare Cypriot and Greek nurses' perceptions of their professional practice environment. Methods A descriptive comparative survey was employed using a sample of nurses in Cyprus ( N = 150) and Greece ( N = 147). Information was collected with the Revised Professional Practice Environment Scale ( RPPE). Results The results revealed significant differences between the two countries in three out of eight factors of the RPPE, with Greece's mean value being higher than Cyprus's: Handling Disagreements and Conflicts, Leadership and Autonomy in Clinical Practice, and Teamwork. Conclusions The findings generate additional knowledge about the organizational context of care delivery that might help nursing leaders to understand how nurses perceive their work environment and how this influences their work, and consequently the care provided. The results can be utilized by nurse ward managers to improve the quality of nursing care provided. Further research is needed using different approaches to explore nurses' experience in more depth. Implications for nursing or health policy Measuring nurses' perceptions of their professional practice environment may assist managers and policymakers in introducing interventions that contribute to a better practice environment and consequently to improved nursing, as well as patient, outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess and compare the perceived patient satisfaction with the nursing care in two European countries., Methods: This was a multicenter cross-national descriptive study. The study included various centers both specialized and general that provide cancer care. The data were collected from hospitalized cancer patients in Greece and Cyprus with the Greek version of the Risser Patient Satisfaction Scale. The scale assessed patients' satisfaction on three distinct dimensions namely "Technical-professional", "Interpersonal-educational" and "Interpersonal-trusting"., Results: The analyses revealed that there are significant differences in the total scale (p < 0.05) and the interpersonal-trusting subscale (p < 0.001) between the two countries. In order to gain an in-depth understanding of these findings, the qualitative analysis revealed that the following main themes contributed to the way the patients experienced their hospitalisation: 'safety', 'fear', 'lack of information' and 'continuity of the care'. The patients attributed increased importance to the interpersonal-trusting aspects' influence on their satisfaction. Based on the qualitative data, this was attributed to two main themes namely 'individuality' and 'humane care'., Conclusions: The European environment offers an ideal setting to examine satisfaction variations among patients. Although the findings demonstrated a positively skewed attitude by the patients towards the care provided by the nurses in both countries, these findings also revealed significant differences. The patients' experiences were explored in light of variations in culture, health systems and the actual differences in quality as perceived by patients., (Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Rationale: Translation, adaptation and cross-cultural validation of instruments or scale to measure concepts of interest among different populations can facilitate sharing of knowledge and advance cross-cultural research globally, especially in countries with diverse populations., Aims and Objectives: This is a two-phase study aiming to: (1) translate, adapt and cross-validate the 24-item English version of Caring Behaviors Inventory into Greek; and (2) evaluate the psychometric properties of the Greek version (CBI-GR)., Methods: A descriptive correlational design was used to conduct the study. The procedure involved professional translators, committee approach, and a sample of nurses and patients. The psychometric evaluation of the CBI-GR used a sample of 245 Greek and Cypriot medical-surgical nurses. Data analyses comprised internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha coefficient), stability (test-retest) reliability, item analysis and confirmatory factor analysis., Results: The Cronbach's alpha for the overall CBI-GR was 0.92 and ranged from 0.76 to 0.87 for the subscales. Correlation coefficients between test and retest for the overall CBI-GR was r = 0.83 and ranged from r = 0.69 to 0.78 for its subscales. Confirmatory factor analysis of the scale supports its four-factor structure and the model indexes were adequate: X(2) (239) = 515.54, P < 0.001; comparative fit index = 0.91; incremental fit index = 0.91; and Tucker Lewis index = 0.90; parsimony normed fit index = 0.73; parsimony comparative fit index = 0.79; and root mean square of approximation = 0.07., Conclusions: The CBI-GR is comparable with the original 24-item English version of the CBI and it is suitable to measure nurse caring among Greek-speaking nurses. Further psychometric testing of the instrument among nurses and patients is warranted., (© 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.)

Background: Information on the understanding of acne in adolescents has only occasionally been reported in the medical literature., Objective: To evaluate the perceptions of Greek high school students regarding acne causation, exacerbating factors, sources of information, and effect on their daily life and school performance., Patients and Methods: Three-hundred and forty-seven students (aged 13-18) of four Athenian high schools completed a self-reported questionnaire., Results: Self-reported acne was present in 59.2% (187/316). Popular sources of information were parents (31.6%), dermatologists (26.7%), magazines and television (17.5%), pharmacists (16.2%), friends (5.3%), beauticians (1.6%) and other doctors (1.1%). Fifty-two per cent considered the information received as inadequate. Reported causal or exacerbating acne factors included: diet (62.3%), hormones (55.1%), poor hygiene (42.4%), stress (31.9%), infection (14.9%) and genetics (5.7%). Reported ameliorating factors included frequent washing (80.7%), sunbathing (38.6%) and adequate hours of sleep (32%). These notions did not differ among pupils with and without acne or among pupils receiving information from different sources (P < 0.05 in all comparisons). Smoking habits, school performance, hours of sleep, sleep disturbances and self-assessment of stress status were not statistically significantly different between pupils with and without acne. Among pupils with acne 48.6% believed that acne was compromising interpersonal relations while 64.4% believed that acne was compromising their self-image. Fifteen per cent of adolescents reported pruritus associated with their acne lesions., Conclusion: Beliefs of Greek adolescents about acne were shown to be similar to those of pupils in other developed countries.