SoilTemp: A global database of near-surface temperature

Current analyses and predictions of spatially explicit patterns and processes in ecology most often rely on climate data interpolated from standardized weather stations. This interpolated climate data represents long-term average thermal conditions at coarse spatial resolutions only. Hence, many climate-forcing factors that operate at fine spatiotemporal resolutions are overlooked. This is particularly important in relation to effects of observation height (e.g. vegetation, snow and soil characteristics) and in habitats varying in their exposure to radiation, moisture and wind (e.g. topography, radiative forcing or cold-air pooling). Since organisms living close to the ground relate more strongly to these microclimatic conditions than to free-air temperatures, microclimatic ground and near-surface data are needed to provide realistic forecasts of the fate of such organisms under anthropogenic climate change, as well as of the functioning of the ecosystems they live in. To fill this critical gap, we highlight a call for temperature time series submissions to SoilTemp, a geospatial database initiative compiling soil and near-surface temperature data from all over the world. Currently, this database contains time series from 7,538 temperature sensors from 51 countries across all key biomes. The database will pave the way toward an improved global understanding of microclimate and bridge the gap between the available climate data and the climate at fine spatiotemporal resolutions relevant to most organisms and ecosystem processes.

Reviewing research priorities in weed ecology, evolution and management: a horizon scan

Weedy plants pose a major threat to food security, biodiversity, ecosystem services and consequently to human health and wellbeing. However, many currently used weed management approaches are increasingly unsustainable. To address this knowledge and practice gap, in June 2014, 35 weed and invasion ecologists, weed scientists, evolutionary biologists and social scientists convened a workshop to explore current and future perspectives and approaches in weed ecology and management. A horizon scanning exercise ranked a list of 124 pre-submitted questions to identify a priority list of 30 questions. These questions are discussed under seven themed headings that represent areas for renewed and emerging focus for the disciplines of weed research and practice. The themed areas considered the need for transdisciplinarity, increased adoption of integrated weed management and agroecological approaches, better understanding of weed evolution, climate change, weed invasiveness and finally, disciplinary challenges for weed science. Almost all the challenges identified rested on the need for continued efforts to diversify and integrate agroecological, socio-economic and technological approaches in weed management. These challenges are not newly conceived, though their continued prominence as research priorities highlights an ongoing intransigence that must be addressed through a more system-oriented and transdisciplinary research agenda that seeks an embedded integration of public and private research approaches. This horizon scanning exercise thus set out the building blocks needed for future weed management research and practice; however, the challenge ahead is to identify effective ways in which sufficient research and implementation efforts can be directed towards these needs.

Intuitive skills in crisis management

This article is a synthesis of nursing and management research findings on intuition and explains why intuition is particularly useful in crisis management. Drawing on applications from organizational psychology, it includes ways to enhance the nurse's ability to exercise and develop intuitive skills. The authors assert that the highly complex, rapidly changing, and often unpredictable circumstances that require crisis management in nursing are best met through applying the complementary cognitive skills of analytic reasoning and intuition.

Correlates of recent suicide attempts in a triethnic group of adolescents

PURPOSE

To describe recent self-reported suicide attempts in a triethnic group of adolescents, to analyze differences in the correlates of attempts by ethnicity and gender, and to explore theoretical correlates of recent suicide attempts using a resilience framework.

METHODS

Quantitative data were collected from 10,059 students in 7th, 9th, and 11th grades in Connecticut in 1996. Secondary analysis was done to compare respondents of African American, Hispanic Latino, and Caucasian ethnicities. Data were analyzed using bivariate and multivariate procedures. Logistic regression was used to identify the best set of explanatory variables for recent suicide attempts.

RESULTS

The percentage of suicide attempts was significantly higher among Hispanic Latina girls (19.3%) than in any other ethnic-gender group. Significant relationships were found between recent suicide attempts and (a) family history of suicide attempt, (b) friend's history of suicide attempt, (c) history of sexual abuse, (d) history of physical abuse, and (e) environmental stress. The significant set of explanatory variables for recent suicide attempts for the three ethnic groups combined were stress, internalizing and externalizing behaviors, physical and sexual abuse, family and friend attempted suicide, social connectedness, and religious influence.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings support use of a resilience model for suicide attempts among three ethnic groups. The finding of a significantly higher percentage of recent suicide attempts by Hispanic girls compared to girls in other ethnic-gender groups warrants further investigation along with development and testing of culturally sensitive preventive interventions.

Sexual abuse, alcohol and other drug use, and suicidal behaviors in homeless adolescents

Previous research has shown that homeless youth have high rates of suicidal ideation, sexual abuse, and abuse of alcohol and other drugs. However, little is known about how these rates differ by gender and ethnicity. Our objective was to describe patterns of sexual abuse, alcohol and other drug use, and indicators of suicidal behaviors in homeless adolescents and to determine gender and ethnic differences in these factors. We used secondary data analysis of data from surveys completed by 96 homeless youth whose average age was 17.9 years. Over 60% of the sample reported a history of sexual abuse; the majority were under the age of 12 years when they first tried alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine; 56.3% had injected drugs, and 46.9% had tried inhalants. During the past 12 months, 35.1% had seriously considered suicide and 12.3% had actually attempted suicide at least once. Significantly more Hispanics than Whites had considered suicide (chi 2 = 4.31, p = .038). A disproportionate number of Hispanics (95% of the sample) reported a history of sexual abuse. Participants with a history of sexual abuse were significantly more likely than those who did not have a history of sexual abuse to have used alcohol and/or marijuana (chi 2 = 9.93, p < .01) and to have considered suicide in the past 12 months (F = 14.93, p < .001). We found that sexual abuse history is greater in this sample than in the general population and is particularly prevalent among Hispanic/Latino subjects. As in other studies, sexual abuse was more common among females than among males. High prevalence of sexual abuse, alcohol and other drug use, and suicidal behaviors in this sample of homeless youth underscores the need to develop and test community-based interventions to improve their health status.

Correlates of resilience in homeless adolescents

PURPOSES

To (a) describe reasons adolescents give for their homelessness, (b) explore relationships among resilience and selected risk and protective factors, (c) identify differences in risk and protective factors by gender and sexual orientation, and (d) determine best predictors of resilience.

DESIGN

A descriptive and exploratory correlational design was used to collect and analyze data from a convenience sample of 59 homeless adolescents who sought health and social services from a community street-outreach project in central Texas in 1998.

METHODS

A paper and pencil survey consisting of valid measures (Resilience Scale, UCLA-Revised Loneliness Scale, Beck Hopelessness Scale, Social Connectedness Scale, and Death-Related Attitude Schedule) was administered in a street-outreach setting.

FINDINGS

Nearly half the sample (47%) reported a history of sexual abuse and 36% self-identified as gay, lesbian, or bisexual in orientation. Over half (51%) were thrown out of their homes by their parents, 37% left home because their parents disapproved of their alcohol or drug use, and nearly one-third left home because parents sexually abused them. Lack of resilience was significantly related to hopelessness, loneliness, life-threatening behaviors, and connectedness, but not to gender or sexual orientation. Hopelessness and connectedness explained 50% of the variance in resilience.

CONCLUSIONS

Participants who perceived themselves as resilient, although disconnected from other people, were less lonely, less hopeless, and engaged in fewer life-threatening behaviors than were those who perceived themselves as not being resilient. They survived by adapting to street life and by becoming overly self-reliant. Findings may be useful in planning interventions to promote health and well-being in this vulnerable population.

Sexual health practices of homeless youth: a model for intervention

This article presents a conceptual model of sexual health practices and outcomes among homeless adolescents. The model provides a framework for understanding what is known about homeless youth and how community-based interventions might be developed and tested to curb the rising number of sexually transmitted diseases among this vulnerable population. Research measures are presented and discussed to promote further development and testing of the model for interventions.

Secondary data analysis: new perspective for adolescent research

Adolescents are at high risk for preventable health problems, but realities of research funding and obtaining data from large samples make it difficult for many researchers to answer important questions. Secondary analysis of existing data sets is described as a reasonable alternative in spite of its limitations. Methods and available resources are identified along with suggestions for research priorities with adolescents.

Without parental consent: conducting research with homeless adolescents

ISSUES AND PURPOSE

To identify the ethical and legal implications of conducting research with homeless adolescents and to discuss guidelines for conducting research without parental consent.

CONCLUSIONS

Ethical principles of capacity, risk, postponement, and truthful disclosure within the context of the rights of minors to consent to healthcare treatment form the basis of the argument for allowing adolescents to consent to participate in research without parental consent when there is minimal risk or when such consent could place them at increased risk for harm.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Adolescents who are the target population for clinical research or who are intended recipients of nursing care should be involved in setting priorities, purposes, and protocols. Parents and other adults from their communities should be included in developing strategies to protect their confidentiality and privacy while helping them achieve autonomy in making informed health-related decisions.

Friends and pets as companions: strategies for coping with loneliness among homeless youth

PROBLEMS

Loneliness and negative health outcomes associated with being homeless and living on the streets.

METHODS

Qualitative data from 32 homeless youth, ages 16 to 23 years, who participated in focus groups, and a subsample of 10 youth, ages 15 to 23 years, who participated in individual interviews, were analyzed using manifest and content analysis, techniques.

FINDINGS

Homeless adolescents who live on the streets or in "squats" described feelings of loneliness that they say "go with the territory." Three themes emerged from the data: how lonely subjects felt, circumstances that provoked feelings of loneliness, and ways of coping with loneliness. Thirteen identified their pets as companions that provided unconditional love, reduced feelings of loneliness, and improved their health status.

CONCLUSIONS

Vulnerable adolescents who are homeless often recognize the therapeutic value of pets. Interventions that enhance this coping strategy need to be developed and tested.

Acknowledging intuition in clinical decision making

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a scale to measure nurses' acknowledgment of using intuition in clinical decision making. Development and validation of the scale was carried out in three phases. In Phase 1, scale items were generated from the published literature in nursing and management and a Content Validity Index (CVI) of .96 was computed on responses from a panel of five experts. In Phase 2, the scale was pilot-tested on a random sample of 106 psychiatric mental health nurses. In Phase 3, the revised scale was presented to a convenience sample of 112 nurses attending continuing education programs. Seven items were found to explain 40.6% of the variance in scores and were retained as the final unidimensional scale. Construct validity was supported by a difference in means of two groups that also differed on another measure of intuition.

Risky sexual behavior among adolescent women

ISSUES AND PURPOSE

To review the epidemiology and etiology of risky sexual behavior in adolescent women, and to discuss implications for primary prevention.

CONCLUSION

Adolescent women who participate in risky sexual behavior are at risk for sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. Black, Hispanic, and out-of-home adolescent women, however, are at greatest risk. Factors contributing to risky sexual behavior include early initiation of sexual intercourse, inconsistent use of condoms and other barrier contraception, and unprotected sexual intercourse. Identified protective factors for early initiation of sexual activity include the development of healthy sexuality, family and school connectedness, and the presence of caring adults.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Effective clinical interventions target high-risk adolescent women; incorporate environmental and cognitive-behavioral components; use social learning theories; address differences in regards to culture, developmental stage, and sexual experience; and support family and school involvement.

Usual sources, patterns of utilization, and foregone health care among Hispanic adolescents

PURPOSE

To describe and differentiate the usual sources of health care, patterns of utilization of services, and reasons for foregone health care among Hispanic adolescents by place of birth (U.S. mainland versus Puerto Rico or other country) and gender.

METHODS

All subjects who identified themselves as Hispanic (n = 717) in a larger survey of 10,059 students in 7th (n = 3,596), 9th (n = 3,691), and llth (n = 2,772) grades in the state of Connecticut in 1996 were included in this secondary analysis. Data were analyzed using Pearson product-moment coefficients, Chi-squares, and logistic regression.

RESULTS

The majority of usual sources of medical care services were community clinics or private doctors' offices. Subjects born in Puerto Rico or countries other than the United States were more likely to use a doctor's office. About 5% reported no usual source of care. Over 25% reported not going to a doctor or other health care provider when they thought they should (foregone care). There were significant gender differences in reasons given for foregone care. Feeling connected to others was a significant predictor of having had a physical examination and negatively associated with foregone care for girls. For boys, connectedness and use of alcohol were negative predictors of foregone care.

CONCLUSIONS

The majority of Hispanic youth in this sample report having a usual source of medical care and the source differs by place of birth. Adolescents who do not report high levels of connectedness are more likely to have foregone care. The most frequent explanation given for not having sought care was that subjects thought the problem would go away. Socialization about how to access and use health care services, as well as what to expect, is needed by Hispanic adolescents who may be at risk.

Health-related, help-seeking behaviors in female Mexican-American adolescents

PURPOSE

To explore and describe the health-related, help-seeking behaviors of young female Mexican-American adolescents.

DESIGN

Qualitative exploratory-descriptive design using focus groups.

SETTING

Community recreation centers.

PARTICIPANTS

18 female Mexican-Americans ages 10-16 years residing in a South Central state.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

A demographic information form and semi-structured interview designed for the study.

RESULTS

Subjects described two themes of help-seeking behaviors: seeking help for physical health problems and preventive healthcare from formal sources (i.e., community health clinics, family physicians, and public schools), and seeking help for concerns about pubertal development and pregnancy from informal sources (i.e., their mothers, aunts, sisters, and friends).

CONCLUSION

While young, female Hispanic adolescents may seek help from formal sources for preventive healthcare services and physical health problems not related to sexuality, they tend to seek help from informal sources for psychosocial and sexuality issues. Community-based interventions should be developed that focus on the importance of this pattern of help-seeking behaviors for young female Hispanics.

Ethnic differences in adolescents' perceived health status: preliminary findings

The purpose of this exploratory study was to identify ethnic differences in the perceived health status among three ethnic groups of adolescents. Significant differences were found for perceived health as measured by the General Health Rating Index (GHRI) [R2, 94) = 8.11, p = .0006]. Tukey's post hoc analysis showed that European American and Latino American subjects scored higher on the GHRI than African Americans. These preliminary findings have implications for further research on perceived health status among ethnically diverse populations of adolescents.

Health risks of homeless adolescents. Implications for holistic nursing

Although the exact number of homeless adolescents is unknown, it is estimated that this population may exceed 2 million. Literally living on the streets, homeless youth are at risk for a variety of physical, psychosocial, and spiritual health problems. Many engage in "survival sex," exchanging sexual favors for necessities of food, clothing, and shelter. Such risky sexual behaviors make them vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), and unintended pregnancies. Many have serious, diagnosable mental health problems, whereas others suffer various consequences of substance abuse. There is a need for comprehensive and holistic health care services, for which the majority of homeless youth have very limited access. Holistic nursing can provide creative interventions for thus vulnerable population.

Affirming Cultural Diversity: A Pathways Model for Nursing Faculty

This article presents a model for affirming the diversity of backgrounds, learning styles, and career aspirations for students in baccalaureate and graduate nursing education. The theoretical model, known as Pathways, is developed with a travel analogy and begins by acknowledging the diversity of educational preparation and socialization experienced by students from various cultural, economic, and ethnic backgrounds. Learning styles and needs of these students are addressed through assessment and interventions that are individualized and serve as maps and guides through the professional learning sequence and into future professional careers. The model is useful for planning and evaluating expanded services for a broad spectrum of students. The focus of this article is on the preparation of faculty as mentors for students with disadvantaged backgrounds.

Adolescents' perceived barriers to healthcare services

PURPOSE

To explore adolescents' perceptions of information needed to feel both mentally and physically healthy and their perceptions of barriers that exist to obtaining health-care services related to these needs.

METHODS

A convenience sample of 64 adolescents ages 11-18 years, living in a metropolitan southern community. Content analysis was used to analyze the written responses of the subjects to open-ended questions.

FINDINGS

Adolescents wanted information about what activities were defined as healthy and unhealthy, including facts about exercise, nutrition, and expressing feelings. Perceived barriers included money, time, personal characteristics, parents, and unavailability of appropriate resources.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings have implications for designing services to meet the mental health care and educational needs of adolescents. Involving adolescents in the planning of these services is an important step in promoting health and self-care competence.

Ethnic identity, role integration, quality of life, and depression in Korean-American women

Little is known about how living between two cultures affects the mental health of immigrant women. This study examined the relationships between ethnic identity, role integration, quality of life, and depression in 76 Korean-American women. Quality of life was positively associated with role integration (r = .68, p < .01). Role integration and quality of life were negatively and significantly associated with depression (r = -.59 and r = -.72, p < .01, respectively). An exploratory path analysis was performed to examine the relationships between demographics and conceptual variables. Only quality of life and length of residence in the United States were strongly associated with depression. Findings have implications for psychiatric nursing practice.

Self-efficacy, coping, and well-being among nursing students sexually abused in childhood

Preparing nursing students to work with sexually abused children has received little attention by pediatric nurse educators. These students often are themselves survivors of such abuse. The population of undergraduate nursing students attending a major university was invited to participate in a mailed survey to test hypotheses concerning differences in self-efficacy, coping, and well-being between subjects who were sexually abused in childhood and those who were not. A total of 87 students (79 women and 8 men) responded by returning the completed survey. Forty-seven percent of the women (n = 37) and 38% of the men (n = 3) in the sample reported having had one or more unwanted sexual experiences in childhood. Significant correlations were found between self-efficacy and confrontive coping (r = .58), emotive coping (r = .49), and palliative coping (r = -.46); between well-being and emotive coping (r = -.24); and between well-being and palliative coping (r = -.25). One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) techniques were used to analyze differences in self-efficacy, coping (confrontive, emotive, and palliative), and well-being between the two groups (abused = 40 and not abused = 47). A significant difference in emotive coping was found. These findings suggest that nurse educators and administrators need to be sensitive to pediatric nurses' childhood sexual experiences. Such nurses must be knowledgeable and emotionally equipped to support the child and family through the process of recovery. It is important for them to be aware of how their own coping strategies and well-being affect the care they provide vulnerable children.

SEXUALLY ABUSED ADOLESCENT: Conceptualization of Sexual Trauma and Nursing Interventions

1. Many adolescent victims of sexual abuse display symptoms that reflect alterations in individual coping and thought processes, social isolation and impaired verbal communication, and alterations in spiritual well-being. 2. Nursing interventions based on a multidimensional model of sexual trauma focus on helping the adolescent learn to plan and carry out activities within a safe environment to improve a sense of self, improve interpersonal relationships, and decrease spiritual isolation and hopelessness. 3. Nursing interventions are designed to assist the adolescent to integrate past experiences, including memories and feelings, with current decisions to engage in self-protective and health-promoting behaviors.

A comparative study among college students of sexual abuse in childhood

A disproportionate random sample (200 women, 400 men) of students attending a major university was invited to participate in a mailed survey to study differences in self-efficacy, coping, and well-being between men and women who were sexually abused in childhood and those who were not. A total of 271 students (111 women, 160 men) responded by returning the completed survey. Fifty percent of the women and 22% of the men in the sample reported one or more unwanted sexual experiences in childhood. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) techniques to analyze differences in self-efficacy, coping (confrontive, emotive, palliative), and well-being between women and men who reported childhood sexual abuse and those who did not showed significant interaction effects by sex for abuse (F = 2.609, P = .025, df 5,263) and significant effects by sex (F = 3.356, P = .006), but no significant differences for abuse alone. Univariate F tests were significant (F = 5.386, P = .021) for palliative coping with abused men reporting the highest scores, abused and nonabused women having the highest scores on emotive coping (F = 9.049, P = .003), and nonabused men and women having highest scores on well-being (F = 7.276, P = .007). A second MANOVA was performed on data from 245 students (nonabused and those who reported contact sexual abuse). Significant interaction effects by sex for abuse (F = 2.259, P = 0.49, df 5,237) and main effects for abuse (F = 3.225, P = .008) were found. Although abused men scored lowest on well-being, both abused men and abused women scored higher on emotive coping and lower on well-being than nonabused subjects. These are new findings with implications for developing and testing nursing interventions for this vulnerable group of young adults.

Intuition in psychiatric-mental health nursing

A descriptive study was done to explore how psychiatric-mental health nurses define and act on intuition in clinical practice with children and adolescents, and to identify supports for and barriers to taking such action. Interviews of 16 nurses were tape-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for manifest and latent content. Findings support previous studies about intuition in nursing practice and have implications for psychiatric-mental health nurses working with high-risk populations of children and adolescents.

Barriers to disclosure among sexually abused male children. Implications for nursing practice

This article identifies, through a critical review of current research, several factors that may account for the reluctance of male children to disclose details of sexual abuse. The factors then are related to implications for practice and research that are relevant for child and adolescent mental health nurses.

Childhood sexual abuse: toward a self-care framework for nursing intervention and research

The study of childhood sexual abuse is not limited to a single professional domain. Nurses, physicians, sociologists, psychologists, criminologists, and other professionals have studied various factors associated with this increasing problem. Multiple approaches to the study of this phenomenon have led to confusion and misunderstanding about the initial and long-term effects of sexual abuse. This article provides a self-care framework based on previous research from several domains and offers suggestions for nursing interventions and further research.

Correlates of health-promoting lifestyle and sexual satisfaction in a group of men

The purpose of this exploratory, correlational survey was to determine predictors of a health-promoting lifestyle and sexual satisfaction among a group of healthy men. A second purpose was to determine the relationship between these outcome variables within this population. A total of 136 survey packets was mailed to members of two social groups, and 41 completed surveys were returned (33%). Step-wise multiple regression analysis and Pearson product-moment correlations were used to analyze the data. Significant predictors of health-promoting lifestyle were body image, education, and self-esteem (p less than .0001); level of education was the only significant predictor of sexual satisfaction (p = .0223); and the relationship between health-promoting behaviors and sexual satisfaction was significant (r = -.3783, p = .008). Findings have implications for theory development and nursing practice in the area of sexual health.

Intuition in critical care nursing practice

Research that addresses intuition as experienced by nurses in critical care settings is rare; however, evidence to support the usefulness of intuition in making complex clinical decisions is mounting. The research reported here suggests that intuition is not a second-rate substitute for intelligent and rational decision-making; rather, it is a legitimate adjunct to empirical observation and linear analysis.

Long-term effects of childhood sexual exploitation

In this article two conceptual frameworks for understanding the effects of childhood sexual exploitation are presented: the traumagenic dynamics model and the model of information processing. Various research studies of the long-term effects of this problem are reviewed and summarized. Results of these studies show that survivors of childhood sexual exploitation experience a variety of long-term effects, including low self-esteem, posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, suicidal attempts, and drug and alcohol abuse. Implications for nursing practice and research are suggested.

Childhood sexual exploitation: long-term effects among a group of nursing students

The purpose of this preliminary study was to examine differences in levels of self-esteem and depression between students who reported incidents of sexual exploitation in childhood and those who did not. A nonprobability sample of 55 nursing students enrolled in a university-based program completed the Childhood Sexual Experiences Survey, Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale, and Beck Depression Inventory. Results showed significant differences between groups in self-esteem (F = 4.387, p = 0.041) and in depression (F = 8.015, p = 0.007). Subjects who reported incidents of childhood sexual exploitation had lower levels of self-esteem and higher levels of depression than the comparison group. Results support previous research and have implications for long-term effects of sexual exploitation in this special population of young adults.

Construct validity in instrument development: a vital link between nursing practice, research, and theory

Construct validity provides a vital linkage between nursing practice, research, and theory. Seventeen articles published in Advances in Nursing Science that met the criterion of reporting instrument development or modification were examined for evidence of these linkages. All were based on theoretical constructs; nursing problems were identified in 15, and 14 provided evidence of construct validity. Factor analysis was the primary method of construct validity reported. Implications for nursing practice were limited, suggestions for research focused on further instrument development, and only half reported implications for theory development. The findings indicate the need to strengthen links between practice, research, and theory.