If low resilience levels are identified in rural community-dwelling older adults, interventions to build resilience may be helpful in promoting independence; however, further research is needed to determine this.
Maintaining functional ability and recovering when physical injury is experienced is of great importance in older adults. It is reasonable for physical therapists to consider both resilience and physical performance measures when attempting to identify older women at risk for poor outcomes. Resilience may play a role in helping older adults recover from a physical injury.
Performing a comprehensive geriatric assessment that includes objective physical performance measures is important. Gait speed and the Timed Up and Go test have been shown to predict health decline and mortality in older adults. Detecting subtle functional changes in older adults will help nurse practitioners provide optimal care.
The objective of this study was to determine whether individual educational sessions improve tuberculosis clinic follow-up rates after inmate-patients' release into the community compared to usual care. Study subjects were inmates of a county correctional facility receiving treatment for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). Inmates beginning LTBI treatment were randomly assigned to receive either a standardized educational session or usual care. Follow-up rates at the tuberculosis clinic after jail release were determined. Of 58 subjects enrolled, 17 were released to the community while on LTBI treatment. Of these, 1 of 8 subjects who were offered an educational session and 1 of 9 who were not offered the session came to the tuberculosis clinic within four weeks of jail release. The difference was not statistically significant. Possible reasons for the high dropout rate are discussed, as are suggestions for a definitive study.
Background
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in most countries. Lack of awareness of the impact CVD has on women is a continuing problem. Rural women are at a great risk for CVD and have specific barriers to early recognition and to access to treatment.
Objective
The purpose of this systematic review was to identify how the state of the science for rural women and CVD has progressed over the last decade.
Methods
Searches were conducted using the databases Cochrane, PubMed, and CINAHL with 5 major subject headings. The search resulted in the identification of 571 articles. Specific exclusion criteria resulted in an in-depth review of 15 articles. Two of the authors reviewed each article for scientific merit and interrater reliability.
Results
Most studies were conducted in the United States (67%). Four studies focused on CVD knowledge; one, on physical activity; one, on diet plus other factors; one, on the effect of dried curry leaf powder and cucumber slices on hyperlipidemia; and one each, on waist circumference, exposure to smoke from wood stoves, and social support. Five of the 15 studies focused on more than 1 component, most on diet and physical activity.
Conclusions
Depth in a body of knowledge on any 1 topic, such as the most efficacious means to decrease CVD risk factors in rural women and increase health promotion activities in the population, is lacking. Another area of concern is the lack of research articles published in cardiovascular journals that include CVD in rural women.
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