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Aims. To comprehensively evaluate the effect of a short-term diabetes self-management education (DSME) on metabolic markers and atherosclerotic parameters in patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods. 76 patients with type 2 diabetes were recruited in this study. They were divided into the intervention group (n = 36) and control group (n = 40). The patients in the intervention group received a 3-month intervention, including an 8-week education on self-management of diabetes mellitus and subsequent 4 weeks of practice of the self-management guidelines. The patients in the control group received standard advice on medical nutrition therapy. Metabolic markers, carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), and carotid arterial stiffness (CAS) of the patients in both groups were assessed before and after the 3-month intervention. Results. There was a significant reduction in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c, −0.2 ± 0.56% versus 0.08 ± 0.741%; P < 0.05) and body weight (−1.19 ± 1.39 kg versus −0.61 ± 2.04 kg; P < 0.05) in the intervention group as compared to the control group. However, no significant improvements were found in other metabolic markers, CIMT and CAS (P > 0.05). Conclusions. DSME can improve HbA1c and body weight in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Given the paucity of quantitative empirical research on survivors’ resilience and its predictors in the context of long-term recovery after disasters, we examined how resilience predictors differed by gender among adult survivors five years after the Sichuan earthquake. This was a cross-sectional survey study of adult survivors (N = 495; aged 18–60) living in reconstructed communities five years into the recovery process after the Wenchuan earthquake. The instruments we used included assessments of sociodemographic characteristics and earthquake exposure level, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and the Social Support Rating Scale. Support-seeking behaviors emerged as a significant predictor of male survivors’ resilience, while subjective support and marital status were found to be predictors of female survivors’ resilience. Annual household income and chronic disease were predictors for both male and female groups. The findings of this study can be used in devising methods to boost survivors’ resilience by promoting their satisfaction with social support and their ability to obtain effective support. Additionally, the results suggest how to assist survivors who may have relatively poor resilience.

Aims and objectives To assess nurses’ perceptions of what constitutes optimal end‐of‐life (EOL) care in hospital and evaluate nurses’ perceived barriers to EOL care delivery. Background Care of dying patients is common in hospitals. However, little is known about the important elements of and barriers to optimal EOL care from key service providers’ perspective, which is crucial for quality EOL care in hospital settings. Method This is a cross‐sectional survey. Nurses practising in hospitals recruited by convenience sampling completed self‐report survey questionnaires. STROBE checklist was used in study reporting. Results One hundred and‐seventy‐five nurses participated in the survey. The majority (70%) had experience in caring for dying patients. The five most highly perceived factors constituting optimal EOL care included the following: “families know and follow patient's EOL wishes”; “patients emotional concerns identified and managed well”; “patients participating in decision‐making”; “EOL care documents stored well and easily accessed”; and “provide private rooms and unlimited visiting hours for families of dying patients”. Top five barriers were “doctors are too busy”; “nurses are too busy”; “insufficient private room/space”; “nurses have limited training in EOL care”; and “families have unrealistic expectations of patient's prognosis.” Multivariate regression analysis identified that nurses without experience in caring for dying patients reported a significantly higher number of perceived barriers towards EOL care (p = .012). Those with postgraduate degree training reported significantly fewer perceived barriers (p = .007). Conclusion Findings identified essential elements for optimal hospital EOL care not only involving patients and families in EOL decision and care, but also documentation and environmental issues in the healthcare system level and the needs for strengthening manpower and expertise at palliative care policy level. Relevance to clinical practice This study revealed quantitative data to inform health service managers and policy makers in terms of training and service development/ re‐design for EOL care in hospital settings.