Introduction: Intense psychological and emotional stress experienced by nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic interferes with their wellbeing and work efficiency. Stress-management behaviors are required to enhance coping and ameliorate stress effects. Therefore, it is necessary to examine the management behavior of nurses during the pandemic to suggest ways to improve their wellbeing. Objective: The study aimed to examine nurses’ work-related stress management behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic in UAE. Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey of 64 nurses working in the Isolation and Intensive care units of two selected hospitals in the United Arab Emirates. A convenience sampling technique was used for sample selection. Each participant completed an online survey via Google forms of two validated instruments: a 10-item scale to measure perceived stress levels and a 15-item Stress management inventory. The completed questionnaires were analyzed on SPSS version 25. Results: Respondents (78.1%) reported a moderate level of stress (Mean = 18.03 and SD = 5.33). Stress management behaviors utilized included four elements (eliminating stressors, developing resilience, using short-term coping, and effective delegating) and the mean and SD were 17.62 ± 2.6, 17.42 ± 3.3, 8.88 ± 1.47, and 23.98 ± 3.54 respectively. There was a significant positive correlation between these four elements of stress management inventory (p = 0.00). Findings also showed a significant inverse correlation between the scores on perceived stress, short-term coping, and effective delegation. The overall regression of demographic covariates on stress management behaviors was not statistically significant [F = (1.015), (0.602), (0.909), (1.286), p >0.05]. Conclusions: Effective delegating and developing resilience were effective stress management behavior among nurses. Regular assessment of the psychological needs of nurses is essential to enhance overall wellbeing during stressful situations.

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer and the second cause of cancer deaths in women worldwide as well as in Nigeria .The incidence of the disease appears to be rising faster in a population groups which had hitherto enjoyed low incidence, with the peak age of breast cancer in Nigerian women being about ten years earlier than Caucasians Aim: This study investigated the practice of BSE and its possible barriers among women in a rural community in South Western area of Oyo State; Nigeria. Study design: The study utilized Participatory Action Research (PAR) design using purposive and cross sectional sampling technique for survey and 95 women for the focus group discussion. The PAR framework involves four phases: Observe, Reflect, Plan and Act. Structured questionnaire was used for phase one, and A - 3 session FGD was used for phases on Reflect and Plan. Data was analyzed using the SPSS version 21, while content analysis for FGD to identify common themes. Results: The study reveals that 75.1% had no knowledge of breast self-examination at all while only 24.9% had knowledge of what BSE, their sources of information was majorly health Professionals (47.5%), electronic media (21.4%), 76.5% did not practice BSE. Also, about 77% of the respondents expressed one form of barrier or another to BSE practice. Major barriers to the practice of BSE identified are revealed based on these themes: - „knowledge/awareness of BSE‟, „practice and appeal for intervention‟, and „misconceptions and fear of being diagnosed‟. Conclusion: More than half of the participants do not practiced BSE. Some socio demographic significantly influenced the practice of the BSE. Lack of knowledge, not having any symptoms, myths and being afraid of being diagnosed with breast cancer were the main barriers to practicing BSE. There is need to develop a continuous awareness campaign among rural women on the importance of performing BSE.

Objective: The utilization of cervical cancer screening services remains low among Female Sex Workers (FSWs) in Sub-Saharan Africa, with few or no studies conducted in Nigeria. However, the prevalence of human papillomavirus in this population is reportedly high because of associated risk factors. This study examined the pattern of cervical cancer screening service utilizations among FSWs in the Abuja metropolis. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional survey used a purposive sampling technique to select 406 respondents via a structured questionnaire including questions regarding whether they had been screened for cervical cancer, the frequency of screening and type of screening method. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22 and presented using frequency tables and percentages. Results: The response rate among the participants was 97.6%. The mean age of the FSWs was 32 ± 5.1 years. Regarding the pattern of screening age, the mean age at the first screening was 28 ± 4.3 years. Only 81 (20%) participants had been screened annually, and visual inspection with acetic acid was most frequently used (20.9%). Respondents preferred to undergo screening in their brothels. The awareness of screening services was high (n = 290, 71.4%); however, the utilization of cervical cancer screening services remained low, as 246 (60.6%) FSWs had never been screened. The nonutilization of screening services was related to poor accessibility and a lack of awareness and interest. Conclusions: Although a high level of awareness that would be expected to influence uptake, cervical cancer screening services were rather underutilized by the study respondents. Therefore, a concerted effort is needed to ensure that FSWs understand cervical cancer and its consequences. Hopefully, this effort will improve the uptake.

Purpose: To assess the knowledge and practice of self-care management among patients with heart failure (HF) after Roy adaptation theory-guided educational program. Methodology: One group quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design of 30 purposively selected patients with HF was conducted. Outcomes were examined under three domains: knowledge, self-care maintenance, and monitoring pre- and post-intervention, using a validated instrument based on four adaptive modes of Roy's theory. Major results: Most of the respondents were male (76.6%) and 56.7% were over 60 years of age. At the pretest, only 16.7% demonstrated adequate knowledge of self-care, and 76.7% reported poor practices in the domains of self-care maintenance and monitoring. Also, 90% scored poorly in self-care management. Knowledge of self-care practices increased at post-test (93.3%). There was a significant difference in knowledge ( t = 15.79, df = 29, p < .001) and practice ( t = 9.35, df = 29, p < .001) pre- and post-intervention. However, there was no significant association between selected demographic characteristics, knowledge, and self-care practice ( p > .05). Conclusion: Knowledge and practice of self-care management are poor among patients with HF. However, theory-driven practice can enhance care and patients’ quality of life.

Introduction: Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, personal protective equipment (PPE) has become necessary. According to published research, PPE-related physical impacts were probably underreported during the pandemic. Objective: To examine the physical burden and perceived stress associated with prolonged PPE wearing among nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Methods: This was a cross-sectional retrospective study of 209 nurses working in two hospitals in the UAE. A convenience sampling technique was applied, and the data were collected using an online questionnaire. Data collection was completed within three months (April 2022 to June 2022). The completed questionnaires were analyzed using SPSS version 21. Chi-square statistics was used to test the association of categorical variables at a 5% level of significance. Results: A total of 209 nurses had a mean age of 38.4 ± 8.7 years. More than 65.1% wore PPE continuously for 4 hrs per day. The most common physical burdens reported were difficulty in breathing (62.2%), excessive thirst (41.6%), and facial itchiness (39.2%). Most participants (95.2%) reported high-stress levels. There was no significant association between the level of stress and the duration of wearing PPE ( p = .43 > .05). However, the authors found a statistically significant association between breathing difficulty with face masks and the duration of wearing them ( p < .05). In addition, itchiness/rash related to gloves was significantly associated with wearing duration ( p < .05). Conclusion: Findings show that nurses experienced adverse effects from PPE use, which increased with the number of hours of wearing. Further studies with a larger sample size will allow for generalization of the study results.

Background: Identifying the preferred learning modalities of students is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of the content of the study, and this can be achieved by employing the VARK inventory developed by Neil D. Fleming. The preferred learning modality of students significantly influences their learning outcomes. Aim: This study aimed to identify the preferred learning modalities among health professional students. Methods: Using a cross-sectional survey study design, we surveyed a consecutive sample of 351 students from three health professional programs: Nursing, Medical, and Pharmacy. After obtaining institutional board approval, a standardized self-administered VARK inventory (Visual, Aural, Read/write, Kinaesthetic), version 7.8, was employed. VARK scores were computed for each respondent and sent to the publisher for interpretation and categorization of learning preferences. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 28.0 and 29.0. Results: The findings revealed that 35.9% of participants were between 18-20 years old and identified as unimodal learners, with 19.1% preferring kinaesthetic learning. In the bimodal and trimodal categories, 5.98% exhibited preferences for AK (Aural, Kinaesthetic) and VAK (Visual, Aural, and Kinaesthetic). Only seventy students (19.9%) preferred multimodal learning patterns. Notably, all the college students were identified as unimodal learners. Conclusion: Understanding these diverse learning preferences empowers students to employ appropriate learning methods, enhancing their overall learning experience. Faculty members can leverage this data to tailor teaching styles, thereby optimizing the learning environment. Further research across different universities can contribute to broader knowledge and informed strategies that promote effective learning processes.