Sally Wai-Chi Chan
The University of Newcastle, UON Singapore, Faculty Member
- Sally Chan has extensive experience in the higher education sector. Her career influences the tripartite mission of r... moreSally Chan has extensive experience in the higher education sector. Her career influences the tripartite mission of research, education and practice. She focuses on translating evidence to improve healthcare practice outcomes, implementing teaching innovations, and mentoring new generations of healthcare professionals.edit
Research Interests:
Distraction techniques are a form of coping strategies used in cognitive behavioural techniques. They may be of value as an adjunctive treatment for people with schizophrenia or schizophrenia-like illnesses. To review the effects of... more
Distraction techniques are a form of coping strategies used in cognitive behavioural techniques. They may be of value as an adjunctive treatment for people with schizophrenia or schizophrenia-like illnesses. To review the effects of distraction techniques for people with schizophrenia. We searched the Cochrane Schizophrenia Group's Register (October 2003), manually searched reference lists and contacted relevant authors. We included all randomised controlled trials comparing distraction techniques with other treatments for schizophrenia. We reliably selected, quality assessed and data extracted studies. We excluded data where more than 50% of participants in any group were lost to follow up. For binary outcomes, we calculated a fixed effects risk ratio (RR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI), along with the number needed to treat/harm (NNT/H). For continuous data we calculated the weighted mean difference (WMD). In terms of mental state, distraction techniques did not have a clear effect (n=60, 1 RCT, MD endpoint BPRS 1.60 CI -0.49 to 3.69). Distraction does not obviously engage people in the studies (n=159, 5 RCTs, RR leaving the study before completion 1.08 CI 0.72 to 1.63). Clinicians, researchers, policy makers and recipients of care cannot be confident of the effects of distraction techniques from the findings of this review. The few pioneering studies are small, short and poorly reported. Further data from already completed trials might help inform practice, but more trials do seem to be justified as some of these potentially simple techniques, even if their effect is negligible, could be widely implemented and prove more acceptable than other more intrusive treatments.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Nursing, Psychometrics, China, Hong Kong, Humans, and 15 moreFemale, Male, Mental Disorders, Risk factors, Caregivers, Family Relations, Middle Aged, Psychological Tests, Family Health, Adult, Public health systems and services research, Reproducibility of Results, Asian Continental Ancestry Group, Risk Factors, and EXPRESSED EMOTION
This integrative review aims to summarize the evidence regarding the health-related quality of life, psychological well-being, and the relevant influencing factors in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia. An integrative published work... more
This integrative review aims to summarize the evidence regarding the health-related quality of life, psychological well-being, and the relevant influencing factors in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia. An integrative published work review was adopted. Articles published in English from 2002 to 2014 that addressed the variables of health-related quality of life, psychological well-being, or the relevant influencing factors in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia were included. Of the 4708 articles retrieved, 16 were deemed relevant. Analysis of the published work suggests that benign prostatic hyperplasia has a negative impact on health-related quality of life, citing two major predictive factors: lower urinary tract symptoms and medical management. The psychological well-being of men with benign prostatic hyperplasia remains inconclusive as very limited studies have been conducted to investigate this aspect in these men. Limited studies collectively investigate the relationship...
Research Interests:
Abstract An educational intervention (EI) is useful in preparing patients for orthopaedic surgery. This quasi-experimental study examined the effect of a brief EI on pain level, anxiety, pain inference on sleep, and sleep satisfaction... more
Abstract An educational intervention (EI) is useful in preparing patients for orthopaedic surgery. This quasi-experimental study examined the effect of a brief EI on pain level, anxiety, pain inference on sleep, and sleep satisfaction among Chinese patients undergoing emergency orthopaedic surgery. The intervention group received usual care plus 20-minute EI which comprised a combination of patient education and a breathing relaxation exercise (BRE) whereas the control group received usual care only. The outcomes were evaluated before the EI and at days 2, 4 and 7 post-surgery. One hundred and fifty-two participants completed the study. The intervention group had significantly lower pain levels (Brief pain inventory), anxiety levels (The Chinese state Anxiety scale), and lower pain inference scores on mood and better sleep satisfaction. Therefore, a brief EI with a BRE is a feasible and useful intervention that can improve post-operative outcomes in emergency orthopaedic surgery.
Research Interests: Nursing, Hong Kong, Anxiety, Humans, Female, and 8 moreMale, Sleep, Aged, Middle Aged, Adult, ANXIETY, Orthopedic Procedures, and Relaxation Therapy
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Children undergoing surgical procedures commonly experience stress and anxiety, exhibit negative behaviors, and complain of postoperative pain. Parents also experience anxiety when their children undergo surgery. Therapeutic play... more
Children undergoing surgical procedures commonly experience stress and anxiety, exhibit negative behaviors, and complain of postoperative pain. Parents also experience anxiety when their children undergo surgery. Therapeutic play intervention has been used to prepare hospitalized children for invasive medical procedures for decades. However, there has been no systematic review to examine the effectiveness of therapeutic play intervention for improving children's health-related outcomes such as perioperative anxiety and postoperative pain. The aim of this review was to synthesize current empirical evidence on the effectiveness of therapeutic play intervention in reducing perioperative anxiety, negative behaviors, and postoperative pain in children undergoing elective surgery and in reducing their parents' perioperative anxiety. Systematic searches of electronic databases of the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PubMed, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, Scopus, and Web of Science and screening of the reference lists of included articles from these databases identified studies on the topic. Relevant studies were methodologically assessed and appraised by two independent reviewers using the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument. Six studies were identified. The outcome measurements were heterogeneous across all six studies. These studies had conflicting outcomes regarding the effectiveness of therapeutic play intervention in children's perioperative anxiety, negative behaviors, and postoperative pain. Two studies showed that the intervention significantly reduced parents' preoperative anxiety. The current empirical evidence on the effectiveness of therapeutic play intervention in children's perioperative anxiety, negative behaviors, and postoperative pain is inconclusive. More studies on the effectiveness of therapeutic play intervention using rigorous designs and involving parents are needed.
Research Interests:
The use of standardized patients in deteriorating patient simulations adds realism that can be valuable for preparing nurse trainees for stress and enhancing their performance during actual patient deterioration. Emotional engagement... more
The use of standardized patients in deteriorating patient simulations adds realism that can be valuable for preparing nurse trainees for stress and enhancing their performance during actual patient deterioration. Emotional engagement resulting from increased fidelity can provide additional stress for student nurses with limited exposure to real patients. To determine the presence of increased stress with the standardized patient modality, this study compared the use of standardized patients (SP) with the use of high-fidelity simulators (HFS) during deteriorating patient simulations. Performance in managing deteriorating patients was also compared. It also explored student nurses' insights on the use of standardized patients and patient simulators in deteriorating patient simulations as preparation for clinical placement. Fifty-seven student nurses participated in a randomized controlled design study with pre- and post-tests to evaluate stress and performance in deteriorating pat...
Research Interests:
ABSTRACT • Home hospice services for oncology patients are gaining popularity worldwide. While they have been shown to benefit patients, evidence regarding their impact on caregivers’ QOL is inconclusive. • This cross-sectional study... more
ABSTRACT • Home hospice services for oncology patients are gaining popularity worldwide. While they have been shown to benefit patients, evidence regarding their impact on caregivers’ QOL is inconclusive. • This cross-sectional study explored QOL differences between caregivers of advanced cancer patients in home hospice services versus ambulatory outpatient care. • Case-mix adjusted analyses of the study revealed that home hospice caregivers had significantly better total CQOLC scores, specifically in the domains of burden and financial concerns, as compared to ambulatory outpatient caregivers. • Study findings suggest that visits by multidisciplinary healthcare professional teams in home hospice services, while directed at improving patient end-of-life care, may also simultaneously improve caregiver QOL. • While research is still needed to investigate other sociocultural and demographic factors influencing these differences, this study provides preliminary evidence for the expansion of such services in Asia and other parts of the world.
Research Interests:
This study aims to develop and test the feasibility of a 12-week Mobile Application Programme (M.A.P.) to support self-management in cardiac patients with stable angina. A Mobile Application Programme will be developed by the study team.... more
This study aims to develop and test the feasibility of a 12-week Mobile Application Programme (M.A.P.) to support self-management in cardiac patients with stable angina. A Mobile Application Programme will be developed by the study team. A pilot randomized controlled trial will be adopted to examine the feasibility and potential effectiveness of the M.A.P.. A convenience sample of 40 stable angina patients recruited from the National University Heart Centre will be randomly assigned either to the 12-week M.A.P. intervention group or the control group. Data will be collected at baseline, at the 4th and 12th week of the programme. At the end of the intervention period, a process evaluation will be conducted to further assess the acceptability, usability, strengths and weaknesses of the M.A.P. intervention based on the participants' perspectives. All quantitative data obtained will be analysed using IBM SPSS 21.0, while content analysis will be used for qualitative datasets.
Research Interests:
Expressed emotion is a construct that has been used for the past three decades to describe family members' criticism, hostility and emotional involvement with a mentally ill relative within the context of family interactions and... more
Expressed emotion is a construct that has been used for the past three decades to describe family members' criticism, hostility and emotional involvement with a mentally ill relative within the context of family interactions and caregiving. In Western countries this construct is used as an outcome measure of interventions for families of people with schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders, but the use of this construct in Chinese populations is somewhat limited. To test the reliability and validity of a refined Chinese version of the 52-item Level of Expressed Emotion Scale (LEE). A convenience sample of 405 outpatients with psychotic disorders in Hong Kong and one of their family caregivers were recruited. Patients were asked to complete a set of questionnaires twice over a 6-month period, including the Chinese version of the LEE, the Specific Level of Functioning scale and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale; while their caregivers completed the Family Assessment Device twic...
Research Interests:
Family members are expected to take on the responsibilities of caring for their sick relatives in Asian societies, such as Singapore, that highly value filial piety (Chow, 2009). However, caring for a person with advanced cancer is... more
Family members are expected to take on the responsibilities of caring for their sick relatives in Asian societies, such as Singapore, that highly value filial piety (Chow, 2009). However, caring for a person with advanced cancer is physically and emotionally challenging. Physically, the person with advanced cancer has complex needs and requires extensive care from the caregiver. Emotionally, the caregiver has to deal with the patient's impending death (Tsigaroppoulos et al., 2009). Caregivers may experience significant stress, and some suffer from depression and decreased quality of life (QOL) (Hudson, Thomas, Trauer, Remedios, & Clarke, 2011).
.
Research Interests:
To examine the effectiveness of a postnatal psychoeducation programme in enhancing maternal self-efficacy and social support and reducing postnatal depression among primiparas. Primiparas experience various challenges during the early... more
To examine the effectiveness of a postnatal psychoeducation programme in enhancing maternal self-efficacy and social support and reducing postnatal depression among primiparas. Primiparas experience various challenges during the early postnatal period with low self-efficacy, depression and lack of social support. Support in the form of postnatal educational programmes is needed to improve these outcomes of primiparas. A randomized controlled two-group pre-test-post-test design was adopted. Data were collected from June-December 2012 in a public hospital in Singapore from 122 primiparas, who were randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 61) or control group (n = 61). The intervention group received postnatal psychoeducation programme and routine care while the control group received routine care only. The Maternal Parental Self-Efficacy scale, Perinatal Infant Care Social Support scale and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale were used to measure outcomes of maternal parental self-...
Research Interests:
Maternal parental self-efficacy is a crucial factor for facilitating the smooth transition into motherhood, particularly for primiparas. The aims of this study were to examine the predictors of maternal parental self-efficacy and its... more
Maternal parental self-efficacy is a crucial factor for facilitating the smooth transition into motherhood, particularly for primiparas. The aims of this study were to examine the predictors of maternal parental self-efficacy and its relationship with social support, postnatal depression (PND), and socio-demographic variables of primiparas during the early postnatal period. A descriptive correlational study design was adopted. The instruments, Perceived Maternal Parental Self-Efficacy, Perinatal Infant Care Social Support, and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, were used to collect data from a purposive sample of 122 primiparas on the day of discharge (1-3 days post delivery) in a tertiary public hospital in Singapore. There were significant correlations among maternal parental self-efficacy, social support, and postnatal depression. The main predictors of maternal parental self-efficacy were social support, ethnicity, maternal age, and family income. The maternal parental self-e...
Research Interests: Nursing, Forecasting, Self Efficacy, Pregnancy, Humans, and 4 moreFemale, Mothers, Parity, and postpartum period
Colorectal cancer is a major public health problem. There is growing support for colorectal cancer survivors who are experiencing problems after cancer treatment to engage in self-management programs to reduce symptom distress. However,... more
Colorectal cancer is a major public health problem. There is growing support for colorectal cancer survivors who are experiencing problems after cancer treatment to engage in self-management programs to reduce symptom distress. However, there is inconclusive evidence as to the effectiveness of such program especially in Asian region. This study tested the effects of a six-month nurse-led self-efficacy-enhancing intervention for patients with colorectal cancer, compared with routine care over a six-month follow up. A randomized controlled trial with repeated measures, two-group design. Three teaching hospitals in Guangzhou, China. One hundred and fifty-two Chinese adult patients with a diagnosis of colorectal cancer were recruited. The intervention group (n=76) received self-efficacy-enhancing intervention and the control group (n=76) received standard care. The participants were randomized into either intervention or control group after baseline measures. The outcomes of the study (...
Research Interests:
The changes in and relationships among stress, maternal role competence, and satisfaction in the perinatal period were examined using a longitudinal design. A convenience sample of 78 first-time Chinese mothers completed assessments of... more
The changes in and relationships among stress, maternal role competence, and satisfaction in the perinatal period were examined using a longitudinal design. A convenience sample of 78 first-time Chinese mothers completed assessments of stress and maternal role competence during pregnancy and at 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum. Maternal stress increased and role competence declined during early motherhood, which highlighted the potential influence of stress on maternal role competence and satisfaction in the perinatal period. Culturally competent health care interventions should be developed to promote maternal competence and satisfaction, in particular during early motherhood, and to equip women with effective coping skills to deal with the stress of maternal role transition.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Learned resourcefulness plays a significant role in facilitating maternal coping during the transition to motherhood. Given the growing evidence of perinatal depression and the frequent feeling of incompetence in the maternal role, the... more
Learned resourcefulness plays a significant role in facilitating maternal coping during the transition to motherhood. Given the growing evidence of perinatal depression and the frequent feeling of incompetence in the maternal role, the implementation of an effective intervention to promote maternal role competence and emotional well-being is essential. To determine the impact of a childbirth psychoeducation program based on the concept of learned resourcefulness on maternal role competence and depressive symptoms in Chinese childbearing women. A pretest-posttest, control group quasi-experimental design with repeated measures was used. The study was conducted in two regional public hospitals in Hong Kong that provide routine childbirth education programs with similar content and structure. One hospital was being randomly selected as the experimental hospital. A convenience sample of 184 Chinese pregnant women attending the childbirth education was recruited between October 2005 and A...
Research Interests: Program Evaluation, Nursing, Parenting, Hong Kong, Curriculum, and 15 moreHumans, Postpartum Depression, Role, Female, Mothers, Questionnaires, Longitudinal Studies, Adult, Analysis of Variance, Nursing Studies, Maternal Behavior, Chi Square Distribution, Parturition, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, and attitude to health
Research Interests:
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a psychoeducation program for Chinese family carers of members with schizophrenia in Hong Kong. The participants consisted of 64 carers of clients with schizophrenia who were... more
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a psychoeducation program for Chinese family carers of members with schizophrenia in Hong Kong. The participants consisted of 64 carers of clients with schizophrenia who were recruited from a local mental hospital and randomly assigned to the experimental and control arm (32 each). The experimental group received a psychoeducation program developed and implemented by mental health nurses based on Atkinson and Coia's framework. The control group received routine care. The outcome measures were family burden, self-efficacy, and perception of social support. The findings showed that the experimental group had more improvement on their perception of burden of care (t=5.25, p<.01), self-efficacy (t=-7.16, p<.01), and social support (t=-5.61, p<.01). This study supports psychoeducation as an effective nursing intervention for Chinese family carers.
Research Interests: Program Evaluation, Nursing, Schizophrenia, Health Education, China, and 9 moreHong Kong, Curriculum, Humans, Female, Male, Caregivers, Aged, Middle Aged, and Adult
Research Interests:
To examine parents&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; knowledge about and attitudes towards pain management, use of pain relief strategies and... more
To examine parents&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; knowledge about and attitudes towards pain management, use of pain relief strategies and satisfaction with their children&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s postoperative pain management, as well as the relationships among these variables. Children&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s postoperative pain is inadequately managed worldwide. Despite increasing emphasis on parental involvement in children&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s postoperative pain management, few studies have examined parents&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; management of their child&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s postoperative pain in Singapore. A descriptive correlational study. A convenience sample of 60 parents having 6- to 14-year-old children undergoing inpatient elective surgery in a public hospital in Singapore was recruited. Data were collected one day after each child&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s surgery using the Pain Management Knowledge and Attitudes questionnaire and the Parents&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; Use of Pain Relief Strategies questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U tests, Kruskal-Wallis tests and Spearman&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s rank correlation coefficient were used for data analyses. Parents displayed moderate levels of knowledge, attitudes and use of pain relief methods in relation to their children&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s postoperative pain and pain management. They were generally satisfied with the management of their child&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s postoperative pain. There was significant difference in Parents&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; Use of Pain Relief Strategies scores between parents with and without previous experience of caring for their hospitalised child. Statistically significant positive correlations were found between parents&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; knowledge and attitude, knowledge and satisfaction, attitude and satisfaction, knowledge and pain relief strategies, as well as attitude and pain relief strategies. This study indicates the need to provide parents with more information regarding their children&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s postoperative pain management. Future studies are needed to develop educational interventions for parents to improve their knowledge and attitudes, which will eventually improve their use of pain relief strategies for their children. Health professionals need to provide more information to equip parents with knowledge and skills regarding paediatric postoperative pain management.
Research Interests:
to explore the perceptions of primiparas on the contents, delivery and personal impact of postnatal psychoeducation programme. a descriptive qualitative study was conducted in a public tertiary hospital in Singapore in 2013. 18 primiparas... more
to explore the perceptions of primiparas on the contents, delivery and personal impact of postnatal psychoeducation programme. a descriptive qualitative study was conducted in a public tertiary hospital in Singapore in 2013. 18 primiparas who were able to read and speak English were recruited from the intervention group of a randomised controlled trial. a semi-structured interview guide was used to interview participants&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; perceptions on a postnatal psychoeducation programme at participants&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; home, which was developed based on the principles of self-efficacy and social exchange theories, between six and nine weeks post partum. The programme comprised of a 90-minute home visit, three weekly telephone follow-up and an educational booklet. the qualitative interviews revealed that the participants faced many challenges such as negative emotions and difficulties in breast feeding and support issues in the early postpartum period especially after the hospital discharge. However, all the participants in the intervention group perceived the postnatal psychoeducation programme to be helpful in increasing their confidence in newborn care, fostering help-seeking behaviour, improving emotional well-being and increasing their knowledge in newborn and self-care as well as in breast feeding. Suggestions for programme improvements included more home visits, more telephone follow-up and web-based psychoeducation as well as recommending postnatal psychoeducation programme to be offered as a routine care. Overall, there was a high satisfaction and acceptability with the programme. our findings indicate that the programme is beneficial for maternal well-being and confidence in maternal roles and, therefore, is promising to be introduced to the multiracial primiparas in Singapore. the challenges mothers experience during the postnatal period suggest that it would be worthwhile to devote more resources in providing follow-up support to the mothers in the early postpartum period. Midwives could incorporate a self-efficacy enhancing intervention with a family-centred approach to enable women to have a smooth transition to motherhood.
Research Interests:
To explore the roles, functions, and work practices of case managers and their perceptions on the implementation of case management in the Community Psychiatric Nursing Services. A qualitative descriptive approach was used. Data were... more
To explore the roles, functions, and work practices of case managers and their perceptions on the implementation of case management in the Community Psychiatric Nursing Services. A qualitative descriptive approach was used. Data were collected from daily reports, field observations, reflective diaries, and small group interviews. The study showed the work practices of case managers were more intensive compared to the conventional community psychiatric nursing practice, and there was more involvement of clients and their family in the treatment process. Case managers identified liaison, coordination, supportive and family counseling, and teaching practical living skills as their important roles. This study provides valuable information in understanding the process of case management and contributed to the development of case management as a care delivery model in Hong Kong.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
This study determined the prevalence of lifetime and current smoking and the correlates of current smoking in nurses working in psychiatric and general hospitals in China. Of 807 distributed questionnaires, 799 nurses who were working in... more
This study determined the prevalence of lifetime and current smoking and the correlates of current smoking in nurses working in psychiatric and general hospitals in China. Of 807 distributed questionnaires, 799 nurses who were working in two psychiatric hospitals (n=387, 48.4%), and one general hospital (n=412, 51.6%) had analyzable data. Socio-demographic, alcohol use and smoking data were collected with a self-reported questionnaire. Work-related stress was evaluated with the Nurse Stress Inventory. In the whole sample, the lifetime smoking prevalence was 7.6% (females=2.1% vs. males=48.9%, p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.0001; psychiatric nurses=14.5% vs. non-psychiatric nurses=1.2%, p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.0001). The prevalence of current smoking was 7.1% (females=2.1% vs. males=44.7%, p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.0001; psychiatric nurses=13.4% vs. non-psychiatric nurses=1.2%, p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.0001). In a multiple logistic regression analysis, age 30 years or older, male gender, having children, being a psychiatric nurse and alcohol consumption were positively associated with smoking, while being a nursing officer was negatively associated with smoking (r(2) = 0.513, p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.0001). Considering the harmful effects of smoking as well as second-hand smoking in the presence of children, effective measures to promote smoking cessation for male, older and psychiatric nurses and those with children are warranted.
Research Interests:
Maintaining quality of life (QOL) during chemotherapy is a critical aspect of cancer treatment. Instruments have been developed to assess symptom distress, self-efficacy, anxiety, depression, and other factors impacting QOL during cancer... more
Maintaining quality of life (QOL) during chemotherapy is a critical aspect of cancer treatment. Instruments have been developed to assess symptom distress, self-efficacy, anxiety, depression, and other factors impacting QOL during cancer treatment, but Chinese versions have become available only recently. The aim of this study was to identify factors predictive of QOL during chemotherapy in Chinese colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Patients completed Chinese versions of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, MD Anderson Symptom Inventory (a measure of symptom distress), Stanford Inventory of Cancer Patient Adjustment (a measure of self-efficacy), and Functional Assessment of Cancer Treatment-General (a measure of QOL) before and after 3 and 6 months of chemotherapy. Of 152 consecutive CRC patients (men/women, 98/54; mean age, 53.3 ± 11.3 years, 25-75 years; stage II/III, 59/93), 121 completed all questionnaires (79.6%). Self-efficacy dimensions &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;communication,&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;activity management,&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;personal management,&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; and &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;affective management&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; improved progressively over 6 months (all P &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; .05). Fatigue, nausea, lack of appetite, disturbed sleep, and vomiting peaked at 3 months and declined thereafter (P &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; .05). Patients who are younger than 60 years, are male, and with stage II CRC exhibited higher 3- and 6-month QOL scores (all P &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; .05). Multiple regression identified self-efficacy, anxiety, and symptom distress as independent predictors of QOL at 6 months. Enhanced self-efficacy, reduced symptom distress, and lower general anxiety would improve QOL during chemotherapy for CRC patients.These instruments can help identify CRC patients at risk of low QOL for additional psychotherapy or specific treatment modifications.
Research Interests:
To report a study protocol of a randomized controlled trial examining if a symptom self-management programme helps patients with acute myocardial infarction self-manage their physical and psychological symptoms. In addition to physical... more
To report a study protocol of a randomized controlled trial examining if a symptom self-management programme helps patients with acute myocardial infarction self-manage their physical and psychological symptoms. In addition to physical conditions, people with acute myocardial infarction often experience psychological symptoms. However, there is limited empirical evidence on how to help individuals self-manage these psychological symptoms. A single-blinded, randomized controlled trial is proposed. A convenience sample of 90 will be recruited. Eligible participants will be adult patients with acute myocardial infarction hospitalized at a tertiary hospital in Singapore. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of the three treatment groups: Intervention 1 and standard care (n = 30), Intervention 2 and standard care (n = 30) and standard care alone (n = 30). Data will be collected by self-reported questionnaires, physiological measures and open-ended questions. Quantitative data will be analysed by descriptive statistics, t-test, analysis of covariance and repeated measures analysis of variance. Open-ended questions will be analysed by content analysis. This study will identify a potentially efficacious symptom self-management programme for patients with acute myocardial infarction. If the efficacy of the programme is demonstrated, the programme can be integrated into hospital services to improve patient care. A new teaching method (virtual reality-based teaching) and new teaching materials (virtual reality videos and relaxation videos) derived from this study can be offered to patients. Future research with larger samples and multi-centre recruitment can be undertaken to further test the efficacy of the interventions.
Research Interests:
Virtual patient simulation has grown substantially in health care education. A virtual patient simulation was developed as a refresher training course to reinforce nursing clinical performance in assessing and managing deteriorating... more
Virtual patient simulation has grown substantially in health care education. A virtual patient simulation was developed as a refresher training course to reinforce nursing clinical performance in assessing and managing deteriorating patients. The objective of this study was to describe the development of the virtual patient simulation and evaluate its efficacy, by comparing with a conventional mannequin-based simulation, for improving the nursing students&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; performances in assessing and managing patients with clinical deterioration. A randomized controlled study was conducted with 57 third-year nursing students who were recruited through email. After a baseline evaluation of all participants&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; clinical performance in a simulated environment, the experimental group received a 2-hour fully automated virtual patient simulation while the control group received 2-hour facilitator-led mannequin-based simulation training. All participants were then re-tested one day (first posttest) and 2.5 months (second posttest) after the intervention. The participants from the experimental group completed a survey to evaluate their learning experiences with the newly developed virtual patient simulation. Compared to their baseline scores, both experimental and control groups demonstrated significant improvements (P&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;.001) in first and second post-test scores. While the experimental group had significantly lower (P&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;.05) second post-test scores compared with the first post-test scores, no significant difference (P=.94) was found between these two scores for the control group. The scores between groups did not differ significantly over time (P=.17). The virtual patient simulation was rated positively. A virtual patient simulation for a refreshing training course on assessing and managing clinical deterioration was developed. Although the randomized controlled study did not show that the virtual patient simulation was superior to mannequin-based simulation, both simulations have demonstrated to be effective refresher learning strategies for improving nursing students&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; clinical performance. Given the greater resource requirements of mannequin-based simulation, the virtual patient simulation provides a more promising alternative learning strategy to mitigate the decay of clinical performance over time.
Research Interests:
Many clients in Hong Kong with developmental disabilities stay in mental hospitals because of mental disorders and behavioural problems. There is a need to identify strategies that promote psychological well-being and reduce problem... more
Many clients in Hong Kong with developmental disabilities stay in mental hospitals because of mental disorders and behavioural problems. There is a need to identify strategies that promote psychological well-being and reduce problem behaviours in this group of clients. This study evaluates the impact of multisensory therapy on participants' emotional state, level of relaxation, challenging behaviour, stereotypic self-stimulating behaviour (SSB) and adaptive behaviour (AB). Using an experimental design, 89 participants were recruited from a developmental disability unit in a hospital in Hong Kong and randomly assigned to either an experimental (n = 48) or a control group (n = 41). Multisensory therapy sessions (n = 36) were conducted with experimental group and activity sessions (n = 36) were conducted with controls for 12 weeks. Multisensory therapy promoted participants' positive emotions and relaxation. However, there was no evidence that multisensory therapy was superior ...
Research Interests: Evaluation, Experimental Design, Adolescent, Emotions, Activities of Daily Living, and 15 moreHumans, Child, Aggression, Female, Male, Developmental disabilities, Mental Disorder, Developmental, Aged, Middle Aged, Adult, Adaptive Behaviour, Control Group, Behavioural Problems, and Experimental Group
Research Interests: Nursing, Psychometrics, China, Public Health, Hong Kong, and 15 moreHumans, Properties, Chinese, Female, Male, Caregivers, Family Relations, Chine, Psychological Tests, Family Health, Adult, Public health systems and services research, Reproducibility of Results, Asian Continental Ancestry Group, and EXPRESSED EMOTION
This study examined the experiences of postnatal depression between a group of Chinese and Caucasian women. This was a secondary analysis of two phenomenological studies. Thirty-five Chinese women and 12 Australian women were interviewed.... more
This study examined the experiences of postnatal depression between a group of Chinese and Caucasian women. This was a secondary analysis of two phenomenological studies. Thirty-five Chinese women and 12 Australian women were interviewed. Women felt being trapped in the depression. The Hong Kong women attributed their depression to their mothers-in-law and husbands, and expressed much anger. The Australian women attributed their depression to not being able to live up to the ideal mother image, and felt guilty. Interventions were recommended with consideration for the cultural values that influenced women&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s experiences of postnatal depression.
Research Interests: Nursing, Anger, Parenting, Hong Kong, Gender Identity, and 14 moreCross-Cultural Comparison, Humans, Chinese, Postpartum Depression, Female, South Australia, Young Adult, Guilt, Psychiatric Care, Social Values, Adult, European Continental Ancestry Group, Asian Continental Ancestry Group, and Family Conflict
Research Interests:
to examine the changes in and relationship between perceived social support and parenting self-efficacy in the perinatal period among pregnant women in mainland China. this was a secondary analysis with data from part of an experimental... more
to examine the changes in and relationship between perceived social support and parenting self-efficacy in the perinatal period among pregnant women in mainland China. this was a secondary analysis with data from part of an experimental study of the effects of an interpersonal-psychotherapy-oriented childbirth psychoeducation programme on maternal adaptation. A longitudinal design was employed in the present study. The study was carried out from July 2008 to May 2009 in one general hospital in Guangzhou, China. a convenience sample of 68 first-time mothers in mainland China completed measurement of social support and parenting self-efficacy during pregnancy and at six weeks and three months post partum. perceived social support and parenting self-efficacy declined during early motherhood. Parenting self-efficacy increased from six weeks post partum to three months post partum. Perceived social support positively correlated with parenting self-efficacy. culturally competent health-care intervention should be developed during early motherhood to promote perceived social support and parenting self-efficacy for the new mothers.
Research Interests:
Implementing Interprofessional Education (IPE) across health professions schools is challenging. Within an Asian context, academic staff at the National University of Singapore designed a platform to create a sustainable IPE effort. A... more
Implementing Interprofessional Education (IPE) across health professions schools is challenging. Within an Asian context, academic staff at the National University of Singapore designed a platform to create a sustainable IPE effort. A two-pronged approach was developed to ensure adequate coverage of key concepts relating to IPE within each involved faculty. The Interprofessional Core Curricula (ICC) component ensures that each health profession student will be exposed to IPE concepts in their required curriculum. Interprofessional Enrichment Activities (IEA) incentivize further cross-faculty participation and progress within the IPE competency framework. Best practices and success factors were identified, while lessons learned led to further improvements. Adoption of this approach can help circumvent well-known barriers to implementation.
Research Interests: Curriculum Design, Singapore, Interprofessional Education, Interprofessional education and practice, Learning, and 12 moreStaff Development, Humans, Program Development, Education Systems, Interprofessional Collaboration, Universities, InterProfessional Education in Health Care, Curriculum and Pedagogy, Clinical Competence, Cooperative Behavior, Health Personnel, and interprofessional relations
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Psychology, Nursing, Adolescent, Hong Kong, Humans, and 11 moreChild, Chinese, Female, Male, Infant, Middle Aged, Parents, Adult, Neoplasms, Clinical Nursing, and Child preschool
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Skip to Main Content. ...