Patricia Calero

Background: Mental health stigma serves as a significant barrier to seeking help, often leading to maladaptive coping strategies. Given these complexities, it is essential to validate the Satisfaction With Life Scale–Revised (SWLS-R) within the Filipino context to assess its psychometric reliability, cultural relevance, and suitability for evaluating well-being and mental health outcomes among Filipinos. Objectives: The aims of this study were to evaluate the psychometric properties of the SWLS-R and describe the relationships and significant predictors of life satisfaction among Filipinos living in the United States. Methods: A purposive sample of Filipino adults, fluent in both English and Filipino, completed an online survey through Qualtrics. Results: The SWLS-R demonstrated excellent reliability. The findings strongly support the validity of a single-factor structure for the Filipino version of the SWLS-R. Confirmatory factor analysis established the validity of a single latent factor explaining life satisfaction among Filipino participants. A negative correlation was observed between the Perceived Stress Scale-10 Score and the SWLS-R supporting the discriminant validity of these two constructs. Discussion: Our findings support the psychometric validity and cultural relevance of the SWLS-R for assessing life satisfaction in this population. Future research is needed to explore its applicability among youth, Indigenous groups, and overseas Filipino workers.

Introduction: Artificial intelligence (AI) technology in healthcare has emerged as a highly effective tool for enhancing health data analysis and patient engagement. Recent research examining patients’ use of AI applications for self-managing health demonstrates notable benefits but also raises multiple concerns, including exacerbation of health disparities. Furthermore, limited information is available regarding nurses’ interactions with patient-engaged AI (PEAI) and its impact on the nurse-patient relationship. Objective: Developing new theoretical frameworks is essential to strengthening the evidence base for AI in nursing practice. The proposed middle-range theory constitutes a significant advancement toward delineating domains of nursing research to define AI utilization within the nurse-patient relationship and addressing health disparities. Methods: Walker and Avant’s steps were used to construct the theory, define concepts, and synthesize the literature and models. Results: An integrated theory-building synthesis identified 28 articles, from which five key themes emerged as crucial for mitigating health equity gaps: communication, end-user trust and perceptions, technology and design, self-management, and ethics and privacy. These impact patient engagement and, in turn, are influenced by health literacy. Conclusion: Nursing research and practice are positioned to contribute critical evidence to close health disparities and redefine the nurse-patient relationship within the transformative context of the AI revolution.

Introduction: Research shows low health confidence predicts poor involvement in self-care and is associated with increased use of costly healthcare services. To improve overall health and reduce health inequities, the relevance and urgency of identifying the relationship between social determinants of health and health confidence are great. Objective: This study explored relationships between social determinants of health and health confidence in adults at an urgent care center in southern California. Methods: The descriptive cross-sectional study collected data via survey from 240 English- and Spanish-speaking adults (18–93 years) receiving care for any medical condition between 15 and 17 August 2022. Patients in need of immediate medical attention were excluded. The survey encompassed The PRAPARE screening instrument , sociodemographic questions, and a single health confidence question. Bivariate analysis identified significant differences in health confidence for a logistic regression model. Results: Forty-seven percent ( n = 107) of participants reported low confidence in managing their health and well-being. Low health confidence was observed in those with unmet needs ( χ ² = 4.16, p = .042), and varying levels of stress ( χ ² = 13.76, p = .008). Low health confidence was common in low-income ( t = 2.23, p = .028) and greater social risk groups ( χ ² = 19.7, p < .001). Participants in contact with friends or family 1 to 5 times per week (vs. >5 times) were more likely to report low health confidence; those with high levels of stress were more likely to report low health confidence (vs. no stress). Conclusion: This study highlights the insidious prevalence of social determinants of health and the impact of social isolation and stress on health confidence, providing the basis for implementing standardized social determinants of health screening.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an important and often neglected comorbidity of pregnancy; left untreated, it can lead to serious health complications for the mother and developing fetus. Structured interviews were conducted to identify risk factors of PTSD among culturally diverse women with depressive symptomatology receiving perinatal services at community obstetric/gynecologic clinics. Women abused as adults, with two or more instances of trauma, greater trauma severity, insomnia, and low social support were more likely to present perinatal PTSD symptoms. Perinatal PTSD is prevalent and has the potential for chronicity. It is imperative healthcare providers recognize salient risk factors and integrate culturally sensitive screening, appropriate referral, and treatment services for perinatal PTSD.

The purpose of this brief review is to prepare readers who may be unfamiliar with Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) and the rapidly accumulating changes in the epidemic by providing an introduction to HIV disease and its treatment. The general concepts presented here will facilitate understanding of the papers in this issue on HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). Toward that end, we briefly review the biology of HIV and how it causes disease in its human host, its epidemiology, and how antiretroviral treatments are targeted to interfere with the molecular biology that allows the virus to reproduce. Finally, we describe what is known about how HIV injures the nervous system, leading to HAND, and discuss potential strategies for preventing or treating the effects of HIV on the nervous system.