Wyatt, Peggy A.

Few empirical studies have investigated the issues linked to Hong Kong nurses work-related health. The present study investigated factors related to stress and coping among Chinese nurses in Hong Kong. The researchers employed a cross-sectional survey and made within-group comparisons of nurses' stress and coping. Using stratified random sampling the researchers selected nurses from the mailing list of a local professional organization. One hundred and sixty-eight (33.6%) nurses responded. Nurses reported lower stress levels than other workers assessed with the same measure. Paediatric nurses reported the highest stress levels. Nurses at the lower grades reported higher stress levels than nurses at the higher grades. Single nurses had marginally higher stress scores than married nurses and females had slightly higher stress scores than males. However, none of these results were statistically significant. The respondents' major sources of stress were related to nursing issues like too much work, interpersonal relationships, and dealing with hospital administration. The respondents coped with their stresses by seeking support from friends and colleagues, using different cognitive strategies and through leisure activities. There was a statistically significant link between the respondents' stress and sickness levels. The results raise issues about the nature of nurses' working experiences.

A telephone survey of 349 randomly-selected women living in Greater Vancouver was conducted to assess their understanding of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The results revealed that women have not yet personalized AMI risk information. Participants indicated a need for more information pertaining to symptom recognition for AMI; they were largely unaware that females may experience AMI differently than do males. Participants were less aware of the risks that diabetes, obesity and menopause pose for AMI. Approximately 36% of these women intended to delay treatment-seeking in the presence of suspicious AMI symptoms. One-third or fewer participants would call for an ambulance for the most serious AMI symptoms. Alongside a recent poll result indicating that a large majority of Canadians believe immediate emergency care for chest discomfort and chest pain is unnecessary, these findings are an alert to health care professionals that much work lies ahead in educating the public regarding treatment-seeking for AMI.