Health Care for Women International最新文献

The pushback on women's health rights, particularly when it comes to more vulnerable groups like indigenous women, has necessitated new approaches for targeted communication strategies by health NGOs on sexuality and reproductive health rights (SRHR). To assess indigenous women's understanding of health communications on SRHR, the researchers conducted focus groups with the comadronas of Saving Mothers in Guatemala to explore their reception to these messages. Our results underscored the difficulties of access of these groups to quality information on reproductive health matters, placing limits on their capacity to navigate a complex (and manipulated) media landscape on SRHR. Based on our findings, the necessity to foster partnerships between NGOs, indigenous women's groups, researchers and government to enhance health literacy skills, engaging with communities so as to co-create communications material that attends specifically to their needs is highlighted.

Misinformation about COVID and the vaccine are rampant in Guatemala. Insights are needed from community leaders regarding public perceptions of the pandemic to inform effective interventions. Thus, 210 lay midwives participated in 11 focus groups. Participants shared the knowledge, practices, and attitudes of their families and communities about COVID-19 and the vaccine. Five themes emerged. Myths about the vaccine abound. Guatemalans use traditional remedies to treat COVID, have faith in God to cure them, and mistrust hospital care. The virus impacted cities more than rural areas. Integrating cultural viewpoints with modern information would build trust among Guatemalans regarding COVID-19.

We conducted a randomized clinical trial at a tertiary center between March and August 2022. We enrolled primiparous women aged 18-45 years requiring an episiotomy. Skin closure of the episiotomy was performed using three suture techniques: mattress, primary interrupted, and subcutaneous. Evaluation of healing and pain was carried out using Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Redness, Edema, Ecchymosis, Discharge, and Approximation (REEDA) scores on the first and fifteenth postpartum days. The interrupted and subcutaneous groups showed significantly lower VAS scores on the first postpartum day compared to the mattress group (p < 0.001). The duration of mattress suturing was longer than that of interrupted or subcutaneous suturing (p = 0.044). On the fifteenth postpartum day, the subcutaneous group demonstrated lower REEDA scores compared to the other groups (p = 0.013). The subcutaneous continuous suturing group exhibited superior healing compared to the primary interrupted and mattress groups on the fifteenth postpartum day.

Breastfeeding promotion is done in the form of education, not shared decision making. Consequently, breastfeeding while in hospital is still so low that problems arise after being discharged from the hospital. Researchers aimed to analyze the relationship between family support, personal communication, shared decision making, and breastfeeding in low birth weight babies. This study was a cross-sectional design conducted in three hospitals in the East Java province of Indonesia. Two-hundred mothers who have babies were selected as samples using simple random sampling. The variables were collected by a questionnaire. The data were then analyzed using path analysis. Breastfeeding showed a direct and positive relationship with shared decision making (b = 0.53; 95% CI = 0.25 to 0.81; p = <0.001). Shared decision making was directly and positively related with personal communication (b = 0.67; 95% CI = 0.56 to 0.77; p = <0.001). Personal communication showed a direct and positive relationship with family support (b = 0.40 95% CI = 0.24 to 0.57; p = <0.001). Yet, breastfeeding showed an indirect relationship with family support and personal communication. Breastfeeding increases with shared decision making and excellent personal communication between nurses and mothers. Personal communication will increase when getting support from the family.

Researchers in this study assesses risk behaviors for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among sexual minority women (SMW) in Beijing, China. A total of 1,631 SMW participated in the study. Compared with women who have sex with women exclusively, women who have sex with both women and men reported more sex partners, more likely sharing sex toys, experiencing STI infections. Digital-genital sex, using sex toys, G-spot stimulation is associated with STI symptoms. SMW in Beijing engaged in high-risk sexual behaviors that may cause substantial risk for STIs. SMW and healthcare providers should be informed and STI testing should be promoted among SMW.

In this study, we aimed to examine the effectiveness of relaxation training in women with PMDD through a randomized controlled design. Sixty-three women were recruited and randomized to relaxation training or control groups. The outcome measurements, administered at baseline and post-training, included the Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool (PSST), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Nottingham Health Profile (NHP), and Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS). The intervention group received 12 sessions of relaxation training, including progressive muscle relaxation and guided imagination. While there were significant differences within the group in the relaxation training group, no significant differences were found in the control group. Relaxation training had a positive effect on reducing premenstrual symptoms, anxiety, depression and disability and improving quality of life in women with PMDD. More research is necessary to recommend relaxation training as a primary and long-term treatment and to understand how it should be included in a comprehensive treatment plan.

The researchers aimed to determine the effects of yoga on pain severity, menstrual symptoms and quality of life of undergraduate nursing students with primary dysmenorrhea. The 60 female students were divided into intervention (n = 30) and control groups (n = 30) by block randomization. In the study, data were evaluated with the Visual Analog Scale for Pain, the Menstruation Symptom Scale and the Short Form-36 Health Survey Scale. The 12-week intervention program, which included all components of Hatha yoga, was carried out twice a week for a total of 24 sessions of 60 min. The control group did not receive any intervention. The severity of menstrual pain and symptoms decreased in yoga group compared to control group, and there were significant improvements in quality of life (p < 0.001). The researchers shows that regular Hatha yoga may be a possible nonpharmacological treatment for primary dysmenorrhea in young women in this study.

Skin depigmentation's sociocultural and health impacts are widely studied. This socio-anthropological study in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, involving 46 women, explores their awareness of both positive and negative effects of skin-lightening products. Ethical standards guided the research, which included a literature review and in-depth interviews. Users recognize benefits like improved self-esteem and social status, alongside health risks like skin diseases and sun sensitivity. The decision to use these products reflects a thoughtful balance of personal, social, and economic benefits against potential health risks, indicating a nuanced understanding of skin depigmentation's impacts.

This descriptive study aimed to determine the content, quality, and reliability of YouTube videos on breast cancer-related lymphedema exercises. A total of 127 videos were independently assessed, with 103 of them categorized as either informative or misleading content groups. The content (mean score: 4.07 ± 2.29) and quality (mean score: 3.15 ± 1.46) of videos concerning lymphedema exercises were moderate, while reliability (mean score: 2.27 ± 1.64) was low. Among the 103 videos categorized using the content checklist, Global Quality Scale, and DISCERN reliability instrument, 57.3% (n = 59) were informative, and 42.7% (n = 44) had misleading information. The mean scores of the content, quality, and reliability of the informative content videos were substantially higher than the misleading content videos, and of videos uploaded by universities/professional organizations/health care professionals/medical advertisements were higher than the videos uploaded by other sources. Through this study, the researchers have unveiled that the content and quality levels of YouTube videos in lymphedema exercises were moderate, and the reliability level was low.

The study was conducted by the authors to investigate lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), physical activity, and quality of life (QoL) in obese and overweight women. LUTS were assessed using Core Lower Urinary Tract Symptom Score (CLSS) and Overactive Bladder Questionnaire-V8 (OAB-V8), QoL using World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale - Short Form (WHOQOL-BREF), and physical activity with International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF). CLSS and OAB-V8 scores were significantly higher in overweight and obese compared to those of normal weight (p < .001), while UFAA scores were lower in obese (p = .031). Body mass index was associated with higher CLSS and OAB-V8 scores and lower IPAQ-SF and WHOQOL-BREF Physical and Psychological subscores. Additionally, concordance between CLSS and OAB-V8 scores was highest in obese. A significant association between LUTS, physical activity, and QoL was found in overweight and obese women. With our results, we emphasized the need for interventions as increased BMI is linked to more prevalent LUTS and decreased well-being.