Spousal communication on family planning and perceived social support for contraceptive practices in a sample of Malaysian women

Background: In Malaysia, contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) during past three decades has been steady, with only 34% of women practicing modern contraception. The aim of this study was to determine the factors associated with modern contraceptive practices with a focus on spousal communication and perceived social support among married women working in the university. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out using self-administered structured questionnaire. The association between variables were assessed using Chi-square test, independent sample t-test, and logistic regression. Results: Overall, 36.8% of women used modern contraceptive methods. Signifi cant association was found between contraceptive practice and ethnicity (P = 0.003), number of pregnancies (P < 0.001), having child (P = 0.003), number of children (P < 0.001), positive history of mistimed pregnancy (P = 0.006), and experience of unwanted pregnancy (P = 0.003). The fi nal model showed Malay women were 92% less likely to use modern contraception as compared to non-Malay women. Women who discussed about family planning with their spouses were more likely to practice modern contraception than the women who did not [odds ratio (OR): 2.2, Confi dence Interval (CI): 1.3–3.7]. Those women with moderate (OR: 4.9, CI: 1.6–10.8) and strong (OR: 14, CI: 4.5–26.4) perception of social support for contraceptive usage were more likely to use modern contraception than the women with poor perception of social support. Conclusion: Spousal communication regarding family planning would be an effective way to motivate men for supporting and using contraceptives. Family planning education initiatives should target both men and women, particularly high-risk cases, for promoting healthy timing and spacing of pregnancies. Ethnic disparities need to be considered in planning reproductive health programs

The effect of spouses’ educational classes held for primiparous women referring to Hajar hospital on their quality of life and pregnancy outcomes

Background: With regard to the importance of quality of life in pregnant women, the present study aimed to determine the effect of spouses’ educational classes held for primaparous women referring to Hajar hospital on women’s quality of life and pregnancy outcomes. Materials and Methods: This clinical trial was conducted from September 2011 to June 2012 in the clinic of the Hajar university center in Shahrekord. Eligible primiparous women who registered for physiologic delivery educational classes were randomly assigned to study (n = 31) and control (n = 27) groups. In the control group, eight physiologic delivery educational sessions were held. In the study group, in addition to attendance of pregnant women, their husbands also attended the third and the eighth sessions of these classes. Women’s quality of life was investigated with SF36 questionnaire and pregnancy outcomes after delivery were investigated. Data were analyzed by t‑test and Chi‑square test. Results: Before intervention, there was no significant difference between scores of quality of life and demographic characteristics (P > 0.05). After intervention, there was a significant difference only in the dimensions of mental health, hugging time, kissing, and breast feeding between the study and control groups (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in gestational age, gravida, number of miscarriages, pregnancy outcomes, and spouses’ age (P > 0.05). Conclusions: Educational classes held for the pregnant women’s husbands during pregnancy can be efficient in promotion of pregnant women’s quality of life, especially in improving their mental health

Investigation of competencies of nurses in disaster response by utilizing objective structured clinical examination.

BACKGROUND Nurses are members of the health care team for crisis response. Identifying nurses' capability in responding to a disaster and promoting their preparedness will lead to effective use of human resources and decreasing the detrimental effects of disaster. The purpose of this article was to determine emergency nurses' competences in triage, life support, and basic clinical skills in disaster response. MATERIALS AND METHODS This study was a descriptive study in which 40 emergency nurses were recruited by purposeful sampling. Moreover, their competencies in performing triage, life support, and basic clinical skills were evaluated by utilizing eight-station objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). RESULTS Our findings showed that the mean scores of nurses' performance were: In triage (4.3 ± 1.27), life support (4 ± 1.5), airway management (5.3 ± 1.7), chest tube insertion (7.3 ± 1.8), nasogastric tube insertion (5.6 ± 2.5), IV therapy (2.5 ± 0.8), IV line insertion (6 ± 1.4), suturing (9.1 ± 1.6), and urinary catheterization (10.4 ± 2.2). No statistically significant correlation was found between demographic variables and nurses' performance (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION According to our findings, it can be concluded that competencies of nurses in performing triage, life support, and basic clinical skills were undesirable. Because emergency nurses are members of the emergency medical team, they should be prepared for disaster response via continuous training programs

Husband's Role in Perinatal Depression during the New Normal Period of the Covid-19 Pandemic in Sewon Sub-District

The Covid-19 pandemic has greatly impacted the welfare and health of the community, which also lead to a perinatal mental health problem. Perinatal depression is not only due to hormonal fluctuations experienced by perinatal women, but also by the emotional challenges of having to keep a vulnerable newborn baby alive, while the mother gets little rest. Since a woman often lacks rest, the husband's participation in perinatal care can reduce stress on perinatal women. This study aims to determine the relationship between husband's participation and the incidence of perinatal depression during the Covid-19 pandemic. This was an observational analytical study with a cross sectional approach. The study population involved perinatal women and their husbands in Sewon Sub-District. Twenty-eight perinatal women lived in Sewon Sub-District participated in this study. The samples of 0-1month postpartum women were selected through simple random sampling technique. Data were analyzed using chi square test. The results revealed that 51.4% respondents had mild postpartum depression because their husbands participated in infant care. The chi-square value was 17,754 (higher than X2 table of 5.591) with a p-value of 0.000&lt;0.05. Thus, Ho was rejected, meaning that there was a relationship between husband's participation in infant care and postpartum depression in Sewon Sub-District.Pandemi Covid-19 sangat berdampak pada kesejahteraan dan kesehatan masyarakat, hal tersebut menjadi permasalahan kesehatan mental perinatal. Depresi Perinatal tidak hanya disebabkan oleh gejolak hormonal yang dialami oleh ibu perinatal, namun juga oleh tantangan emosional karena harus menjaga bayi baru lahir yang rentan agar tetap hidup, sementara ibu sendiri hanya mendapatkan sedikit istirahat. Dengan kondisi ibu yang kurang istirahat dibutuhkan partisipasi suami dalam perawatan perinatal dapat mengurangi stress pada ibu perinatal. Tujuan dari penelitian ini untuk mengetahui hubungan partisipasi suami dengan kejadian depresi perinatal pada saat pandemi Covid-19. Penelitian ini dilakukan dengan metode analitik observasional dengan pendekatan cross sectional. Populasi dalam penelitian ini yaitu ibu pada masa perinatal dan pasangannya di Kecamatan Sewon.  Dua puluh delapan ibu perinatal dari Kecamatan Sewon berpartisipasi dalam penelitian ini. Sampel menggunakan simple random sampling usia 0-1 bulan pascapersalinan. Analisis data menggunakan chi square. Hasil ditemukan responden depresi postpartum rendah dikarenakan suaminya ikut berpartisipasi dalam pengasuhan bayinya sejumlah 51,4%. Nilai chi-square sebesar 17.754 dengan p-value 0.000. Hal ini menunjukkan p-value 0.000 &lt; 0,05 atau X2 hitung (17.754) lebih besar dari X2 tabel (5.591), sehingga Ho ditolak artinya ada hubungan antara partisipasi suami dalam pengasuhan bayi dengan depresi postpartum di Kabupaten Bantul

Survey of sexual dysfunction in women with cervical cancer and a history of pelvic radiation therapy in 2009 to 2013 in Ghaem and Omid hospitals, Mashhad

Introduction: Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women and one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in developing countries. In cervical cancer patient, both surgery and radiation therapy can cause sexual dysfunction. Therefore, this study was performed with aim to survey sexual dysfunction in women with cervical cancer and a history of pelvic radiation therapy. Methods: This study was performed on 176 women with cervical cancer and a history of pelvic radiation therapy referred to Ghaem and Omid hospitals in Mashhad who were selected using convenient sampling from 2009 to 2013. Research tools consisted of personal information form and ROSEN Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). Data was analyzed by SPSS software (version 16.5) and Spearman and Pearson correlation coefficient tests. PResults: 53(30%) of women with cervical cancer and a history of pelvic radiation therapy had low sexual desire, 86 (49%) undesirable sexual arousal, 62 (35%) low lubrication, 74 (42%) undesirable orgasm. 70 (40%) of women complained of dyspareunia and 42 (24%) of Women were dissatisfied from sexual function. There was a significant correlation between sexual function with staging of cervical cancer (P= 0.001, r= - 0.25). There was a significant correlation between sexual desire (P= 0.04), sexual arousal (P= 0.008), lubrication (P= 0.001), orgasm (P= 0.004), sexual satisfaction (P= 0.009) and dyspareunia (P= 0.000) with staging of cervical cancer. Conclusion: Sexual disorders in women with cervical cancer and a history of pelvic radiation therapy and correlation between sexual function with stage of cervical cancer reflects the fact that treatment, education and counseling programs is necessary for these women