Sexual Functioning of Gynecological Cancer Patients: A Literature Review

Background: According to the World Health Organization, cervical, uterine and ovarian cancers were the third, sixth and eighth most common cancers in women worldwide. Unlike other physiological side effects of cancer treatment, sexual problems in gynecological cancer survivors do not tend to resolve after first few years of cancer treatment. However, women who experience sexual dysfunction do not discuss the problem openly with their healthcare professionals.Objective: The objectives of this literature review are to identify, summarize and critically appraise current literatures investigating the sexual functioning and sexual health needs of gynecological cancer patients, as well as to identify the communication between gynecological cancer patients and healthcare professionals.Design: A thorough analysis of the literatures on the topic of sexual functioning of gynecological cancer patients.Data sources: EBSCO host (Medline, CINAL Plus and Academic Search Alumni Edition) and Ovid Technology (British Nursing Index).Review methods: A comprehensive search was conducted in the named data sources from 2003 to 2014 to identify English articles with the keywords “ovarian cancerâ€, “uterine cancerâ€, “cervical cancerâ€, “gynecological cancerâ€, “sexual functioningâ€, “sexuality†and “sexual health needsâ€. Two authors assessed all identified articles independently for inclusion in the review.Results: A total of eight studies were included in the review. All studies focused on the sexual functioning of gynecological cancer patients. Four of them assessed their sexual health needs and one evaluated the communication between the patients and healthcare professionals. The findings indicated that gynecological cancer patients experienced sexual dysfunction after the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Uncertainty of the side-effects of cancer treatment on bodily functions led to misunderstanding and misconceptions on sexual functioning. Communication, in general, was found to be insufficient between gynecological cancer patients and healthcare professionals.Conclusion: Sexual functioning after the diagnosis and treatment of gynecological cancer requires special attention and care. Appropriate interventions should be developed to meet the patients’ needs. As most of the studies investigating the sexual functioning of gynecological cancer patients were carried out in Western countries, implications for research on this issue in different cultural background is suggested

School-based prevention for adolescent Internet addiction: prevention is the key. A systematic literature review

Adolescents’ media use represents a normative need for information, communication, recreation and functionality, yet problematic Internet use has increased. Given the arguably alarming prevalence rates worldwide and the increasingly problematic use of gaming and social media, the need for an integration of prevention efforts appears to be timely. The aim of this systematic literature review is (i) to identify school-based prevention programmes or protocols for Internet Addiction targeting adolescents within the school context and to examine the programmes’ effectiveness, and (ii) to highlight strengths, limitations, and best practices to inform the design of new initiatives, by capitalizing on these studies’ recommendations. The findings of the reviewed studies to date presented mixed outcomes and are in need of further empirical evidence. The current review identified the following needs to be addressed in future designs to: (i) define the clinical status of Internet Addiction more precisely, (ii) use more current psychometrically robust assessment tools for the measurement of effectiveness (based on the most recent empirical developments), (iii) reconsider the main outcome of Internet time reduction as it appears to be problematic, (iv) build methodologically sound evidence-based prevention programmes, (v) focus on skill enhancement and the use of protective and harm-reducing factors, and (vi) include IA as one of the risk behaviours in multi-risk behaviour interventions. These appear to be crucial factors in addressing future research designs and the formulation of new prevention initiatives. Validated findings could then inform promising strategies for IA and gaming prevention in public policy and education

School-based prevention for adolescent Internet addiction: prevention is the key. A systematic literature review

Adolescents’ media use represents a normative need for information, communication, recreation and functionality, yet problematic Internet use has increased. Given the arguably alarming prevalence rates worldwide and the increasingly problematic use of gaming and social media, the need for an integration of prevention efforts appears to be timely. The aim of this systematic literature review is (i) to identify school-based prevention programmes or protocols for Internet Addiction targeting adolescents within the school context and to examine the programmes’ effectiveness, and (ii) to highlight strengths, limitations, and best practices to inform the design of new initiatives, by capitalizing on these studies’ recommendations. The findings of the reviewed studies to date presented mixed outcomes and are in need of further empirical evidence. The current review identified the following needs to be addressed in future designs to: (i) define the clinical status of Internet Addiction more precisely, (ii) use more current psychometrically robust assessment tools for the measurement of effectiveness (based on the most recent empirical developments), (iii) reconsider the main outcome of Internet time reduction as it appears to be problematic, (iv) build methodologically sound evidence-based prevention programmes, (v) focus on skill enhancement and the use of protective and harm-reducing factors, and (vi) include IA as one of the risk behaviours in multi-risk behaviour interventions. These appear to be crucial factors in addressing future research designs and the formulation of new prevention initiatives. Validated findings could then inform promising strategies for IA and gaming prevention in public policy and education

Maternal height, gestational diabetes mellitus and pregnancy complications

10.1016/j.diabres.2021.108978Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice178DRCP

A comparison of practices during the confinement period among Chinese, Malay, and Indian mothers in Singapore

10.1111/birt.12233Birth433247-254GUSTO (Growing up towards Healthy Outcomes

Associations of physical activity and sedentary behavior during pregnancy with gestational diabetes mellitus among Asian women in Singapore

10.1186/s12884-017-1537-8BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth171Article number 364BPCMBGUSTO (Growing up towards Healthy Outcomes

Ethnic differences translate to inadequacy of high-risk screening for gestational diabetes mellitus in an Asian population: A cohort study

10.1186/1471-2393-14-345BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth141article number 345BPCM