The Effectiveness of the Internet in Improving Breastfeeding Outcomes: A Systematic Review

Breastfeeding is the normal and safest way to nurture an infant, and prolonged exclusive breastfeeding duration to 6 months will yield the greatest gains in optimum infant development. Despite this knowledge fewer than 35% of infants worldwide are exclusively breastfed during the first 4 months of life. With the advent of the Internet has been the development of many varied e-Health interventions. Using the Internet to support breastfeeding is a relatively novel method of health intervention in an area which has traditionally always been face-to-face. The aim of this article is to review the literature on the provision of Internet-based breastfeeding information and support intervention programs. A systematic literature review of current evidence was conducted using the electronic databases CINAHL (via EBSCOhost), Medline, Current Contents, PsycINFO, and Web of Knowledge for English-language publications from 2000 to May 2013. Inclusion criteria limited interventions to those delivered to women of childbearing age who accessed the Internet to source breastfeeding information and support. Only studies reporting breastfeeding outcomes (eg, breastfeeding duration) were included. A total of 1379 articles with citations and abstracts were identified as potentially relevant after searching the identified databases. One study was eligible for inclusion and reported positive outcomes, however methodological issues limit the interpretation of these results. Numerous study limitations and problems with scientific rigor make it difficult to extend study findings to antenatal and postnatal care. More rigorous evidence is needed before breastfeeding Internet interventions replace traditional methods of support and education for women intending to breastfeed

Understanding the role of shame and its consequences in female hypersexual behaviours: A pilot study

Background and aims: Hypersexuality and sexual addiction among females is a little understudied phenomenon. Shame is thought to be intrinsic to hypersexual behaviours, especially in women. Therefore, the aim of this study was to understand both hypersexual behaviours and consequences of hypersexual behaviours and their respective contributions to shame in a British sample of females (n = 102). Methods: Data were collected online via Survey Monkey. Results: Results showed the Sexual Behaviour History (SBH) and the Hypersexual Disorder Questionnaire (HDQ) had significant positive correlation with scores on the Shame Inventory. The results indicated that hypersexual behaviours (HBI and HDQ) were able to predict a small percentage of the variability in shame once sexual orientation (heterosexual vs. non-heterosexual) and religious beliefs (belief vs. no belief) were controlled for. Results also showed there was no evidence that religious affiliation and/or religious beliefs had an influence on the levels of hypersexuality and consequences of sexual behaviours as predictors of shame. Conclusions: While women in the UK are rapidly shifting to a feminist way of thinking with or without technology, hypersexual disorder may often be misdiagnosed and misunderstood because of the lack of understanding and how it is conceptualised. The implications of these findings are discussed

A Systematic Review of Online Sex Addiction and Clinical Treatments Using CONSORT Evaluation

Researchers have suggested that the advances of the Internet over the past two decades have gradually eliminated traditional offline methods of obtaining sexual material. Additionally, research on cybersex and/or online sex addictions has increased alongside the development of online technology. The present study extended the findings from Griffiths’ (2012) systematic empirical review of online sex addiction by additionally investigating empirical studies that implemented and/or documented clinical treatments for online sex addiction in adults. A total of nine studies were identified and then each underwent a CONSORT evaluation. The main findings of the present review provide some evidence to suggest that some treatments (both psychological and/or pharmacological) provide positive outcomes among those experiencing difficulties with online sex addiction. Similar to Griffiths’ original review, this study recommends that further research is warranted to establish the efficacy of empirically driven treatments for online sex addiction

Unusual online sexual interests in heterosexual Swedish and Italian university students

Previous studies explain that the Internet makes it possible to explore various unusual desires with little embarrassment and often with the illusion of personal security. Despite the flourishing publications on the double link between sexuality and the Internet in the last decade, there are relatively few studies analyzing the contents of online erotic stimuli to specifically investigate unusual sexual interests. Objective of the study: To examine cultural and gender differences in online sexual behaviors and unusual sexual interests in online pornography reported by young adults recruited in Italy and Sweden, aiming to offer clinical considerations that could be useful when facing this issue in clinical practice. Method: A survey was conducted with 847 Italian and Swedish heterosexual university students. They completed a set of measures including Internet Sex Screening Test, Sexual Addiction Screening Test - Abbreviated and Unusual Online Sexual Interests Questionnaire. Results: Men scored higher than women did on viewing and feeling excited by unusual sexual interests. Although the conditional effect of gender was statistically significant (. P<. 0.05) in both national contexts for the same scenes, the differences between males and females were greater in Italy than in Sweden. Swedish women appeared more curious about sexual contents than Italian ones, with no differences regarding excitement level. Discussion and conclusion: Our results could help clinicians by offering information about the diffusion of some unusual online sexual interests and the "normality" of the Internet use for sexual purposes. It is very important that the clinicians have a specific knowledge on online sexual matters; otherwise, they could be vulnerable to stereotyping and making judgments. The contents of the seen pornographic scenes and the felt excitement could be important topics to focus in the psychosexual counselling. They could be considered, in fact, as possible indicators of sexual compulsivity and/or cybersexual problematic behaviorPrevious studies explain that the Internet makes it possible to explore various unusual desires with little embarrassment and often with the illusion of personal security. Despite the flourishing publications on the double link between sexuality and the Internet in the last decade, there are relatively few studies analyzing the contents of online erotic stimuli to specifically investigate unusual sexual interests. Objective of the study: To examine cultural and gender differences in online sexual behaviors and unusual sexual interests in online pornography reported by young adults recruited in Italy and Sweden, aiming to offer clinical considerations that could be useful when facing this issue in clinical practice. Method: A survey was conducted with 847Italian and Swedish heterosexual university students. They completed a set of measures including Internet Sex Screening Test, Sexual Addiction Screening Test - Abbreviated and Unusual Online Sexual Interests Questionnaire. Results: Men scored higher than women did on viewing and feeling excited by unusual sexual interests. Although the conditional effect of gender was statistically significant (P <. 0.05) in both national contexts for the same scenes, the differences between males and females were greater in Italy than in Sweden. Swedish women appeared more curious about sexual contents than Italian ones, with no differences regarding excitement level. Discussion and conclusion: Our results could help clinicians by offering information about the diffusion of some unusual online sexual interests and the "normality" of the Internet use for sexual purposes. It is very important that the clinicians have a specific knowledge on online sexual matters; otherwise, they could be vulnerable to stereotyping and making judgments. The contents of the seen pornographic scenes and the felt excitement could be important topics to focus in the psychosexual counselling. They could be considered, in fact, as possible indicators of sexual compulsivity and/or cybersexual problematic behavior. © 2015