Kıymet Yeşilçiçek Çalık

Attitudes and Health Beliefs Associated With Breast Cancer Screening Behaviors Among Turkish Women

Problem: This research was undertaken to determine the attitudes and health beliefs of a sample of Turkish women about breast self-examination (BSE), clinical breast examination, and mammography. Design: Data were collected by means of a researcher-designed questionnaire and the Champion Health Belief Model Scale. A total of 1,342 women participated in this study. Results: It was found that 10.1% of the women practiced BSE once a month, 19.8% of the women had had a clinical breast examination, and 15.0% had had a mammogram. Age and marital status were significant variables that influenced whether the women used only one or multiple methods for early detection of breast cancer. Participants who had higher levels of confidence for BSE and lower perceptions of barriers to BSE were more likely to perform BSE. Participants who perceived higher levels of confidence to perform BSE were more likely to be using all three early detection methods. Implications for Practice: Interventions and strategies that help women develop confidence in their abilities to perform early breast cancer detection methods are likely to encourage them to engage in regular screening for breast cancer.

Factors Affecting Depression During Pregnancy and the Correlation Between Social Support and Pregnancy Depression

Background: Women are seriously subjected to psychiatric diseases during pregnancy and depression is the most prevailing one among these diseases. There is a relation between the social support and depression in pregnancy whose predisposing factors are genetic, psychological, biological, environmental, and hormonal. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the frequency of depression symptoms, and its risk factors. Also it studied the correlation between social support and pregnancy depression. Patients and Methods: This research is a descriptive cross-sectional study. It was conducted on 266 pregnant women selected by simple random method from all pregnant women admitted at the Maternity Hospital of Trabzon, Turkey from May 21 to June 13, 2008. The data were collected with a questionnaire form, the Beck depression inventory (BDI), and the multidimensional scale of perceived social support (MSPSS). Results: The mean BDI score of the pregnant women was 11.12 ± 6.65. According to the BDI, 46.2% of the pregnant women had no depression symptoms, 34.59% of them had mild, 13.91% had moderate, and 4.89% had severe level of depression symptoms. It was found that such factors as the educational level of the pregnant women and their husbands, having an undesired pregnancy, suffering from a chronic disease before pregnancy, presence of pregnancy-related problems, having a child with disability or having relatives whose children had disability, and smoking during pregnancy were the risk factors affecting the severity of the depression symptoms and these results were statistically significant (P < 0.05). On the other hand, the mean MSPSS score was 67.89 ± 14.26 and it was found that the pregnant women got the highest social support from their husbands. It was found that there was a significant correlation between BDI and MSPSS total score and its subscale scores (P < 0.05). Conclusions: According to this study, one-fifth of pregnant women were found to experience depressive symptoms, which require treatment during pregnancy, and the factors such as having no support from relatives was found to be associated with the severity of depressive symptoms during pregnancy.

Effects of gestational weight gain and body mass index on obstetric outcome

Abstract It is already known that maternal overweight, obesity, and morbid obesity are associated with adverse obstetric and neonatal outcomes. To assess the prevalence of overweight and obesity, and the impact of body mass index (BMI) on maternal and neonatal outcomes in Turkey. The study population consisted of 698 singleton pregnancies whose height and weight follow up were performed from the first trimester of pregnancy and whose deliveries were monitored in Trabzon, Turkey in July 2014–June 2015. The data obtained during the study were evaluated using SPSS 21 package program. The differences in variables were assessed by Chi-square-test for categorical data or by One-way Anova test for continuous data. The results were evaluated at a confidence interval of 95% and at a significance level of p < 0.05. According to the BMI of the women in the study, 68.8% were in normal weight, 20.6% were overweight, 3.9% were obese, and the majority was in the 20–29 age group and 8–15.9 kg. The rate of cesarean, instrumental delivery, induction, episiotomy, late breastfeeding, low apgar (<7 at 5 min), neonatal intensive care unit admission requirement, the newborn at 4000 g or more in overweight (BMI 25–29.9) and obese (BMI ≥ 30) pregnancies was higher and the first and second phases of labor were longer (p < 0.05). The study showed that as the pre-pregnancy body mass index and gestational weight gain increased the rates of cesarean section and interventional delivery increased and the neonatal need for neonatal intensive care unit increased.

Attitudes of Turkish Academics Regarding Violence Against Women in the Name of Honor

Honor is an important concept that has a vital value in Turkey and affects many women’s lives and even causes death. It is of utmost importance to know and scientifically demonstrate the value judgments of the academics that lead and pioneer the society in our country where honor culture is adopted. Therefore, in Turkey, where thousands of women are exposed to violence every year, 877 academics participated in this descriptive study to determine the attitudes of academics toward violence against women in the name of honor. The data were collected using “The Scale for Attitudes Towards Violence Against Women in the Name of Honor (SAVWNH)” in the form of electronic questionnaires through email addresses of the academics working at different faculties of the university in the official website of the university in September 1 to October 1, 2015. In our study, academics’ “attitudes towards violence against women in the name of honor” were found low. That is, academics had negative attitudes toward the verbal o...Honor is an important concept that has a vital value in Turkey and affects many women’s lives and even causes death. It is of utmost importance to know and scientifically demonstrate the value judgments of the academics that lead and pioneer the society in our country where honor culture is adopted. Therefore, in Turkey, where thousands of women are exposed to violence every year, 877 academics participated in this descriptive study to determine the attitudes of academics toward violence against women in the name of honor. The data were collected using “The Scale for Attitudes Towards Violence Against Women in the Name of Honor (SAVWNH)” in the form of electronic questionnaires through email addresses of the academics working at different faculties of the university in the official website of the university in September 1 to October 1, 2015. In our study, academics’ “attitudes towards violence against women in the name of honor” were found low. That is, academics had negative attitudes toward the verbal or physical violence against women in the name of honor and opposed to the punishment of women for this reason. Nevertheless, the attitudes of those who were males; those who were not professors, associate professors, and assistant professors; those who were single; those who had lived in the district/village for a long time; those who had arranged marriages; those who used any kind of violence; and those who considered violence as a solution were found somewhat more conventional. These results showed that, for some academics, the traditional beliefs of the Turkish patriarchal society continued to be valid although they were included in university academic cultures. In fact, it is revealed here that social values, traditions, and customs are very effective and important on the formation of personality in socialization process.

First do no harm - interventions during labor and maternal satisfaction: a descriptive cross-sectional study

BackgroundInterventions can be lifesaving when properly implemented but can also put the lives of both mother and child at risk by disrupting normal physiological childbirth when used indiscriminately without indications. Therefore, this study was performed to investigate the effect of frequent interventions during labor on maternal satisfaction and to provide evidence-based recommendations for labor management decisions.MethodsThe study was performed in descriptive design in a state hospital in Kars, Turkey with 351 pregnant women who were recruited from the delivery ward. The data were collected using three questionnaires: a survey form containing sociodemographic and obstetric characteristics, the Scale for Measuring Maternal Satisfaction in Vaginal Birth, and an intervention observation form.ResultsThe average satisfaction scores of the mothers giving birth in our study were found to be low, at 139.59 ± 29.02 (≥150.5 = high satisfaction level, < 150.5 = low satisfaction level). The percentages of the interventions that were carried out were as follows: 80.6%, enema; 22.2%, perineal shaving; 70.7%, induction; 95.4%, continuous EFM; 92.3%, listening to fetal heart sounds; 72.9%, vaginal examination (two-hourly); 31.9%, amniotomy; 31.3%, medication for pain control; 74.9%, intravenous fluids; 80.3%, restricting food/liquid intake; 54.7%, palpation of contractions on the fundus; 35.0%, restriction of movement; 99.1%, vaginal irrigation with chlorhexidine; 85.5%, using a “hands on” method; 68.9%, episiotomy; 74.6%, closed glottis pushing; 43.3%, fundal pressure; 55.3%, delayed umbilical cord clamping; 86.0%, delayed skin-to-skin contact; 60.1%, controlled cord traction; 68.9%, postpartum hemorrhage control; and 27.6%, uterine massage. The satisfaction levels of those who experienced the interventions of induction, EFM, restriction of movement, two-hourly vaginal examinations, intravenous fluid, fundal pressure, episiotomy, palpation of contractions on the fundus, closed glottis pushing, delayed umbilical cord clamping, delayed skin-to-skin contact, fluid/food restriction, and of those who were not provided pharmacological pain control were found to be lower (p < 0.05).ConclusionMedical interventions carried out at high rates had a negative impact on women’s childbirth experience. Therefore, a proper assessment in the light of medical evidence should be made before deciding that it is absolutely necessary to intervene in the birthing process and the interdisciplinary team should ensure that intrapartum caregivers will “first do no harm.”