Mürüvvet Başer

The effect of education given to primigravida women on fear of childbirth.

OBJECTIVE The present study was conducted to determine the effect of education that is given information about the delivery room, labor and coping strategies with the fear of pain of childbirth in primigravida women. DESIGN This study was conducted experimentally using pre-post tests and a control group. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING A total of 99 primigravida women with 50 in the study group and 49 in the control group at a maternity hospital in a city of middle region of Turkey were recruited to the study. METHODS Data were collected using the Pregnant Introduction Form, Interview Form After Delivery and Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire (W-DEQ), version A. Verbal informed consent and approval were obtained from the participants and ethical committee. Preparatory labor education was provided in two sessions between pregnancy weeks 28 and 34 to the women in the study group. Fisher, MC Pearson, chi-square, Mann-Whitney U and Wilcoxon t tests were used for statistical data analysis. RESULTS In the first interview session, no significant difference was found between W-DEQ-A scores of the study and control groups. The mean pre-education W-DEQ-A score was 61.1 while it was 42.0 post-education in the study group. The post-education W-DEQ-A score was 58.5 in the control group while it was 42.0 in the study group. CONCLUSIONS It was determined that positive perception regarding birth was provided and fear of childbirth decreased with the preparation education for birth.

Prevalence of Urinary Tract Infections and Its Risk Factors in Elementary School Students

Background: Childhood urinary tract infections (UTI) are one of the most important factors affecting adult health. Aim: The study was a cross-sectional investigation to identify the prevalence of UTI and its risk factors. Methods: The study included 2,511 6–8th grade elementary school students. Data were collected by questionnaire form and medical diagnosis. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were performed. Results: 7.1% of all participating students had UTI (10.1% girls, 4.2% boys). Students with a family history of UTI had a 3.763-fold risk of developing UTI (p < 0.05) compared to those without. Students who drank <1 liter of water daily had a 1.077 times higher risk of having the infection than those who drank >1 liter of water daily (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Students drinking an inadequate amount of water and having a family history had a high prevalence of UTI.

Blood pressure, height, weight and body mass index of primary school students in a low socio‐economic district in Turkey

AIM This study was conducted to evaluate the growth and blood pressure measurements of the students. BACKGROUND School health services are important to evaluate, protect and to improve the health status of the students. This study was conducted to evaluate the growth and blood pressure measurements of the students who were registered in a primary school with low socio-economic level in Kayseri Province in Türkiye between 1 April 2004 and 30 May 2004. The data were collected using questionnaire and health-screening forms. FINDINGS It was determined that the average age was 9.77 +/- 2.41 in girls and 10.16 +/- 14.70 in boys. It was observed that the average height was 137.95 +/- 14.70 cm, and the average weight was 33.07 +/- 10.08 kg for all students. The girls between 10 years and 12 years old had a better average body mass index (kg/m(2)) (BMI) compared with boys. Boys between 6 years and 9 years old had a better BMI than the girls. The difference between the groups was considered statistically important (P = 0.006 and P = 0.002, respectively). Furthermore, 4.9% of the students were underweight and 2.2% of the students were obese. It was thought that there was a positive correlation among height, weight, BMI, age and the blood pressure values; and as BMI and age increased, so did the blood pressure value. CONCLUSION Cooperation and dialogue need to be established among the school directorate, the families and the students to promote and encourage proper growth development and nutrition of the students within the school health services.

Effect of bed exercises and gum chewing on abdominal sounds, flatulence and early discharge in the early period after caesarean section

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of bed exercises and gum chewing on abdominal sounds, flatulence and early discharge on women who have given birth at the Cengiz Gökçek Gynecology and Obstetrics Hospital surgery services in Gaziantep city centre. BACKGROUND Caesarean operation is the most significant surgical intervention that affects central nervous system and decelerates bowel movements in the postoperative period. Conducted studies show that practices such as gum chewing ensure that bowel functions start in a short time through early feeding and mobilisation and shorten the duration of hospital stay. DESIGN A randomised controlled experimental was used. METHOD A total of 120 women participated in the study in three groups of 40 for gum, exercise and control groups. Gum was given to the groups in the gum section two hours after the ceasarean, the women chewed gum for the first eight hours until flatulence for 15 minutes every two hours. However, the women in the exercise group started moving two hours after the caesarean for the first eight hours until flatulence for five minutes every two hours. The control group consisted of women under routine treatment and care of the hospital. All women were hourly evaluated in terms of abdominal sounds, flatulence and defaecation. RESULTS It was determined that following caesarean, bowel functions started in three groups at the same time, there was no significant difference between three groups. It was determined that the gum group, exercise group and the control group were discharged earlier, there was no significant difference between three groups CONCLUSION The study results show that spinal anaesthesia have positive effects on discharge time after caesarean section operation. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE This study provides useful information to clinician and researchers when determining practices such as postoperative standing up in early period, gum chewing and early liquid intake related to postoperative bowel functions after abdominal operations.

Reasons Why Women in Turkey Prefer Short-Term Use of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)

The research was conducted as an epidemiological study with a before–after interference. Ninety-three women who regularly visited a menopausal clinic in Kayseri and who had begun hormone replacement therapy (HRT) made up the study sample. Seventy-five women were involved in the second step, carried out 18 months after the first interview. It was concluded that 25.3% of the women who began HRT had more menopausal complaints before HRT, while these complaints were generally reduced after the 18 months (p < .05). There was no important change in their quality of life (QOL; p > .05), but there was a positive change seen in emotional reactions (p < .05).