Vidya Seshan

Self-reported urinary incontinence and factors associated with symptom severity in community dwelling adult women: implications for women's health promotion.

BackgroundUrinary incontinence (UI) continues to affect millions of women worldwide and those living in resource poor settings seem to be more affected. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of UI and factors associated with UI symptom severity (UISS) among women in a selected district in India.MethodsA cross-sectional design was used to collect data from a sample of 598 community dwelling women in the age range of 20 to 60 years. Data was collected using a questionnaire survey of participants who were found in their homes.ResultsThe prevalence of UI was 33.8% and the majority of women had negative attitudes about the condition. For instance most women were in agreement with statements such as: UI cannot be prevented or cured (98%); women with UI are cursed (97%); women are not supposed to tell anyone about the problem (90%) and others. Of the 202 women with self-reported UI, the majority reported having moderate UISS (78%) and others rated the symptoms as mild (22%). The woman’s age at first birth (p<.01) was negatively associated with UISS, while the number of pregnancies (p<.01) and weight of the largest baby ever delivered (p<.01), were positively associated with UISS. The weight of the largest baby delivered had the strongest impact on predicting UISS.ConclusionsMany community dwelling women are suffering from UI at proportions which warrant significant public health consideration. Therefore public health programs to prevent UI or worsening of symptoms are required and should emphasize health education, because of the pervasive negative attitudes among affected and unaffected women. The predictors reported here can be used to priotize care for affected women and to encourage early uptake of health actions and behaviors that promote pelvic floor strengthening in at risk women who may be reluctant to disclose UI.

What do Omani Women know about Breast Cancer Symptoms

OBJECTIVES Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers and a leading cause of cancer-related mortality in women worldwide. Studies to detect the awareness of breast cancer among Arab women are few and point to a lack of breast cancer knowledge among females. Early detection of breast cancer plays a leading role in reducing mortality rates and improving prognosis. This study aims to assess the knowledge and awareness of breast cancer symptoms among Omani women. METHODS A descriptive, cross-sectional survey design was carried out in Muscat, Oman. The study was conducted at three health centers and three shopping malls using convenience sampling. A total of 369 women consented to be part of the study and completed a questionnaire. Responses to the questionnaire were summed to give an overall knowledge score. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data, which was also analyzed statistically. RESULTS Among the total number of women 68 (19%) were calculated to have poor knowledge, 219 (59%) had average knowledge, 77 (21%) had good knowledge, and five (1%) had excellent knowledge on breast cancer. Among the variables, education status (p=0.002, p<0.050), and family history of breast cancer (p =0.000, p<0.010) was significantly related to a higher knowledge level. CONCLUSION The study revealed that there was lack of awareness and knowledge on breast cancer symptoms among Omani women. Breast cancer awareness and early detection through regular breast screening is important to reduce the mortality and morbidity of the disease.

Insight into Jordanian Thinking About HIV: Knowledge of Jordanian Men and Women About HIV Prevention

&NA; Research on HIV prevention programs for countries with large Muslim populations is scarce. HIV knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs were assessed in a convenience sample of 128 women and 88 men at two universities in Jordan with the goal of gaining insight into how to approach HIV risk behaviors. In general terms, 97% of participants had heard of AIDS and the majority understood the common methods of transmission. Misconceptions were common; most participants did not recognize condoms as an HIV prevention method. A sense of fatalism regarding the acquisition of HIV was common. In Jordan, challenges to HIV‐prevention interventions includes misconceptions about HIV transmission, gender‐related differences in the willingness to discuss sexual issues, and fatalism regarding the acquisition of HIV. Silence about sexual activity, particularly among women, was pervasive. Culturally tailored interventions are needed to decrease stigma and address gender inequalities that may contribute to increased risks of HIV in Jordan.

Risk factors of urinary incontinence in women: a literature review

The purpose of this literature review is to recapitulate the risk factors and predictors of urinary incontinence (UI) in women identified in different published studies, thereby filling such gap in knowledge. The review identified primary research papers published in peer-reviewed journals on risk factors and predictors of UI. The search strategy used for collecting the literature was done using PubMed, Google Scholar and CINAHL databases from 2002 to 2012. The full text articles were obtained as part of the second stage selection process, using the pre-agreed selection criteria. Twelve articles were identified, this includes four cross-sectional studies, five prospective cohort studies, two co-relational descriptive studies and one longitudinal study. Majority of these studies concluded that the major risk factors of UI are age, parity, body mass index (BMI), menopause, recurrent UTI, hysterectomy, number of abortions, foetal weight and the comorbid condition such as diabetes, chronic pulmonary disease. Health care providers need to educate women about the risk factors of UI and health-promoting actions to reduce the risk of UI. Researchers have to enhance primary prevention and promote strategies that help women alter and modify their lifestyle. Lifestyle modification such as healthy food habits, Kegels exercises and weight reduction ensures the general health promotion and relief from UI symptoms.

Can Gestational Anemia be Alleviated with Increased Awareness of its Causes and Management Strategies? Implications for Health Care Services

Objectives We conducted this study to assess the risk factors of gestational anemia and evaluate the effectiveness of a culturally-tailored nutrition educational intervention on hemoglobin (Hb) status among pregnant Omani women. Newborn birthweight was used as a birth outcome. Methods The study was conducted in two phases. The first phase investigated the risk factors associated with gestational anemia in 206 Omani women who were 3 20 years old and had at least completed 12 weeks of gestation. A suitable sample was recruited at a tertiary teaching hospital in Muscat, Oman. Hb status was recorded, and backward linear regression was used to analyze the demographic and obstetric variables associated with Hb levels. In the second phase, a specially designed culturally-tailored nutrition educational intervention was delivered to women in the study group by trained research assistants whereas women in the control group received routine care only. The Hb levels of the pregnant women and birth weight of newborns after the intervention were evaluated in the second phase of the study. Results The prevalence of gestational anemia among 206 pregnant Omani women was 41.7%. A significant negative relationship was found between Hb and parity whereas a positive relationship was found between Hb and gestational age. The Hb level increased as the gestational age advanced (β = 0.31, p < 0.050) and decreased as the parity increased (β = -0.22, p < 0.050). The pre-post mean difference of Hb levels in the study group was 11.0 g/dL and in the control group was 10.7 g/dL. The difference between the pre- and post-test Hb levels for the study group was significant (t = 3.58, p = 0.001), indicating that the culturally-tailored nutrition education intervention was effective in improving the Hb level in pregnant Omani women. No significant difference was found between the study and control group with respect to birth outcomes. Conclusion The prevalence of gestational anemia is high in pregnant Omani women. The use of a specially designed culturally-tailored nutrition education intervention for pregnant women supplemented with follow-up reminders can reduce the occurrence of gestational anemia. Such programs are ultimately necessary in light of the high prevalence of gestational anemia in developing countries.

Effect of a Video-Assisted Teaching Program for Kegel's Exercises on Women's Knowledge About Urinary Incontinence.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess community-dwelling womens knowledge about urinary incontinence (UI) and the effectiveness of a Video Assisted Teaching Program for Kegels Exercises (VATPKE) in increasing their knowledge. METHODS: A cross-sectional design was used to collect data from 598 community-dwelling women. A pre-/posttest design was then used to assess the effectiveness of the VATPKE in improving knowledge about UI in women with self-reported UI (202) and without UI (396). Data were analyzed using independent and paired t tests. RESULTS: Of the 598 participants, 33.8% self-reported having UI. The majority of women with UI (90%) and without UI (90%) had inadequate knowledge. The mean post-VATPKE knowledge levels of women with and without UI were higher than pre-VATPKE mean scores. Differences in knowledge levels in women with and without UI were statistically significant (P < .001). CONCLUSION: Most of the women at risk or already affected with UI have inadequate knowledge about the condition. In a resource-poor setting with limited health care human resources to provide one-on-one health education, interventions such as the VATPKE may help improve knowledge about UI among the large numbers of affected and at-risk women.

Predictors of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Knowledge among Jordanian Youths.

OBJECTIVES Understanding factors associated with the level of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) knowledge acquisition is crucial to inform preventative programmes for young people. This study examines predictors of HIV knowledge among Jordanian youths. METHODS A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 8,129 youths aged between 14 and 25 years randomly selected from schools representing each of the 12 governorates of Jordan. A total of 50% of respondents were female and, on average, 17 years old. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire covering sociodemographic characteristics, HIV knowledge, gender awareness, exposure to and favourable attitudes toward risky behaviours. RESULTS On a 13-item HIV knowledge test, participants answered an average of 7 questions correctly (mean = 7.21; standard deviation = 2.63). Female respondents from rural areas demonstrated significantly lower levels of HIV knowledge, while college and university students demonstrated higher levels. HIV knowledge differed significantly by sources of information, with peer-acquired information associated with more accuracy, while HIV information from parents or health centres was associated with a lower score. Youths with more egalitarian gender views also demonstrated higher knowledge levels, whereas youths approving of drug use showed lower levels of HIV knowledge. CONCLUSION HIV education programmes in Jordan should focus on females and youths living in rural areas. Educational institutions have been shown to be effective in providing accurate information to students, while parents and health professionals should also be included in HIV prevention programmes in order to reduce misconceptions and raise the level of HIV knowledge among Jordanian youths.