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ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of women's personality traits and some sociodemographic variables on quality of life (QoL).
This cross-sectional and correlational study was conducted among 320 Turkish women aged between 45 and 64 years who attended the Menopausal Polyclinic. Data were collected from the Turkish version of the Cervantes Personality Scale and the Turkish version of the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire.
The mean (SD) age of the participants was 51.8 (5.3) years. The average (SD) age since menopause was found to be 46 (3.3) years. The menopausal QoL was correlated with education status, income level, working status, exercise routine, chronic health problems, family's/friends' support, and negative life events. Logistic regression analyses showed that the QoL in vasomotor, psychological, and sexual domains were 6.1, 9.2, and 11.4 times, respectively, lower in neurotic women than in emotionally stable women. In addition, the QoL in sexual domains were 3.3 times lower in introverted women than in extraverted women.
These findings indicate that higher levels of introversion and higher levels of neuroticism lead to lower QoL among postmenopausal women. The results of this study support the hypothesis that personality would play an important role in women's QoL during the transition period of menopause.
Menopause (New York, N.Y.) 12/2011; 18(12):1309-16. · 3.08 Impact Factor
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The Breast Journal 09/2011; 17(6):680-2. · 1.64 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: This study aims to determine the rates of contraceptive discontinuation and usage failure and to examine their relation with termination of pregnancy.
This is a descriptive (cross-sectional) type of study. The study population was chosen among women treated at a state hospital in Karaman City, located in the southern part of Turkey. A total of 695 women were interviewed for the present study. Data were collected using a face-to-face interview technique with the questionnaire developed by the researchers. Chi-square test was applied as the significance test.
While 44.3% and 23.7% of the women used medical and traditional methods of contraception, respectively, 32.0% did not use any method at all. Sixty percentage of the unintended pregnancies were terminated. Unintended pregnancy rate due to use of the withdrawal method was significantly high (p < 0.000). For the reasons of women's discontinuation of family planning methods, it was observed that both usage failure and unintended pregnancy were among the top reasons for the discontinuation of medical methods; discontinuation of the withdrawal method was due to unintended pregnancies.
Withdrawal users have the highest unintended pregnancy rates. Most of these unintended/unplanned pregnancies are terminated. To increase the rate of use of medical contraceptive methods, users should be provided with adequate and high-quality consultancy services and evaluation of the applicant should be in accordance with the WHO criteria.
Archives of Gynecology 07/2011; 284(1):151-5. · 0.91 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to investigate sleep disturbances among menopausal women: their prevalence, risk factors for them and the quality of life of women who have them.
A population-based sample of 887 Turkish women aged 45-59 years and living in Malatya was recruited in this cross-sectional descriptive study. The women were administered the Interview Form, which covers sociodemographic, health and lifestyle variables, as well as the Women's Health Initiative Insomnia Rating Scale, the Menopause Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire and the Beck Depression Inventory.
The prevalence of sleep disturbance in this sample of menopausal women was 54%. Logistic regression models revealed that the risk of sleep disturbance was 2.4 times higher in the perimenopausal than in the premenopausal period, 1.7 times higher among those who received hormone therapy than among those who did not, 1.5 times higher among those with a physical disease than among those without, and 3.9 times higher among those with depression than among those without; an increase of one year in age was associated with a 5% increase in the prevalence of sleep disturbance. Average scores on the vasomotor, psychosocial, physical and sexual sub-scales of the Menopause Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire were significantly higher for women with sleep disturbance than for those without (P<0.001).
The prevalence of sleep disturbance was found to be high among menopausal women. Initiatives aimed at reducing sleep disturbance should be added to menopausal care programmes in order to improve the quality of life of menopausal women.
Maturitas 10/2009; 64(3):177-81. · 2.77 Impact Factor
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Nevin Hotun Sahin
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ABSTRACT: To determine male university students' views, attitudes and behavior towards family planning and emergency contraception as an important aspect of reproductive health.
This descriptive study was carried out with 278 men who were chosen using the convenience sampling method at several universities in Istanbul during the spring semester of 2005. Data were obtained through interviews with men by means of a 32 item self-administered questionnaire. Data analyses were made with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).
Almost all of the men (96.6%) were single. Students' (n = 200) average age at their first sexual intercourse experience was 17.4 years. Seventy-three percent of the students used a family planning (FP) method in their first sexual experiences (69.5% used a condom). The male condom is the most well known (95.8%) and commonly used (70.1%) FP method. The number of students taking a shared responsibility for FP was 79.4%. One third of the students had negative attitudes towards vasectomy and 1/5 of them were against the use of condoms. The percentage of the students who had heard about emergency contraception (EC) was 14.5%.
Male university students who are sexually active generally do not have enough knowledge about FP and EC. They tend to engage in high-risk behavior. It is imperative that education and counseling in reproductive and sexual health must be offered to all young men. In addition, men's attitudes toward contraceptive methods should be evaluated in other cultures and useful comparisons made with Turkey.
Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research 07/2008; 34(3):392-8. · 0.94 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The aims of the study were to determine parents' anxiety and women's concerns before prenatal testing and women's opinions towards the risk factors for congenital anomalies.
Undergoing prenatal screening or diagnostic tests cause potential distress and worry for parents. Little attention has been paid to the psychological aspect of such testing in clinical and research areas.
This descriptive study was conducted in a prenatal diagnosis unit in a university hospital in Istanbul. The convenience sample of the study consisted of 200 women and 104 partners who applied for prenatal screening or diagnosis tests.
Women were interviewed by the researcher before they underwent prenatal screening or diagnostic procedures. Data were gathered through interviews using an interview form that addressed women's evaluations for causes of fear and their opinions towards the risk factors for congenital anomalies. Spielberger State Anxiety Inventory was used to assess parents' anxiety before prenatal testing.
Anxiety scores of women and their partners were higher in invasive tests group and suspicious findings group. The possibility of a malformation detected and of it being missed were major concerns of women. Receiving insufficient information about the procedure, undergoing this test for the first time, smoking and lower education was associated with increased anxiety scores in women. Although women knew about some certain risk factors for congenital anomalies like drug use, smoking and malnutrition, their knowledge about other risks were not sufficient.
Prenatal tests, both routine screening and prenatal diagnosis, cause anxiety for parents. Understanding women's concerns and awareness of risk factors are important for providing care and counselling. Relevance to clinical practice. Nurses can provide appropriate information and support at each step in the screening and diagnosis process so that parents' psychological stress is minimised.
Journal of Clinical Nursing 04/2008; 17(6):827-36. · 1.12 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: To determine the effect of breathing techniques and nurse-administered massage on the pain perception of pregnant woman during labour.
The present study was conducted among pregnant women (75% primiparous) admitted to the SSK Bakirkoy Women and Children's Hospital (Istanbul, Turkey) between January 1, and September 1, 2000. The patients were in their 38th to 42nd week of pregnancy, not at high risk and expected to have normal vaginal delivery. They were selected from volunteers by nonrandom sampling.
The present study involved 40 cases, with 20 in the experimental group and 20 in the control group. Data were obtained through the visual analogue scale, inspection form, observation form and postnatal interview form. The study investigators provided information about labour, breathing techniques and massage to the pregnant women assigned to the experimental group at the beginning of labour (latent phase). A study investigator also accompanied them during labour. These women received nurse-administered massage and were encouraged to breathe and perform self-administered massage. They were also instructed to change their positions and to relax.
Study results demonstrated that nursing support and patient-directed education concerning labour and nonpharmacological pain control methods (eg, breathing and cutaneous stimulation techniques) were effective in reducing the perception of pain by pregnant women (when provided in the latent labour phase before delivery), leading to a more satisfactory birth experience.
Pain research & management: the journal of the Canadian Pain Society = journal de la societe canadienne pour le traitement de la douleur 02/2004; 9(4):183-7. · 1.97 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: This study was conducted for the purpose of determining the prevalence of depression in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women and the factors that influence the development of depression.
A community-based sample of 685 women aged 45 to 59 years who were living in Malatya was recruited in this cross-sectional study. An information form that included questions on descriptive characteristics and lifestyle variables of cases, the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire, and the Beck Depression Inventory were administered to each woman in the sample. The data were collected through personal interviews with women at their home between February and May 2008.
The mean age of the respondents was 50.66 (4.15) years. The prevalence of depression symptoms among the perimenopausal and postmenopausal women was 41.8%. Of all women, 23.2% were premenopausal and 56.9% were postmenopausal. The logistic regression analysis revealed that depression symptom development was 1.8 times higher in the perimenopausal-postmenopausal period than in the premenopausal period, 3.6 times higher among those with an event history affecting life in a negative way than among those without, and 2.0 times higher among those with a body mass index of 25 kg/m or higher than among those with a body mass index of less than 25 kg/m.
There is a high level of prevalence of depression symptoms in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women.
Menopause (New York, N.Y.) 17(3):545-51. · 3.08 Impact Factor
