Socorro Arnedillo-Sánchez’s research while affiliated with University of Seville and other places

Breastfeeding education, across all disciplines, is often inconsistent and lacking in expertise and confidence. However, recommendations from health professionals, the sociocultural environment, and previous knowledge and experiences significantly influence women’s decision to breastfeed. This study aimed to identify factors that promote the assignment of greater importance to breastfeeding and associated practical benefits. This retrospective cross-sectional study included 276 participants who completed a self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed, and multivariate linear models were applied to identify factors influencing the importance assigned to breastfeeding. Most participants were married or in a relationship, were native Spaniards, had secondary or higher education, and had an average age of 32.6 years. Seventy percent met the physical activity recommendations, and 91% felt comfortable with their body image during pregnancy. The importance assigned to breastfeeding was high across various aspects, except for postpartum weight loss and body image. Group prenatal care was only significantly associated with the importance assigned to the breastfeeding technique (how to breastfeed). The obesogenic environment and the importance assigned to nutritional aspects and physical activity also turned out to be predictors, although not for all models. In our region, the educational strategy of antenatal care groups could contain gaps regarding the mother’s health, which should be addressed in the future to improve results regarding the initiation and continuation of breastfeeding.

Background: Dating violence has become a problem of social relevance with short- and long-term health consequences. Nurses are in a privileged position to detect and address this problem in health facilities and as school nurses in schools, providing health education and detecting this violence correctly. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the cross-cultural validation of the Portuguese version of the Multidimensional Scale of Dating Violence-Short (MSDV 2.0). Methods: A validation investigation was carried out in two phases: (1) cross-cultural adaptation of the items and content validation of the Portuguese version of MSDV 2.0 and (2) psychometric validation. Results: Phase (1): The items of the original version include a cross-cultural translation from Spanish to Portuguese and analysed by a group of experts in gender violence and by the authors of the original scale, then a back translation was made and again reviewed by the experts. Young university students also participated for face validity, and a pilot test was carried out. Phase (2): Confirmatory factor analysis was performed using the robust maximum-likelihood estimation method, which confirmed the five-dimensional structure, obtaining good fit rates (chi-square significance (χ2) = 187.860 (p < 0.0001); root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.049; comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.937; Tucker–Lewis index (TLI) = 0.923). Reliability analysis indicated adequate internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha (α) = 0.88 to 0.70). Finally, scores of the Portuguese versions MSDV 2.0 were correlated, as expected, positively with the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) (r = 0.36 to 0.16) and negatively with the Medical Outcomes Study Questionnaire Short Form 36, Health Survey (SF-36) (r = −0.30 to −0.14). Conclusions: To date, it is the only instrument that measures dating violence in a multidimensional way validated in the Portuguese university context.

The experience of menstruation is often associated with negative connotations and gender stereotypes, which results in making it invisible. This research aimed to explore the perceptions, beliefs, and knowledge of young Spanish women regarding the menstrual cycle and menstruation and their impact on their lives. The study delves into their understanding, menstrual management practices, the types of menstrual products employed, and their experiences related to menstrual health. Qualitative methodology was used with discussion groups as a data collection technique. The participants comprised 45 young Spanish women, aged between 18 and 23, hailing from both rural and urban areas. The majority were university students, with some engaged in part-time work, and one participant working full-time. While many experienced menstrual pain ranging from mild to debilitating, a normalization of this pain often led them to forego seeking specialist assistance. Disposable menstrual products (DMPs) are the most used by participants, despite limited awareness of their absorption capacity. Regarding reusable menstrual products (RMPs), menstrual cup users emphasized comfort but expressed a need for proper training. Negative menstruation experiences could evoke fear and difficulties, underscoring the importance of providing comprehensive menstrual health education encompassing both theoretical and practical components.

Objective To evaluate the prevalence of unhealthy gestational weight gain and analyze the role of women´s knowledge about the recommendations, expectations, beliefs, counseling, and information provided by midwives as potential factors contributing to failure to meet recommendations. Research design/setting A retrospective cross-sectional study was performed in a tertiary Hospital in Seville (Spain) between March and September 2019. A sample of 500 singleton pregnant women at or over 37 weeks of gestation completed a self-administered questionnaire during a prenatal visit. Gestational weight gain was categorized as healthy/excessive/inadequate, according to the Institute of Medicine, for 409 women. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analysis was performed. Findings Inadequate and excessive gestational weight gain were 33.4% and 33.9%, respectively. A multivariate model for excessive gestational weight gain showed pre-gestational body mass index was a risk factor, while exercise and believing the weight gain was healthy were protective factors. The model for inadequate gestational weight gain showed knowledge of recommendations was a protective factor while believing gestational weight was healthy was a risk factor. Key conclusions Unhealthy gestational weight gain is common. Inadequate gain from women with healthy pre-pregnancy body mass index who believed their gain was healthy, was almost as common as excessive gestational weight gain. As shown by our predictive model beliefs regarding healthy gestational weight gain may act either as a protective factor, in the excessive gain model, or as a risk factor, in the inadequate gain model, depending on women´s pre-pregnancy body mass index and despite knowledge of the recommendations. Implications for practice Inadequate weight gain, and not only excessive gain, should be properly addressed during pregnancy. Healthy gestational weight gain should be approached by midwives with a combination of one-to-one and group antenatal care, where believes regarding healthy gestational weight gain should be addressed. Midwives should remain alert as we may be facing a new trend: increasing numbers of women presenting with inadequate gestational weight gain; with negative health implications for a healthy population. We recommend that midwives pay attention to women with a healthy pre-pregnancy Body Mass Index and who believe that their weight gain is correct because this profile frequently had an inadequate gestational weight gain