Comparison of the number of live births, maternal age at childbirth, and weight of live births between Korean women and immigrant women in 2018

Purpose@#This study compared maternal age at childbirth, the number of live births, and the weight of live births between Korean women and immigrant women using statistical data from the Republic of Korea for 2018. @*Methods@#The analysis was conducted using data from the Microdata Integrated Service of Statistics Korea (https://mdis.kostat.go.kr/index.do). @*Results@#Korean women and immigrant women showed a higher age at childbirth in 2018 than in 2008. The percentage of newborns of Korean women with a birth weight of less than 2.5 kg increased slightly for 3 consecutive years from 2016 to 2018, whereas for immigrant women, this percentage increased in 2017 compared to 2016 and then decreased again in 2018. Very low birth weight (less than 1.5 kg) became more common among immigrant women from 2016 to 2018. Birth at a gestational age of fewer than 37 weeks increased both among Korean and immigrant women from 2016 to 2018. In both groups, the percentage of women who had their first child within their first 2 years of marriage decreased from 2008 to 2018. @*Conclusion@#Immigrant women had higher birth rates than Korean women, while both groups showed an increasing trend in premature birth. Greater attention should be paid to the pregnancy and birth needs of immigrant women, and steps are needed to ensure health equity and access in order to prevent premature births. It is also necessary to identify factors that affect preterm birth and birth of very low birth weight infants among immigrant women in the future.

The Influence of Self Esteem and Sexual Communication on Sexual Satisfaction of Colorectal Cancer Women with Ostomy / 기본간호학회지

Purpose@#The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of self-esteem and sexual communication on sexual satisfaction among female colorectal cancer patients with ostomy. @*Methods@#A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted using self-reported online questionnaires. The participants were 85 women with colorectal cancer who had undergone ostomy formation surgery. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the t-test, analysis of variance, the Scheffé test, correlation coefficients, and hierarchical multiple regression with SPSS version 26.0. @*Results@#The mean sexual satisfaction score was 2.79±0.73 (range, 0~5). There was no significant relationship between self-esteem and sexual satisfaction. Sexual communication had a significant correlation with sexual satisfaction (r=.83, p<.001) and was a strong predictor of sexual satisfaction (β=.83, p<.001). @*Conclusion@#The findings of this study indicate that colorectal cancer patients with ostomy experience low sexual satisfaction and that sexual communication is a meaningful factor for sexual satisfaction. Accordingly, nurses need to factor in sexual issues when caring for patients, and should encourage both patients and their partners to participate in education related to sexual health. It will also be helpful to inform patients about the importance of sexual communication with their partners as a sustainable intervention.

Psychometric Testing of the Korean Version of the Caring Behaviors Inventory-24 in Clinical Nurses / 기본간호학회지

Purpose@#To determine psychometric properties of the Caring Behaviors Inventory-24 (CBI-24) among Korean clinical nurses. @*Methods@#A methodological design was used. Data were collected from 408 clinical nurses. Construct validity analysis was performed, including factorial, convergent, and discriminant validity. Internal consistency was tested by Cronbach’s ⍺ coefficients, inter-item correlation, and corrected item-total correlation. @*Results@#Exploratory factor analysis produced three factors: ‘empathy and supporting’, ‘knowledge and skills’, and ‘providing comfort’. In confirmatory factor analysis results, model fit indices were acceptable (x2/df=3.50, RMR=.05, RMSEA=.08, CFI=.90). The values obtained for the AVE ranged from .53 to .68, and for the CR ranged from .53 to .68. Convergent validity coefficients were noticeably greater in magnitude than discriminant validity coefficients: .53 (AVE1 value) and .68 (AVE2 value)≥.45 (r122 value) and .68 (AVE2 value) and .63 (AVE3 value)≥.61 (r232 value). Internal consistency (Cronbach’s ⍺) of CBI-K was .95. @*Conclusion@#The CBI-K was shown to have acceptable construct validity and good internal consistency. Study findings imply that CBI-K could be a useful instrument for clinical administrators and nursing researchers to assess caring behaviors among Korean clinical nurses. Utilization of CBI-K might contribute to the building of empirical knowledge and the understanding of caring behaviors from nurses’ perspectives.

Comparison of the number of live births, maternal age at childbirth, and weight of live births between Korean women and immigrant women in 2018

Purpose@#This study compared maternal age at childbirth, the number of live births, and the weight of live births between Korean women and immigrant women using statistical data from the Republic of Korea for 2018. @*Methods@#The analysis was conducted using data from the Microdata Integrated Service of Statistics Korea (https://mdis.kostat.go.kr/index.do). @*Results@#Korean women and immigrant women showed a higher age at childbirth in 2018 than in 2008. The percentage of newborns of Korean women with a birth weight of less than 2.5 kg increased slightly for 3 consecutive years from 2016 to 2018, whereas for immigrant women, this percentage increased in 2017 compared to 2016 and then decreased again in 2018. Very low birth weight (less than 1.5 kg) became more common among immigrant women from 2016 to 2018. Birth at a gestational age of fewer than 37 weeks increased both among Korean and immigrant women from 2016 to 2018. In both groups, the percentage of women who had their first child within their first 2 years of marriage decreased from 2008 to 2018. @*Conclusion@#Immigrant women had higher birth rates than Korean women, while both groups showed an increasing trend in premature birth. Greater attention should be paid to the pregnancy and birth needs of immigrant women, and steps are needed to ensure health equity and access in order to prevent premature births. It is also necessary to identify factors that affect preterm birth and birth of very low birth weight infants among immigrant women in the future.

Factors Influencing Post-traumatic Growth in Mothers with Premature Infants Admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Purpose@#Caring for a vulnerable premature baby is a challenging task, but some mothers experience growth through that process. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors influencing post-traumatic growth in mothers with premature infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit. @*Methods@#A correlational research design was used and 105 mothers of premature infants were recruited from an online community. Data were collected from January 15 to January 25, 2019. Post-traumatic growth was measured using the Korean version of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the t-test, analysis of variance, the Scheffé test, Pearson correlation coefficients, and hierarchical multiple regression. @*Results@#The final model developed in this study explained 45.5% of post-traumatic growth (F=13.66, p<.001). Resilience (β=.54, p<.001) was the strongest predictor of post-traumatic growth, followed by the age of the mother when giving birth (β=.17, p=.028) and current employment status (β=.17, p=.049). @*Conclusion@#For mother with premature infants to grow psychologically after their experience, it may be needed to support them to develop and strengthen their resilience through either education or their own support network.

Comparison of professionalism and job satisfaction between Korean midwives in birthing centers and midwives in hospitals

Purpose@#Midwives working in hospitals (MWH) have limited roles in managing and assisting births independently. To find the reason for this and to find ways to successfully integrate midwifery into care systems, exploring midwives’ work-related perceptions might be the first step. The purpose of this study was to compare professionalism and job satisfaction among midwives working in birthing centers (MWBC) and MWH. @*Methods@#A descriptive comparative design was used, querying 19 MWBC and 53 MWH in Korea. Data accrued from October 2017 to November 2017 using the Professionalism Inventory Scale and the job satisfaction scale. @*Results@#Age, marital status, monthly income, length of career as a midwife, and length of career in the current workplace were significantly different between MWBC and MWH. The level of professionalism among MWBC showed significant differences by position at the birthing center (t=16.19, p=.001). Professionalism and job satisfaction among MWH showed significant differences depending on perceived professional performance (F=9.95, p<.001 and F=11.04, p<.001, respectively). Levels of professionalism and job satisfaction were higher for MWBC than for MWH. @*Conclusion@#Educational programs designed to enhance professionalism and expand the role of MWH are suggested. Also, a need exists to develop policy for midwives at hospitals and a legal system so MWH in Korea can perform their midwifery jobs and be properly reimbursed.

Effects of LGBT Nursing Education Using Simulation / 여성건강간호학회지

PURPOSE: As health care needs for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) are becoming increasingly important, it has become imperative for the nurses to be attentive towards their health problems and provide nursing care with an open-minded attitude. Due to limited opportunity to provide direct nursing care to LGBT patients, it is hypothesized that simulation would provide good opportunity for students to experience LGBT nursing care in a safe environment. This study was conducted to develop and apply simulation of LGBT nursing care to ultimately provide unbiased nursing care for LGBT population and prepare basic data for LGBT nursing education.METHODS: This study was a single-group pre-post experimental design study for 57 senior nursing students based on the comparison of existing LGBT knowledge, general attitude towards LGBT, and nursing attitude towards LGBT before and after simulation. The scenario content included discussion of coming out issue, providing sexual health information, and supportive nursing care for LGBT population. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon signed rank.RESULTS: Simulation education-led to a significant increase in LGBT knowledge and nursing attitude. However, there was no change in the general attitude towards LGBT.CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that LGBT education using simulation may be effective for nursing students and nurses from the point of concern for LGBT population. It is hypothesized that future LGBT educational programs might need more detailed information from both care recipients and nurses. Finally, LGBT education needs to be included in the nursing education curriculum.

Knowledge and Educational Needs Related to an Artificial Pacemaker among Hospital Nurses / 임상간호연구

PURPOSE: This study aimed to examine nurses' knowledge levels and educational needs related to an artificial pacemaker. METHODS: Participants were 100 nurses working in cardiovascular departments from two university hospitals in Seoul. This study was a descriptive study using a survey for estimating knowledge levels and educational needs related to an artificial pacemaker among nurses. Data were analyzed by SPSS 23.0 program using frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation, t-test, and ANOVA. RESULTS: Nurses' knowledge levels were significantly different depending on working units (F=3.32, p=.014) and years of clinical experience (F=2.85, p=.042). Nurses who received education about an artificial pacemaker were higher in the knowledge level of complications after an implantation procedure (t=3.45, p < .001) than nurses who did not receive the education. CONCLUSION: Discharge education is critical for patients with artificial pacemaker implantation to go back to their daily activities. When developing artificial pacemaker education program for hospital nurses, factors such as nurses' working department and years of clinical experience years and updated information of an artifical pacemaker need to be considered.

Pediatric Nurses' Perceptions related to End-of-Life Care and Turnover Intention

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate pediatric nurses' perceptions regarding in end-of-life care and turnover intention. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study was performed among 111 hospital nurses. Pediatric nurses' perceptions of obstacles and supportive behaviors were measured using the Pediatric Nurses' Perceptions of End of Life Care Questionnaire which was translated into Korean and turnover intention was measured using the Korean Nurse Turnover Intention Scale (K-NTIS). RESULTS: The supportive behavior with the highest perceived magnitude was ‘Physicians who are compassionate, but very clear about prognosis.’ The obstacle with the highest perceived magnitude was ‘Instigating painful treatments when there is no hope of recovery.’ Pediatric nurses' perceptions of obstacles in end-of-life care showed statistically significant differences depending on whether nurses received end-of-life care education (t=2.02, p=.046). The perception of obstacles in end-of-life care was positively correlated with turnover intention (intensity r=.28, p=.002) (frequency r=.20, p=.027). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that pediatric nurses' perception of obstacles and supportive behaviors in end-of-life care need to be assessed when considering turnover intention. Furthermore, psychological counseling should be offered to nurses to prevent burnout and reduce moral distress which is correlated with the turnover rate.

Impact of Breastfeeding Knowledge, Attitude, and Barriers on Breastfeeding Practice among Twin Mothers

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to identify effects of breastfeeding knowledge, attitude, and barriers on breastfeeding practice on twin mothers and to provide basic data for successful breastfeeding for twins. METHODS: Participants were 151 mothers with two to twelve months-old twins. Data were collected from online support groups by an online survey. RESULTS: Mean score for breastfeeding knowledge was 18.34±4.63, for breastfeeding attitude was 3.61±0.51, and for barriers to breastfeeding was 13.35±1.08. The breastfeeding practice rate was 27.8% when twins were two months old. The breastfeeding knowledge was significantly different depending on mother's occupation, number of children, utilization of postpartum caretaker, and age of the children. There were significant differences in the breastfeeding attitude depending on gestational week of twins, planned length of the breastfeeding, and decision period for the breastfeeding. The practice of the breastfeeding was significantly different depending on the number of children. Factors influencing the breastfeeding practice were the breastfeeding attitude (p<.05), age of mother (p<.01), and the number of children (p<.01). CONCLUSION: An educational program and expert-led supportive system that is designed for twins are necessary, and they need to be included in prenatal care in order to have positive attitude for the breastfeeding as well as to breastfeed successfully.

Effect of Child Development Knowledge, Rearing Knowledge and Use of Health Care Service on Maternal Confidence among Mothers with Premature Infants

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine how child development knowledge, child rearing knowledge, and use of healthcare services after discharge affect maternal confidence among mothers of premature infants. METHODS: Participants in this study were 55 mothers who were involved in internet communities for mothers with premature infants and 30 mothers who visited hospitals for follow up care after having their babies discharged from Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) in South Korea. RESULTS: Presence of operation history, child development and rearing knowledge, and use of healthcare service explained 12.2% of maternal confidence. Presence of operation history (β=.32, p<.05) and child development knowledge (β=.52, p<.05) were significant predictors for maternal confidence. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that mothers with premature infants need further education especially on motor development, developmental knowledge, and knowledge related to operations for mothers whose child had surgery in the NICU. Also information about services provided from community health services for premature infants need to be advertised and distributed.

Impact of Cognitive Function and Cancer Coping on Quality of Life among Women with Post-chemotherapy Breast Cancer

PURPOSE: This study was done to identify effects of cognitive function and cancer coping on quality of life among women with breast cancer treated with antineoplastic agents. METHODS: The study was correlational research and participants were 145 women with breast cancer who had received antineoplastic agents. Data were collected from October to November, 2015 via online replies. Cognitive function was measured with the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function Version-3 (FACT-Cog), cancer coping, with the Korean Cancer Coping Questionnaire (K-CCQ), and quality of life with the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast Version-4 (FACT-B). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Scheffé test, ANCOVA, Bonferroni test, partial correlation coefficient, and hierarchical multiple regression with SPSS 21. RESULTS: Cognitive functions, total individual coping, and interpersonal coping explained 42% of quality of life. Cognitive function (β=.35, p<.001) was the best predictor of quality of life, followed by total individual coping (β=.34, p<.001), and interpersonal coping (β=.26, p<.001). CONCLUSION: Results indicate that cognitive function and cancer coping are meaningful factors for quality of life among breast cancer survivors. Therefore when developing intervention programs for these women, content on cognitive function and coping skills as well as coping resources should be included.

Relationship Among Nurses' Knowledge, Attitude Towards Palliative Care and Perception of Death in Neonatal Intensive Care Units

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship among knowledge and attitude toward palliative care and perception of death for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) nurses. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with 110 nurses who work in NICUs in South Korea. The participants filled out a questionnaire regarding their knowledge, attitude towards palliative care and perception of death. The attitude scale was divided into 3 subscales: comfort level, nurses' role and nurses' involvement with family. RESULTS: Comfort level regarding attitude towards palliative care was positively correlated with knowledge (r=.220, p=.016) and the perception of death (r=.194, p=.042). Nurses' role showed a positive correlation with perception of death (r=.395, p=.001). CONCLUSION: NICU nurses' knowledge of palliative care was below standard across the board, implying that there is a definite need for palliative care education for nurses. The education program for palliative care should include a section that focuses on fostering a positive perception of death as well as defining and delineating the role of nurses.

Health Behaviors and Related Demographic Factors among Korean Adolescents

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to explore health behaviors, examine health behaviors in relation to demographic factors, and investigate the relationships between health risk behaviors (e.g., tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and sexual experience) among Korean adolescents. METHODS: The study used a cross-sectional descriptive relational design and a population-based data collection of 1,716 middle and high school Korean adolescents. The 72-item Korean Adolescent Health Behavior Scale was used for data collection, while descriptive statistics, t test and chi-square test were used in the data analyses. RESULTS: Females were doing better on weight control, hygiene, safety, and computer use than were males. Males were doing better on physical activity. Adolescents living in cities were more likely to be addicted to computer but were consuming alcohol and using tobacco less than adolescents in rural areas were. In addition, religion, grade level, and living area also made the adolescents' health behavior significantly different. CONCLUSION: As the result suggested, gender, religion, grade level, and region need to be considered when designing health promotion interventions among Korean adolescents.