Responses of pregnant women to potential preterm labor symptoms.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the knowledge that healthy pregnant women have of appropriate actions to take in response to hypothetical symptoms of preterm labor. DESIGN: This was a descriptive, correlational study using a convenience sample. SETTING: Subjects were recruited from the private practices of obstetricians and nurse-midwives. PARTICIPANTS: Three hundred twenty pregnant women who were between 20 and 32 weeks gestation were asked to complete a 17-item demographic information sheet and an 18-item Health Pregnancy Questionnaire while waiting for prenatal visits. Questionnaires from 269 women were appropriate for analysis. RESULTS: Most respondents could select appropriate action responses to items that identified obvious symptoms of being in preterm labor. In response to three questions that posed hypothetical preterm labor symptoms that were more subtle or were similar to normally occurring discomforts of pregnancy, between 26% and 35% of the women selected a choice that would have delayed entry into care. With a 95% confidence interval, significant positive relationships were found between selecting best responses and having experienced a previous preterm labor and maternal age. CONCLUSION: This study supports the need for all pregnant women to receive information on identification of preterm labor symptoms and appropriate actions to take with regard to these symptoms.

Back transport: exploration of parents' feelings regarding the transition.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore parents' perceptions and the concepts involved in their preterm infant's back transport from a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit to their home community hospital. A convenience sample of fourteen parents were interviewed five to seven days after the back transport. Following data collection, the analysis of the parents' perceptions regarding the back transport of their premature infant identified a crisis theme that was influenced by several concepts. The subject's positive or negative meaning of the back transport during the pre-crisis phase defined the extent of the crisis during a three day transition period which led to an acceptance of events in the resolution phase. The subjects' perceptions of the previous events of hospitalization and communication of information regarding back transport influenced the meaning of the back transport for them. The extent of crisis during the transition phase was influenced by subjects' perceptions of medical complications, caretaking practice changes, environmental changes, feelings of powerlessness or empowerment, personal coping resources, and support systems available. Resolution in all cases occurred with an acceptance of events. Implications for practice and future research can be identified such as developing and testing education programs to prepare parents for the transition and strengthening the relationship between tertiary and community hospitals.

Social support and lactation outcomes in postpartum women.

Questionnaires were mailed to 45 primiparous lactating women at six weeks postpartum to measure their perceived social support and its influence on lactation outcomes. Also evaluated were the size and structures of their support networks. Subjects were asked to share their thoughts and feelings regarding breastfeeding. There were no statistically significant differences between perceived support scores of women who considered themselves successful or those women who felt unsuccessful in their lactation experience. There was a significant correlation between numbers of health care provider support, informational support and perception of successful lactation. Thematic analysis identified differences in personality characteristics and focus of breastfeeding concerns. Increasing a woman's informational support network to include qualified health care professionals may increase the numbers of women who are satisfied with their breastfeeding experience.

An analysis of theory-research linkages in published gerontologic nursing studies, 1983-1989.

The extent to which theory and research were interrelated in 142 gerontologic nursing studies was examined using the Theory-Research Linkage Inventory, an instrument developed by the authors. Forty-six percent of the studies reviewed were related in varying degrees to a specific theory or model. Strengths and limitations were identified for the conceptual, empirical, and interpretive phases of the studies. However, the most problematic was the interpretive phase, where study findings and implications for practice should be linked to theory. Factors influencing the primarily unidirectional theory-research linkage are examined, and recommendations for the advancement of gerontologic nursing science are offered.

Peptic ulcers in the elderly: unique features and management.

Contrary to the general trend, peptic ulcers are on the rise in the elderly in terms of frequency, complications, and mortality, possibly due to the use of and complications from nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Unfortunately, the infrequency of abdominal pain and the frequent presence of serious concomitant diseases complicate both the diagnosis and management of peptic ulcers in the elderly. Ulcers heal equally when treated with H2-receptor antagonists, antacids, or sucralfate. Patients with a history of silent, complicated ulcers and patients with serious concomitant diseases require low-dose maintenance H2-blockers to prevent ulcer recurrence. The frequency of NSAID-related ulcers may be reduced in selected patients with misoprostol in the case of gastric ulcers, or misoprostol or H2-blockers in the case of duodenal ulcers. NSAID-related ulcers heal when treated with H2-blockers.

Relation of somatic symptoms to degree of paternal-role preparation of first-time expectant fathers.

This study was conducted to determine the association between the presence of somatic symptoms (couvade syndrome) and the amount of paternal-role preparation attained by 64 expectant fathers. Thirty-five men in the sample identified more than two symptoms; most frequently, restlessness, increased appetite, and difficulty sleeping. Men experiencing symptoms scored higher on scales measuring paternal-role preparation than men not experiencing symptoms.