Factors of Physical and Psychological Symptoms in Women after Miscarriage / 여성건강간호학회지

PURPOSE: The study aimed to explore the health consequences that women experienced after miscarriage and the factors related to them. METHODS: A convenience sample consisting of 102 women who had miscarried within 2 years was used. Women were recruited from hospitals and enterprises in Seoul and Gyeong-Gi Province. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire containing a physical and psychological symptoms checklist developed for this study. RESULTS: More than 40% of the miscarriages occurred after 9 weeks of pregnancy and 35% of women were found to have had a previous miscarriage prior to this study. Psychological symptoms were more prevalent and prolonged than the physical symptoms, furthermore, the frequencies of the symptoms experiencedwere not consistent with the duration of symptoms. Employed women and women with early miscarriages complained of more physical symptoms; however, psychological symptoms were not different according to women's characteristics. Employment was a significant factor affecting physical symptoms. CONCLUSION: Health care professionals need to inform and educate women and the family of the potential health changes during the recovery after the miscarriage. Health consequences due to miscarriages also need to be incorporated in women's reproductive health care. Nursing care should consider factors of maternal age, employment status, and obstetrical conditions upon the apparent social changes.

Breast Cancer Screening Behaviors in Working Women / 여성건강간호학회지

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to analyze breast cancer screening behaviors in working women. METHOD: A total of 354 women over 20 years of age were recruited from three major occupational settings by convenience sampling. The Champion's Health Beliefs Model Scale-Korean version and a structured questionnaire for measuring regularity and accuracy of breast self-examination(BSE) were used. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square-test, ANOVA, and Duncan post hoc tests. RESULT: Women who have performed BSE and had both BSE and clinical tests were 49.2% and 32.8%, respectively, while 36.7% of the participants had none of the screening. The screening patterns were significantly different by individual characteristics of age, occupation, experiences of breast disease, education at workplace, and by the level of confidence in health beliefs (p<.01, p<.05). Only 4 % of women performed BSE regularly and the level of accuracy of the BSE was very low as well. CONCLUSION: Education at the workplace needs to emphasize the recommended guidelines and further increase the quality and results of the BSE for women's health.