The Stirling Antenatal Anxiety Scale (SAAS): Turkish validity and reliability study.

AIMS: To examine the psychometric properties of the Stirling Antenatal Anxiety Scale (SAAS), developed by Sinesi et al., which assesses the level of anxiety of pregnant women in the prenatal period, in the Turkish culture, and to conduct a validity and reliability study. METHODS: This study had a methodological approach, with a cross-sectional and descriptive research design. Reporting was in accordance with the STROBE checklist. The sample included 160 pregnant women who were followed up in the maternity outpatient clinics of a public hospital and a private hospital in Istanbul. Data were collected face-to-face using a personal information form, the Turkish version of the SAAS, and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale between June and August 2023. In the data analysis, validity analyses were performed with content and construct validity and multiple fit indices for confirmatory factor analysis. Item-total score analysis was conducted using Cronbach's alpha coefficient and Pearson's correlation analysis to assess reliability. Descriptive and reliability analyses were undertaken using SPSS v.28.0.1.0, and validity analyses were performed using SPSS AMOS v.26.0.0.0. FINDINGS: Based on expert opinions on the items in the Turkish version of the SAAS, the content validity ratio was 0.96. The decision was made to exclude Item 9 from the Turkish version because the item factor load was low. The Turkish version had a single factor, as did the original version. The Cronbach alpha coefficient was 0.87, so the Turkish version was determined to have high reliability. CONCLUSION: The Turkish version of the SAAS, originally produced in English, has high levels of validity and reliability. In addition, it is short and easy to apply in clinical and research settings. As such, the Turkish version of the SAAS is recommended for use to evaluate the level of anxiety in pregnant women.

Evaluation of women's sexual quality of life, depression, and sexual functions in the pregnancy and postpartum periods: A multi-centered study.

AIM: This multi-centered, longitudinal, and prospective study aims to identify women's sexual functions, sexual quality of life, and depression and their relationships with each other in the pregnancy and postpartum periods. METHODS: The participating pregnant women (n = 113) were interviewed six times: once in each trimester, and once in the eighth week third month, and sixth month postpartum. This study was conducted in three regions of Turkey including Marmara, Mediterranean, and Central Anatolia regions. Data were collected through the "Socio-demographic Form," "Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI)," Sexual Quality of Life-Female Questionnaire (SQLQ-F), and "Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D)." While the first interviews were administered face to face, successive ones were administered via phone. RESULTS: The sexual dysfunction rates of the participants were found to be high in the pregnancy and postpartum periods, and their sexual quality of life, which decreased as the pregnancy months progressed, was found to increase significantly with the progress in the postpartum period. The sexual dysfunction increased and sexual quality of life decreased significantly with the increase in depression symptoms in the pregnancy and postpartum periods. When the depressive symptoms decreased especially in the sixth month postpartum, sexual quality of life was also found to increase. CONCLUSIONS: As a result, in the pregnancy and postpartum periods, it is highly important to provide women with diagnosis through a holistic approach by creating available environments to assess their psychological health and sexual functions and refer them to the related physicians when necessary.

The effect of a counseling and training program on the treatment of women with overactive bladder.

Anticholinergic drugs and behavioral interventions are effective methods for the treatment of OAB and UUI. This randomized controlled, prospective, and quasi-experimental study determined the effect of healthy lifestyle behavior training, based on the Health Promotion Model (HPM), on the treatment of women with Overactive Bladder (OAB). The study sample included intervention and control groups with a sample size of 100 women diagnosed with OAB who received pharmacological treatment and agreed to participate in the study. The data were collected using an Introductory Information Form, Urinary Diary, OAB Questionnaire (OAB-V8), King's Health Questionnaire (KHQ), Healthy Life Style Behavior Scale II (HLSB II), Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), and 24-hour Pad Test. The intervention group was administered a 45-minute training program based on Pender's HPM. There was a statistically significantly higher level of decrease in urgency (z = -3,259;p = 0,001), nocturia (z = -3,691;p < 0,001), urge urinary incontinence (z = -2,391;p = 0,017), and urinary frequency (χ2 = 17,420;p < 0,001) in the intervention group during the posttest period. The study found a significant decrease in the total posttest scores of the women in the intervention group on the OAB-V8 (t = -6.955;p < 0.001), KHQ (t = -5.354;p < 0.001), and BSI (t = -6.463;p < 0.001) scales whereas a statistically significant increase was found in their total score on the HLSB II (t = 9.139;p < 0.001) scale. The study concluded that HLSB training, which was prepared based on HPM, reduced OAB symptoms among women, improved the quality of their lives, changed their HLSBs, and positively affected their psychological symptoms.

Evaluation of Gender Courses Offered in Accord with the Curriculum of the Faculties of Health Sciences in Turkish Universities.

AIM: This study, with the presence of gender course in mind, aimed to examine the core education programs, which provide the fundamental standards for the determination of the curriculum background and needs of the Turkish undergraduate programs in healthcare and for the improvement of the quality of the curriculum. METHODS: The research was prepared in a descriptive study. In this context, between April 1, 2018 and April 30, 2018, the study analyzed whether gender course was included in the curricula of the faculties of health sciences in 183 Turkish universities. To evaluate this, the study made use of the Bologna information system. RESULTS: The screening concluded that 56 faculties and departments of only 36 universities included the gender course. Courses related to gender was included in the curricula of 51 faculties and departments, and only 5 identified gender as a subject within the content of different courses rather than including the course in their curricula. CONCLUSION: To conclude, an analysis of the curricula of the faculties/departments that provide education in healthcare revealed that the courses related to gender were not included in the curricula at the desired level, and the gender course that is supposed to be taught in the first year was included in later semesters.

Effectiveness of nursing care after surgery for stress urinary incontinence.

This study was conducted in two stages with 32 Turkish women undergoing surgery for correction of stress urinary incontinence. In Stage 1, 13 subjects (Group 1) were recruited for interviews and observations of their nursing care needs. Stage I also involved the development of a patient education pamphlet, nursing care protocol, and a standard nursing care plan. In Stage II, a new group of 19 subjects (Group 2) were recruited. Preoperative education and the patient education pamphlet developed during Stage I were provided to Group 2 subjects. A standard nursing care plan and nursing care protocol were also applied in the postoperative period for Group 2 subjects. The study protocol implemented by Turkish nurses and physicians is detailed. Study results are also described and discussed.