Self-care Of Women Research Articles

Health education in self-care for women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy

Health education in self-care for women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy

Women's self-care for Coronavirus prevention and the related factors in Iran: A cross-sectional study.

Promoting self-care can be an effective way to decrease the rate of transmission and expansion of the infection. However, there seem to be different related factors to self-care by gender. This study aims to assess women's self-care for COVID-19 prevention and some related factors in Tehran-Iran in 2021. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study that was performed on 403 women living in Tehran in 2021. Subjects of the study were recruited using a multi-stage sampling method. Data was collected using a socio-demographic questionnaire as well as a valid and reliable questionnaire to assess women's self-care for COVID-19 prevention (SCVP-38). The questionnaires were sent on the Google platform to the eligible participants. After completion of the forms, the created data in the Excel software in Google Drive were converted to SPSS 24 and then analyzed by using t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression tests. The overall mean score of self-care was 71.84±17.81 percent. The highest and lowest scores were respectively related to using masks in public vehicles and not touching the face. Significant negative correlations were shown between the women's self-care on Corona prevention with stress, anxiety, concerns, and fear (P<0.001). Linear multiple regression showed two factors including women's age (p = 0.033) and their number of children (p = 0.042) predict the self-care, so that, for increasing each year to women's age, SCVP increases by 0.463 units, and with increasing each child, SCVP decreases by 3.608 units. We concluded that in the COVID-19 pandemic, women in Tehran are performing more than 70% of measures of self-care. Also, education about self-care is recommended for younger women with more children. Moreover, promoting the self-care program can improve women's mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The relationship between perceived stress and pregnancy distress with self-care of pregnant women: The mediating role of social support-A cross-sectional study.

Pregnancy is a stressful experience, which can affect different aspects of a woman's life. Yet, women with a supportive network of friends and family may experience lower stress and improved self-care behavior. The study aimed to investigate the relationship between perceived stress and pregnancy distress with the self-care of pregnant women, as well as the mediating role of social support. This cross-sectional study was conducted from February to May 2022 in Babol, Iran. A total of 157 pregnant women participated in the study. The participants completed five questionnaires, including a demographic and obstetric questionnaire, a Self-care questionnaire, Perceived Social support (PSS), Perceived Stress Inventory (PSI), and Pregnancy Specific Distress. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesis relationships among the variables. We found that Perceived stress (β = -0.221, p = 0.012β) and pregnancy distress (β = -0.203, p = 0.002β) had a negative and significant effect on the self-care of pregnant women. Also, perceived stress (β = -0.429, p < 0.001β) and pregnancy distress (β = -0.381, p < 0.001β) had a negative and significant effect on the social support of pregnant women. The results exhibited a significant specific indirect effect between pregnancy distress, perceived stress, and pregnancy self-care, with social support as the mediator: standardized indirect effect = -0.068, -0.076, respectively. According to the findings, social support plays a direct and mediating role in improving self-care behaviors among pregnant women. Therefore, providing strategies and measures to improve perceived social support by maternal health professionals may be expected to reduce the impact of stress on pregnant women's self-care. The implementation of policies and social interventions to improve the social support of pregnant women can be one of the applications of the findings.

Impact of Telehealth on Pregnant Women's Self-care, Self-efficacy, and Satisfaction during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Quasi-experimental Study

Background: Pregnant women need correct information and skills for effective self-care and improved self-efficacy during pregnancy. Maternal training will raise women's awareness of pregnancy and childbirth, leading to higher self-efficacy. Objectives: The present study aimed to assess the impact of telehealth on pregnant women's self-care, self-efficacy, and satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This quasi-experimental study involved low-risk pregnant women selected from prenatal public clinics in Ahvaz, Iran. Eligible pregnant women (n=150) were assigned to three groups: WhatsApp training (n=50), phone call training (n=50), and control (n=50). Women in the three groups received four face-to-face prenatal care sessions based on the content recommended by the Iranian Ministry of Health. In addition to these four face-to-face sessions, four more virtual training sessions were held for the WhatsApp and phone call groups. Results: Raising the awareness of pregnant women through telephone counseling was found to not only increase their self-efficacy, self-care, and satisfaction but also reduce the need for in-person visits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, a moderate positive correlation was observed between self-efficacy and self-care scores; moreover, they have a relatively negative weak correlation with face-to-face visits. Conclusion: The results of this study suggested that most pregnant women were satisfied with telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic, and thanks to this type of care provision, their self-efficacy and self-care levels were high. Reduced face-to-face visits during the pandemic are the main advantage of telehealth.

A Review of Mobile Applications’ Features for Pregnant Women's Self-care

Mobile applications have been proposed as a helpful tool to provide health-related information to people, and this is more important in pregnancy-related mobile applications. This review study aimed to investigate the features of Persian and English mobile apps for self-care in pregnancy.This descriptive cross-sectional study was done on all Persian and English mobile applications related to pregnancy in 2022. A search was conducted on Iranian digital app market (Bazaar) and "Google Play", using the following keywords: "pregnancy", "pregnant women", "obstetrics", and their Persian translations. For each app, the extracted information included name, user satisfaction rate, and the features and provided information by mobile app.The total number of retrieved applications was 416 apps. After removing the duplicates and applying the inclusion criteria, 63 applications were selected for features extraction. Reviewing the features and information provided by the applications showed that the most frequent categories of information included the following items: childbirth and pregnancy (including timing contractions, fetal movement, symptoms of pregnancy and predicting delivery time), restrictions and limitations (including behavioral limits, sexual restrictions, smoking and alcohol, cosmetics and pregnancy and drug use during pregnancy), and monitoring and control tools (BMI Calculator, managing weight gain during pregnancy, control of blood pressure).Paying attention to pregnant women and meeting their information needs could lead to healthier generation. A wide range of mobile applications related to pregnancy are available with many capabilities. Considering pregnant women’s need for information and using these apps in self-care, it seems essential to develop and design a series of high-quality apps matching pregnant women's needs.

Contributions of a Rehabilitation Nursing Program in the Self-Care of Women Undergoing Breast Surgery.

Although surgical treatments for breast cancer have exhibited advanced interventions, axillary lymph node dissection can limit functionality and compromise women's self-care. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of a rehabilitation nursing program in improving self-care performance in women undergoing breast surgery with axillary lymph node dissection. This quantitative, quasi-experimental study involved 48 women recruited from a main hospital between 2018 and 2019. The participants completed a three-month rehabilitation program at home. The evaluation instrument used was the DASH questionnaire. This study was not registered. The functionality of the upper limb ipsilateral to the surgery improved significantly (p < 0.001) after the implementation of the program, influencing the participants' capacity for self-care, including washing/drying their hair, washing their back, and wearing a shirt. The average DASH total score increased from 54.4 to 8.1 after the program. The rehabilitation nursing program positively influenced the participants' self-care ability. Incorporating rehabilitation nursing programs into breast cancer treatment can improve self-care performance and the overall quality of patients' lives. This study was not registered.

Gender invariance in the relationship between social support and glycemic control.

Social support (SS) is important in diabetes self-management; however, little is known about how different types of SS influence diabetes outcomes in men and women with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Therefore, the aims of this study were to investigate the relationships between types of SS and glycemic control and self-care behaviors and assess whether the relationships differ by gender. Cross-sectional study of 615 adults from two primary care clinics in the southeastern U.S. Outcomes were hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) extracted from the medical records, and self-management behaviors (general diet, specific diet, exercise, blood glucose testing, foot care) measured using the Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities (SDSCA). Independent variable was SS (emotional/informational, tangible, affectionate, positive social interaction) measured using the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) SS Scale. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to understand pathways between SS and glycemic control based on a theoretical model. Tangible support was significantly associated with self-care (r = 0.16; p = 0.046) and affectionate support was marginally associated with glycemic control (r = 0.15; p = 0.08) for both men and women. Using SEM to test gender invariance, there was no statistically significant difference in the meaning of SS between men and women. However, unique invariances in responses occurred, including a stronger relationship between tangible support and self-care for women (r = 0.24; p = 0.061). Of the four components of SS, tangible and affectionate support had the strongest influence on glycemic control. While affectionate support will improve glycemic control in both men and women, tangible support will improve self-care management, particularly in women.

Self-care interventions for preconception, antenatal, intrapartum and postpartum care: a scoping review

ObjectiveTo identify current and emerging self-care interventions to improve maternity healthcare.DesignScoping review.Data sourcesMEDLINE, Embase, EmCare, PsycINFO, Cochrane CENTRAL/CDSR, CINAHL Plus (last searched on 17 October 2021).Eligibility criteriaEvidence syntheses, interventional or...

Explaining sexual self-care status and its predictor factors in women referring to healthcare centers of Sari, Iran, 2021

IntroductionWith the increase in the prevalence of non-communicable diseases and chronic health problems along with population growth, one of the definitions that is expanding is the ability to adapt and self-manage against diseases and self-care. Although there are several studies to examine self-care in medical conditions, there are not enough concepts and data related to sexual self-care. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of explaining the status of sexual self-care and its predictor factors in women of reproductive age referring to healthcare centers.Material and methodsThis research was a cross-sectional study that was conducted on 400 women of reproductive age that referring to healthcare centers affiliated to Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari in 2021. Data were collected using personal-obstetric characteristics and sexual self-care questionnaires in women of reproductive age. Pearson correlation coefficients, independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance and multiple linear regression model were used to analyze the data.ResultsThe average total score of sexual self-care in reproductive age women participating in the research was 70.66% ± 12.52%. In addition, the prevention of women's cancers and the prevention of unintended pregnancies obtained the lowest and highest scores, respectively. Factors such as age, education, education related to medical sciences, history of HIV testing, history of HPV vaccination, source of sexual information, method of contraception and infection-related action in a person can affect the level of sexual self-care in women. Based on the final regression model, education related to medical sciences (B = 5.46, P = 0.035), family income (B = 5.58, P = 0.025), prevention method (B = 10.127, P = 0.000) and action related to infection in the person (B = 12.27, P = 0.047) were the final predictors of sexual self-care score in reproductive age women.ConclusionBased on the findings of the study, development of self-care promotion programs for reproductive aged women are necessary in all areas of reproductive health, with a priority for women’s cancer prevention, and focusing on promoting education and related economic assistance. The results of this study can be available to experts and policy makers to design programs to promote sexual self-care in women.

Epidemiology and Therapeutic Strategies for Women With Preexisting Diabetes in Pregnancy: How Far Have We Come? The 2021 Norbert Freinkel Award Lecture.

The field of diabetes in pregnancy has witnessed tremendous changes over the past 30 years, with an explosive growth in case numbers along with new and exciting opportunities to affect outcomes. Type 1 diabetes in pregnancy has increased by 40%, but type 2 diabetes in pregnancy, rarely seen 30 years ago, has more than doubled and, in some cases, tripled in prevalence. Compared with women with type 2 diabetes, women with type 1 diabetes have higher HbA1c, more large-for-gestational-age infants, and more preterm births. Women with type 2 diabetes have more chronic hypertension, more socioeconomic deprivation, and higher rates of perinatal mortality. Large randomized trials in women with diabetes in pregnancy have helped us understand the effectiveness of new technologies (i.e., continuous glucose monitoring) in women with type 1 diabetes, and the addition of metformin to insulin in women with type 2 diabetes, in improving pregnancy outcomes. Future endeavors, including artificial pancreas systems in women with type 1 diabetes and the use of continuous glucose monitoring, a better understanding of nutrition during pregnancy, and approaches to improve preconception and pregnancy self-care in women with type 2 diabetes, may lead to further improved outcomes.

Design, implementation, and evaluation of self-care program in the prevention of breast cancer among women in Isfahan: a community-based participatory action research protocol

IntroductionBreast cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers among women in Isfahan, Iran; however, its prevention is not desirable in this city. This disease poses several health, social and economic challenges for women. To promote women's self-care in breast cancer prevention, this study aims to design, implement and evaluate a self-care program among women in Isfahan through using a community-based participatory action research method.MethodsThe present study is based on a community-based participatory action research approach. In this study, the participatory action research includes four general phases of organizing, action planning, action, and rethinking. These phases are summarized as follows: In the organizing phase, the needs of the participants and the action research settings are examined. This means that the current situation is identified and the views of the process owners are assessed. In the action planning phase, using the results of the first phase, some strategies are designed to promote self-care behaviors in the prevention of breast cancer among women in Isfahan. In the implementation phase, the selected strategies are implemented with the help of the process owners. Finally, in the rethinking phase, the results of the implementation of the strategies are monitored and evaluated. This cycle continues until the intended results are achieved.DiscussionChanging the role of individuals from a passive status to an aware and active status in the care process requires motivation, responsibility, and active participation of individuals in the disease control process. Moreover, many cultural and social factors affect the active participation of Iranian women. Therefore, individuals can be involved in promoting their health using a community-based participatory action research approach.

Self-Care of Women with Gestational Diabetes: An Analysis of Knowledge

Introduction: Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is a metabolic dysfunction caused by an increase in placental hyperglycemic hormones, accompanied by an insufficient amount of insulin secreted by the pancreas. Objective: The present study sought to identify which conditioning factors interfere with self-care in patients with GDM and how the bond between health professionals and patients influences the self-care of women with GDM. Method: This is a field study to analyze data on women who had previous pregnancies diagnosed with GDM or women with GDM. Results: The sample consisted of 76 women with GDM. Among them, the majority (28) 36.8% were between 31 and 35 years old, most were resident in the Southeast region, with a greater predominance of incomplete higher education (39) 51.3%. As for socioeconomic conditions, (43) 56.6% stated that this factor interfered with self-care. Regarding the reception of the multidisciplinary team with the pregnant woman, (75) 98.7% say that they were welcomed and this reception favored (72) 96.0% in self-care during pregnancy. Conclusion: It becomes evident that nursing and the multiprofessional team play a fundamental role in health education, thus facilitating the self-care process in the gestational period.

Postfeminist neoliberalization of self-care: a critical discourse analysis of its representation in Vogue, Cosmopolitan and Elle

ABSTRACT Encouraged by the popularization of the feminisms and the essentiality of care in the face of the increasing precarity of the living conditions, popular women’s culture in the global North has been showing signs of a growing interest in self-care practices. Given this new visibility, the present work proposes a critical approach to the discursive representation of self-care from a transdisciplinary and feminist theoretical-interpretative perspective, located at the nexus of political economy and cultural studies. For this purpose, we undertake a critical discourse analysis—from a feminist perspective—of the cultural articulation of self-care in women’s magazines Vogue, Cosmopolitan and Elle (Spanish editions). Among our main findings, we can highlight the hyperfeminization of self-care; the re-politicization of young women’s discomfort and wellbeing in postfeminist neoliberal terms; the identification of self-care with consumption practices, especially aesthetic ones, which, in turn, are related to the financialization and indebtedness of everyday life; and the signification of self-care as utilitarian and productive, i.e., as a tool for women to constantly work on ourselves and transform ourselves to optimize ourselves in line with the feminization of the neoliberal subject and the maximization of their human/social/erotic capital.

The Influence of the Multidisciplinary Team on the Self-Care of Women with A Previous Diagnosis of Diabetes Mellitus Who Become Pregnant

Introduction: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a chronic disease characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from a deficiency in insulin production or its action. It is estimated that 1 in 10 adults live with diabetes worldwide, being a leading cause of death with a total of 6.7 million. Objective: To identify the adherence to self-care of women with previous DM who became pregnant and assistance from the multidisciplinary team to women with DM who become pregnant. Methodology: This is a descriptive and exploratory study, carried out from June to September 2021. The study sample consisted of women with a medical diagnosis of DM1 or DM2. Results: The study recorded 115 responses, among these (76) 66.1% already had a diagnosis of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) and for this reason were excluded, leaving a total of (39) 33.9% responses. Conclusion: It was possible to verify that the reception of the team with the pregnant woman was efficient and helped in self-care, but some factors interfered in this process, highlighting the difficulty to adhere to an adequate diet and socioeconomic status.

Comparison of the Effect of Face-to-face and Social Media-based Training on the Self-care of Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) in Birjand

Background: Gestational diabetes is one of the most common medical complications during pregnancy. Disease control is essential because of the increasing prevalence of this disorder, and the most important control factor is self-care behaviors. Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the effect of face-to-face and social media-based education on self-care of women with gestational diabetes. Methods: This quasi-experimental randomized controlled study was performed on 73 pregnant women with gestational diabetes in Birjand, Iran. Participants completed a self-care and demographic questionnaire and then were divided into three groups (face-to-face, virtual, and control training group). In the face-to-face training group, four training sessions (one hour) were held for one month. The virtual group received two messages per day for 30 days via Telegram, and the control group received only routine training. One month after the intervention, the questionnaire was completed by all individuals. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the three groups in terms of mean self-care score before the intervention, but after the intervention, the mean self-care score increased in the face-to-face training group (P &lt; 0.001) and social media training group (P = 0.01) compared to the control group (P = 0.22). Conclusions: In this study, the effect of face-to-face and virtual education is the same. Therefore, education-based social networks can be used because of the prevalence of coronavirus and transportation problems of pregnant women.

The role of social networks in improving women's self-care during pregnancy and postpartum

Introduction: Pregnant women are always faced with common physical and mental problems during pregnancy and postpartum. Self-care through social networks as an effective and influential factor in women's empowerment can improve their physical and mental health. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of social networks in improving women's self-care during pregnancy and postpartum.Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted through a researcher-made questionnaire. We invited 285 pregnant women referred to Fasa medical centers (Shiraz, Iran). 110 pregnant women agreed to participate in the study. Finally, according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 96 pregnant women entered the study and completed the questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, percentage, frequency) and analysis of variance with SPSS 22.Results: Among the 44 roles of social networks in the self-care processes during pregnancy and postpartum "regular use of drugs and supplements" (4.43 ± 0.81), "timely and regular tests (screening, etc.) and “timely and regular tests (screening, etc.) and ultrasounds during pregnancy" (4.22 ±0.90) and "communication with a public health expert in health homes"(4.07 ±0.97) were the most important roles." Management, control and improvement of foot edema" (1.71 ±1.01), "Management and control of complications due to iron deficiency" (1.97 ±1.11) and "Social support" (2.25 ±1.17) were the least important roles.Conclusion: Social networks as an important source of information can help to improve women's self-care processes during pregnancy and postpartum.

Effect of Self-Instructional Module on Women's Self-Care Practices regarding Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding during Premenopause

Effect of Self-Instructional Module on Women's Self-Care Practices regarding Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding during Premenopause

The Efficacy of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction on Health Control and Self-care in Women With Hypertension: A Randomized-controlled Trial

Background: It is necessary to help people with hypertension solve the related problems by identifying factors affecting their health control and self-care, which can be improved using different approaches. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) therapy in improving health control and self-care in women with hypertension. Methods: The statistical population of this randomized controlled trial study included all women with hypertension referred to the Farshchian Specialized Cardiovascular Clinic (Hamadan, Iran) in 2019. The sample size consisted of 30 subjects who were selected by the convenience sampling method and randomly assigned to two experimental and control groups each containing 15 subjects. The MBSR group was trained in eight 90-minute sessions, while the control group received no intervention. Data were analyzed using repeated-measure analysis of variance by SPSS 22. Results: The results revealed that MBSR significantly affected health control (P&lt;0.001) and self-care (P&lt;0.001) in women with hypertension. Conclusion: Overall, MBSR could effectively improve health control and self-care in women with hypertension, thus it may be used for decreasing psychological problems in this group of women.

Impact of Supportive Resources on Middle-Aged Women's Self-Care Activities: A Study in The Vietnamese Context

Addressing the fact that studies on self-care of Vietnamese middle-aged women remain scarse, our presenting study aims to investigate the relationship between supportive resources utilized by Vietnamese middle-aged women and their types of self-care. Data were collected from survey interview with 512 middle-aged women (aged from 40 to 60 years old) in Hanoi city and Quang Ninh province. A series of linear regression was performed on the six types of self-care, including: physical care, supportive relationships, mindful awareness, self-compassion &amp; purpose, mindful relaxation, and supportive structure. Three types of supportive resources and other covariates (age, education, and residence area) were entered into these models as key predictors. The study results show that the use of different level of resources was associated with different types of self-care practice. The use of micro-resource system significantly predicted all six types of self-care among Vietnamese middle-aged women. The mesenchymal and peripheral resource systems significantly predicted physical care only among Vietnamese middled-age women. The macro resource system was significantly associated with the practice of mind-relaxing and supportive structure. In addition, people who were older, had better education and lived in urban areas tended to participate more in physical care. Women with a higher education level and living in urban areas were predicted to utilize more supportive relationships and mindful relaxation. Women living in urban areas, having a higher level of education practiced mindful relaxation significantly more than their counterparts. Using more supportive structure was significantly more among women living in urban areas, in older age groups and having higher education levels. The key findings suggest the promotion of active support from the micro-level system, as well as advocate for social policy development to help less privileged groups of women access and use mezzo and macro resources more effectively.

Women's Self-Care and the Explanatory Role of Religion in its Promotion: a Comparative Study in Yazd

Introduction: Today, religious coping behaviors such as prayer, hope in God and participation in collective rituals are considered as one of the main determinants of health behaviors because it can have positive effects on women's behavioral strategies with the aim of self-care. However, there is little empirical research in this scope and the present study intends to investigate the relationship between religiosity and self-care of women. Methods: The present research was a survey cross-sectional study. The population of this study included all 18-70 year old, of Yazd in 2020. The sample size was determined based on Cochran formula 737 and was used with Probability Proportionate to Size Sampling (PPS). Data based on a researcher-made self-care questionnaire and religiosity standard questionnaire were collected. Results were analyzed using the software SPSS and Amos 24. Results: The results on the relationship between religiosity and self-care revealed that the effect of religiosity on self-care was positive and significant. The effectiveness rates of religiosity on women's self-care in the marginal, the middle, and the upper areas were 0.56, 0.38, and 0.36, respectively (p&lt;0.001). Also, there was no significant difference between the intensity of the relationship between religiosity and self-care in the three areas (CR&lt;1.96). Also, the structural equation model had a good fit. Conclusions: It is necessary that since women's decision to adopt care-oriented behavior is conditioned by the social conditions that surround them, we should pay special attention to the social contexts in which they live to improve self-care performance in them.