Validation of the tablet-based Turkish-PAINReportIt® for lung cancer patients after thoracotomy in Turkey

BACKGROUND

Digital pain assessment is advantageous and timely for healthcare priorities in Turkey. However, a multi-dimensional, tablet-based pain assessment tool is not available in the Turkish language.

PURPOSE

To validate the Turkish-PAINReportIt® as a multi-dimensional measure of post-thoracotomy pain.

METHODS

In the first of a two-phased study, 32 Turkish patients (mean age 47.8 ± 15.6 years, 72 % male) participated in individual cognitive interviews as they completed the tablet-based Turkish-PAINReportIt® once during the first four days post-thoracotomy, and 8 clinicians participated in a focus group discussion of implementation barriers. In the second phase, 80 Turkish patients (mean age 59.0 ± 12.7 years, 80 % male) completed the Turkish-PAINReportIt® preoperatively, on postoperative days 1-4, and at the two-week post-operative follow-up visit.

RESULTS

Patients generally interpreted accurately the Turkish-PAINReportIt® instructions and items. We eliminated some items unnecessary for daily assessment based on focus-group suggestions. In the second study phase, pain scores (intensity, quality, pattern) were low pre-thoracotomy for lung cancer and high postoperatively high on day 1, decreasing on days 2, 3 and 4, and back down to pre-surgical levels at 2-weeks. Over time, pain intensity decreased from post-operative day 1 to post-operative day 4 (p < .001) and from post-operative day 1 to post-operative week 2 (p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

The formative research supported proof of concept and informed the longitudinal study. Findings showed strong validity of the Turkish-PAINReportIt® to detect reduced pain over time as healing occurs after thoracotomy.

An analysis of the anxiety and hopelessness levels of women during IVF-ET treatment

PURPOSE

This study determined the anxiety and hopelessness levels of women during in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This cross-sectional and descriptive study was conducted with 50 infertile women. The Personal Information Form, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) were used to collect data.

FINDINGS

A statistically significant difference between the BHS total score before oocyte pick-up and after embryo transfer was found (P < .05). However, no statistically significant relationship was found between state anxiety in the same process (P > .05).

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

This study showed that women had high levels of hopelessness and as a woman's state anxiety level increased, her level of hope decreased.

Traditional Practices of Turkish infertile women: an example from a rural county

Infertility is not only a health problem, but is also a central existential intrapersonal and relational conflict. Infertility treatments are invasive, expensive, time-consuming, emotionally draining. All over the world there are numerous traditional methods used in the treatment of infertility. This investigation was carried out to determine the traditional practices of infertile women in a rural county in Eastern Turkey. This is a descriptive study carried out in 105 primary infertile women. Data were collected between September 2007 and April 2008 by using a questionnaire. Data analysis included descriptive statistics. 55% of the women were in the 25-34 year age range. It was observed that only 17% of the women applied to a gynecologist without using any traditional applications while 83% of the women applied for traditional applications. The most prevalent traditional practices were consulting traditional healers, visiting mausoleums where religious leaders were buried, using traditional drugs, use of written fertility amulets. Various traditional practices against infertility are prevalent rural counties. Some of these practices may be potentially harmful for women. Health professionals should be aware that infertile women may sometimes follow questionable traditional practices and advices.

Social support and quality of life in Turkish patients with gynecologic cancer

The aim of this study was to determine the level of social support and quality of life in Turkish patients with gynecologic cancer using a cross-sectional survey design. A total of 108 patients admitted to the gynecologic oncology clinic at a university hospital from September 2011 to January 2012 were included. Data were collected using patient information forms, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) and The Quality of Life-Cancer Survivors Instrument (QOL-CS). Average age was 54.5±10.8 years and it was determined that 65.7% of patients had ovarian cancer and 19.4% had cervical cancer. The total QOL-CS mean score was 5.59±1.10. Average score of total MSPSS was found to be 69.7±14.64. Comparing socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of patients and average scores of QOL-CS and MSPSS, it was found that there was not a statisticaly significant corelation (p>0.05). Statistically significant relation was found between the average scores of QOL-CS and MSPSS. These results showed that quality of life was moderate and perceived social support was high in Turkish patients with gynecologic cancer.

Incidence of pregnancy-related discomforts and management approaches to relieve them among pregnant women

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To determine the incidence of pregnancy-related physical symptoms in healthy pregnant women and their management strategies.

BACKGROUND

In normal progression of pregnancy, many symptoms were experienced. Pregnancy-related physical symptoms may have a negative effect on pregnant women's quality of life. However, pregnant women avoid taking medications from the fear that the medication they use may have a harmful effect on the foetus. Therefore, they practise nonpharmacological methods to help them manage their pregnancy-related physical symptoms.

DESIGN

This study used a comparative and descriptive design.

METHODS

The study population comprised of pregnant women who were visiting for routine check-up and/or examination in the obstetrics gynaecology outpatient clinics of three hospitals in Erzurum, Turkey. The data were collected via a questionnaire including socio-demographic items and questions to identify the pregnancy-related physical symptoms that they experienced and their management strategies.

RESULTS

The top three most reported complaints were nausea-vomiting (87·8%), fatigue (77·9%) and breast pain-tenderness (76·2%) during the first trimester, whereas polyuria (79·9%, 88·4%), fatigue (75·6%, 88·4%) and heart burn (71·3%, 81·8%) during the second and third trimesters. Depending on the symptoms, the pregnant women either did nothing or took correct, incorrect or empirical actions to manage their problems. Data revealed that the major source of knowledge was based on their previous experience and that of close relatives. As their education level increased, the percentage of women taking scientifically proven action to correct the problem increased.

CONCLUSIONS

Various physical symptoms were experienced by women in each trimester of pregnancy. The majority of the women did not do anything to alleviate their physical symptoms.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Midwives and nurses should question the strategies used by pregnant women. In this way, the inappropriate and incorrect practices can be determined, and education on the appropriate practices can be provided.