Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Sciences
Volume:11 Issue: 1, Jan-Mar 2024

Given the heightened impact of post-COVID-19, active involvement in the rehabilitation process, particularly in respiratory rehabilitation, is essential for these patients. This study addresses the urgent need for developing and evaluating remote respiratory rehabilitation methods post-COVID-19, focusing on enhancing patients’ quality of life and pulmonary function.

The study aimed to investigate how respiratory telerehabilitation influences pulmonary function and the quality of life in this patient population.

In this randomized controlled clinical trial, 60 COVID-19 patients from two major hospitals in Mashhad were evaluated during 2021 - 2023. The control group received a training booklet and an incentive spirometer, while the intervention group participated in a telerehabilitation program. This program involved four-week daily respiratory rehabilitation exercises conducted online using the Skyroom platform. At the end of each session, the patient’s fatigue and shortness of breath were assessed using the Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) Scale and the number of physical exercises completed. All patients completed the Quality of Life (QOL) Questionnaire and undertook the 6-MinuteWalk Test (6MWT). Heart rate, respiratory rate, blood oxygen saturation (SPO2), maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP), fatigue, and shortness of breath were measured on the day of discharge and two and four weeks post-discharge. Covariance (ANCOVA) and repeated measures analysis of variance (RMANOVA) were analyzed for data analysis.

In both baseline-adjusted and fully-adjusted ANCOVA models, the results indicated a significant intervention effect after 4 weeks for MIP (73.43 ± 5.77), SPO2 (96.90 ± 1.21), Borg scale score (9.77 ± 1.59), andMWT6(455.90 ± 37.70), (all P< 0.0001), with significantly higher changes observed in MIP, SPO2, Borg Scale score, and MWT6 after 2 weeks as well as after 4 weeks in the intervention group than the control groups. Also, in both models, the results indicated a significant intervention effect after 2 weeks as well as 4 weeks for physical functioning, role physical, vitality, social functioning, role emotional, Physical Health Scale score, and total SF36 score (60.37 ± 6.93) (P < 0.001).

Using bidirectional audio and video communication in the telerehabilitation of COVID-19 patients significantly improved their pulmonary functionandQOL. Basedonthese findings, it isrecommendedthat thismethodbe considered as an integralcomponentin rehabilitation programs for COVID-19 patients.

There is evidence of yoga and aerobic exercises as an effective therapy for nurse burnout; however, these methods have yet to be compared.

This study aimed to compare the effects of yoga and aerobic exercises on burnout among nurses.

This was a randomized controlled trial with a pre-test and post-test design. The study was conducted in two medical and educational hospitals in the south of Iran (February 2019 to April 2019). A total of 81 female nurses were randomized to yoga (n = 27), aerobics (n = 27), and control (n = 27) groups. In this study, 24 sessions of yoga and aerobic practices were run. The Maslach Burnout Inventory was filled out before the intervention, immediately after, and one month later. The data were analyzed using IBM SPSS software 16.0. Shapiro test, analysis of variance (ANOVA) test, chi-square test, Friedman test, and Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis test were used to analyze the data.

A total of 71 participants remained and continued the study, and 56% were married. The participants’ mean age and mean work history were 35.78 ± 3.94 and 11.65 ± 5.10 years, respectively. The mean of overtime work in the month was 35.67 ± 23.85 hours. There were no significant differences between the three groups before intervention (T0) and one month after intervention (T2), although the mean scores of the aerobic and yoga groups were reduced, compared to the control group. Immediately after intervention (T1), a significant difference was observed in emotional exhaustion (P = 0.007, Df = 2, Kruskal-Wallis x2 = 10.016, size effect = 0.95 - 2.26). The mean score of emotional exhaustion in the yoga group (23.13 ± 4.13) was reduced compared to the aerobic (36.00 ± 5.65) and control (38.44 ± 10.96) groups.

Both yoga and aerobics reduced burnout, compared to the control group. Yoga was better than aerobics in the emotional exhaustion dimension. Although further research is needed to compare these two interventions, using each of them can reduce the burnout of nurses. Nursing managers can use yoga as an effective method to reduce job burnout. For future research, it is suggested to use other yoga techniques with longer intervention time and long-term follow-up.

Hypertensive disorders during pregnancy pose a significant public health problem with serious consequences for maternal and fetal health.Womenwith a good knowledge of pregnancy hypertension are more likely to promptly report symptoms and seek medical attention. In addition, self-care knowledge can effectively prevent or control blood pressure during pregnancy.

This study evaluated primiparous women’s knowledge of pregnancy blood pressure disorders and self-care by providing video education.

In this quasi-experimental study, 84 primiparous mothers in Dezful City, Iran, within June to September 2023 were divided into two intervention and control groups based on the multistage sampling technique. Knowledge and self-care questionnaires regarding pregnancy hypertension were sent to both groups before and after the intervention. Education was provided through video education. The data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and independent and paired t-tests.

Video education increased the intervention group’s knowledge of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (pre = 9.76 ± 3.42; post = 16.83 ± 3.74; P < 0.001) and self-care (pre = 50.66 ± 10.63; post = 54.07 ± 8.67; P < 0.001). However, knowledge (pre = 8.35 ± 3.36; post = 8.87 ± 3.58; P = 0.519) and self-care related to pregnancy blood pressure (pre = 50.36 ± 2.79; post = 50.30 ± 10.92; P = 0.833) in the control group did not change before and after the intervention.

Using educational videos can improve mothers’ knowledge regarding pregnancy blood pressure and preventive self-care.

Health education is the means by which professional knowledge is improved. In this context, the combination of multimodal educational strategies must be implemented and evaluated to verify their impacts on the adherence of professionals working in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) care sectors, especially in a pandemic scenario.

This study aimed to evaluate self-reported adherence to standard precautions (SP) among nursing professionals before and after a multimodal educational intervention.

This quasi-experimental study was carried out before and after the multimodal educational intervention within February and June 2022. The intervention comprised three educational strategies, previously published separately: The use of a composite of five moments for educational construction, a validated educational video, and a problematizing discussion with the use of a quiz (true or false), focusing on questions with the lowest correct rate (cut-off < 70%) in phase 1 of data collection. The study involved 99 nursing professionals from a large hospital in the Brazilian Midwest. This study used a sociodemographic characterization instrument and the Compliance with Standard Precautions Scale (CSPS) to assess adherence to SP. The scores before and after the intervention were represented with mean and standard deviation. The Wilcoxon test, Mann-Whitney test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality test were performed using SPSS software (version 20.0).

The sample comprised 99 participants, predominantly female (85.9%), working in various departments, including inpatient units, hemodialysis, intensive care unit (ICU), emergency room, and others (not specified). There was a statistically significant difference between the scores before (15.29 ± 2.23) and after (16.48 ± 1.98) the educational intervention (W = -4.443; P < 0.05). Additionally, there was a statistically significant increase in adherence after the intervention concerning the correct disposal of sharps boxes (P = 0.023) and changing out of uniforms in designated areas (P = 0.034).

The obtained results demonstrated, in a pioneering manner, that the use of a multimodal educational strategy (combining different approaches such as the use of five moments, a validated video, and a question-and-answer quiz) had a positive impact on adherence by professionals who work in sectors caring for patients with COVID-19.

It is apparent that telemedicine will only be a useful health service when individuals start using it. Therefore, the general attitude of end-users toward the acceptance of telemedicine services will play a significant role.

The present study is the first step in designing telemedicine services for pregnant mothers, with theaimof investigating the views of pregnant women regarding receiving tele-pregnancy care using the technology acceptance model (TAM).

This cross-sectional study was conducted during the year 2021 on 200 pregnantwomenwith gestational age of more than 12 weeks selected through simplerandomsampling in Karaj, Iran. The telemedicine acceptance questionnaire based on an extended TAM containing 25 questions in nine constructs was used to collect data. Descriptive statistics, including frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation (SD), were reported.

In this study, the mean age of the participants was 25.29 (SD = 5.62) years. A significant majority, specifically 95.5% of the participants, displayed a high level of acceptance toward incorporating telemedicine into their healthcare routine. In addition, the lowest mean scores of domains were related to technology anxiety, 26.18 (SD = 16.17), and perceived risk, 26.83 (SD = 16.26), respectively.

Based on the TAM, the results of this study highlight the readiness and acceptance of pregnant women toward receiving tele-prenatal care.

While research has explored the health-promoting behaviors (HPBs) of older adults on a global scale during the first and second waves of COVID-19, there is limited knowledge about the factors that influence HPBs among older adults with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the "new normal" following the COVID-19 era.

The aim of this study was to identify the factors that affect HPBs among community-dwelling older adults with NCDs.

This cross-sectional study involved surveying 250 older adults with NCDs in both urban and rural communities within Ubon Ratchathani province, northeast Thailand, between September 10 and November 10, 2022, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data collection was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire, which included the Self-rated Abilities Scale for Health Practice, Health Literacy Scale, Access to COVID-19 Preventive Material, Lubben Social Network Scale, and Health- Promoting Behaviors Scale. The analysis utilized descriptive statistics and hierarchical regression analysis, setting the significance level at P < 0.05 for all analyses.

Among the 250 older adults with NCDs surveyed, 65.60% had hypertension. These individuals demonstrated HPBs at a good level, along with a high level of perceived self-efficacy, good health literacy, adequate access to COVID-19 preventive materials, and greater social engagement. The analysis indicated that perceived self-efficacy (β = 0.343, P < 0.001), attitudes towards smoking (β = 0.226, P < 0.001), age (β = 0.204, P < 0.001), health literacy (β = 0.199, P = 0.016), and access to COVID-19 preventive materials (β = 0.123, P = 0.026) were significant predictors of HPBs in older adults with NCDs.

The results suggest that improved access to COVID-19 preventive materials, enhanced health literacy, and increased self-efficacy contribute to better health-promoting behaviors among older adults with NCDs. Multidisciplinary healthcare teams should consider these factors in their intervention strategies to achieve a deeper understanding and better health outcomes. Future research should investigate the causal relationships among these variables and examine older adults’ perceptions of HPBs in long-term care settings, particularly in the "new normal" era.

After widespread vaccination against COVID-19, a number of unknown complications were reported, including changes in the menstrual cycle.

Considering the limited information available on this subject, this study was carried out with the aim of studying the prevalence of menstrual disorders in women following COVID-19 vaccination.

This cross-sectional study was performed in 2022 on 400 women of reproductive age who had received at least 2 doses of the COVID-19 vaccines. The participants were chosen from health centers in the city of Asadabad of Hamedan Province in Iran using the convenience sampling method. The research tool was a researcher-made questionnaire that investigated demographics and changes in the menstrual cycle. Data analysis was carried out using descriptive statistics (frequency and percentage) and inferential statistics (chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests).

The findings showed that 36.3, 42.5, and 48.01% of the participants experienced menstrual disorders after the first, second, and third doses of vaccination, respectively. Significant relationships were observed between the number of vaccination doses and menstrual disorders (P  0.001). Furthermore, there were correlations between menstrual disorders and the type of administered vaccine in the first (P = 0.003) and third (P  0.001) doses.

In this study, a number of menstrual complications were observed inwomenafter the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine, and such complications were intensified by an increase in the number of vaccines administered. Since this study was cross-sectional, it cannot be said with certainty whether the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine results in menstrual disorders or not. For this purpose, there is a need for more case-control or prospective studies.

With the aging population on the rise, it becomes increasingly important for healthcare providers and policymakers to grasp the preferences of elderly patients when it comes to seeking health information. Such understanding can pave the way for tailored interventions aimed at enhancing health literacy and encouraging healthy behaviors among older adults.

This study sought to investigate the information needs and seeking behavior of elderly patients in educational and therapeutic hospitals while also identifying the barriers that hinder these patients’ access to relevant information sources.

A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 200 older adults who were hospitalized in educational and therapeutic hospitals in Sari, located in northern Iran, within 2018 to 2020. The data collection tool consisted of a researcher-made questionnaire with four sections: demographic information, health information needs, health information-seeking behavior (HISB), and barriers to finding information. The questionnaire’s reliability was validated, and the chi-square test was employed to explore the association between demographic variables and barriers to information retrieval. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software (version 24).

The key demographic characteristics influencing HISB among older patients included age (70 - 79 years), gender (female), educational level (illiterate), and employment status (housewife). The primary health information needs of older patients encompassed staying updated with current health news, seeking information from nurses and allied healthcare staff, and encountering obstacles in accessing information due to a lack of internet literacy. The most pronounced associations between demographics and HISB among older patients were observed in educational level, employment status, and reliance on newspapers and magazines. Moreover, significant associations existed between age groups and seeking support from groups, family, relatives, and friends in addition to using brochures, books, internet resources, short message service (SMS), and radio/television.

Elderly patients often encounter challenges in accessing health information due to their limited internet skills. To assist older adults in navigating and utilizing the Internet more effectively, it is crucial to identify trustworthy online sources and bolster their confidence in using the Internet. Healthcare professionals can contribute to the well-being of older adult patients by providing access to current health news, delivering educational programs tailored to individuals with lower levels of education, and offering alternative sources of information for patients who lack internet access.

Long-term exposure of nurses to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the lack of necessary and sufficient facilities to deal with the disease have had significant negative effects on their occupational and mental health.

The present study aimed to investigate the association between occupational burnout and negative affective responses, including depression, anxiety, and stress, in nurses during the recent pandemic.

A total of 270 nurses who worked at Razi hospital, one of the principal referral hospitals for COVID-19 patients in the northern province of Guilan, Iran, throughout 2021 - 2022, were included in this study. These nurses were selected using convenience sampling and were assigned to one of three wards: COVID-19 (n = 43), emergency (n = 55), or other wards (n = 172). In addition to providing their sociodemographic information, the participants completed two assessments: The Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales-42 (DASS-42).

The correlation matrix showed that all MBI-HSS and DASS-42 scores, except in one case, had a positive correlation with each other (P < 0.0001). In the multiple analysis of variance, gender (P = 0.17), education (P = 0.005), hospital ward (P = 0.048), social support (P = 0.001), family support (P < 0.0001), financial support (P = 0.01), occupational satisfaction (P = 0.044), social respect (P < 0.0001), history of death in the family (P = 0.006) and relatives (P = 0.043), and having a child in primary school age (P = 0.04) created a significant difference in MBI-HSS and DASS-42 scores.

In general, nurses tend to be considerably affected by the negative effects of the recent public health crisis, especially occupational burnout, andit is necessary tomakearrangements to improvetheir mental healthandreduce the level of occupational burnout in them.

Context: 

Women’s sexual health is a vital component of reproductive health, and sexual satisfaction is considered a fundamental human right. Cell phone programs have emerged as tools to augment sexual knowledge, hygiene, health, and even sexually transmitted infection prevention.

This study aimed to determine the challenges and opportunities of telemedicine in improving women’s sexual satisfaction.

This systematic review was conducted using the newest version of the PRISMA (2020) guideline. The search was comprehensive and included Scopus,Web of Science (WOS), and PubMed databases, with no time limit until January 1, 2023. Manual reference list searches were also performed. The search strategy followed the PICO framework and included all English RCTs and quasi-experimental studies published electronically in peer-reviewed journals, which focused on using telemedicine techniques to enhance sexual satisfaction.

Among the selected studies, seven focused on women with various types of cancers experiencing sexual issues post-treatment. Two studies centered on women with sexual dysfunction, while one study included women without specific health concerns. Cognitive-behavioral therapy and mindfulness therapy were predominant as intervention methods. These studies identified 38 opportunities and advantages of non-attendance methods, categorized into 14 themes. Additionally, nine challenges were classified, encompassing factors such as lack of spouse participation, inadequate patient behavior follow-up, technical skill requirements, internet access, device dependency, lengthy exercises, work interference, and exercise-related embarrassment.

This systematic review found that telemedicine’s opportunity to increase access, affordability, andconvenience, along with reducing stigma, has encouraged more couples to participate. However, there are challenges, including the need for digital skills and access to technology, along with potential user discomfort with recommended exercises. Eliminating barriers is effective in optimizing telemedicine methods to increase sexual health and satisfaction.