Iran Journal of Nursing
Year:2011 | Volume:24 | Issue:71|Papers Count:12

Background & aims: Mother’s milk plays an important role in infant’s health. The aim of this study was to determine the breastfeeding status and some of its related factors among children less than 5 year old, in northern countryside of Iran.Material & Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional and retrospective study was done on 2520 children aged 6-60 months (1309= males and 1211= females) chosen by cluster and random sampling from 20 of 118 villages of Golestan provience. Data was collected by questionnaire and anthropometric measurements were performed. Duration of breastfeeding was computed only for over 24 months old children. Data was analyzed using SPSS-PC (v.16).Results: The mean duration of exclusive breast-feeding was 5.59 months and 66.4% of children had exclusive breast-feeding at least for 6 months. Although exclusive breast-feeding period in Turkmen ethnic group was lower than others, breastfeeding duration in this group was higher than other ethnic groups. Five months of exclusive Breast-feeding in Fars (native) group was 14.6% more than Turkman ethnic group (P=0.001). Exclusive breastfeeding period significantly increased with maternal education level (P=0.004).The mean time of breastfeeding was 20.6 months and 89.3% and 74.7% of children breastfed at least 18 and 24 months, respectively. Duration of lactation was positively correlated with family size, birth order, maternal age and the children’s nutritional status (p<0.05).Conclusion: Two thirds of children in Gorgan countryside enjoy exclusive breastfeeding for at least 6 months. Some socio-economic factors influence the pattern of breast feeding.

Background & Aim: Nurses are the largest groups in health care delivery system. Nursing Information systems (NIS) are important for improving nursing performance, increasing nursing knowledge and providing data and information needed for nursing. Identifying Nursing Minimum Data Set (NMDS) is the first step for development of NIS. Considering the absence of NMDS in Iran, this study was conducted with the aim of assessing NMDS needs and giving recommendations for Iran health care system.Material and Methods: It was a descriptive developmental study. NMDS was searched in several countries; nursing data elements gathered into a questionnaire and then, were prioritized by experts. Using SPSS-PC (v.16.5), mean scores of priorities were calculated and those with more than 80% of mean score (m=2.9) were selected.Results: Findings showed that most data elements had high priority from within nurses, perspective except "residential status (m=2.34 of 3)", "nurses, employment startup date (m=2.36 of 3)", "number of patients (m=2.32 of 3)", "employment end date (m=2.29 of 3)", "Reimbursement type (m=2.23 of 3)", Nurse Gender (m=2.05 of 3) and Nursing budget (m=1.97 of 3).Conclusion: Elements for Iranian Nursing Minimum Data Set (IrNMDS) were offered as nursing care data elements (5 Items), Patient data element (14 Items) and service data element (14 Items). Validity and reliability assessment of data set content, in-service education for nurses and more comprehensive studies regarding the clinical use of this data set is recommended.

Background and Aim: Discriminatory practices toward patients with AIDS is an important challenge in the context of ethical care and patient's rights. Experience of discrimination has negative impacts on the psychological wellbeing of patient's and all aspects of AIDS prevention, follow-up care and treatment. The aim of this study was to identify nurse’s perspective on discrimination in nursing care of patients with AIDS and its related factors.Materials and Method: It was a descriptive cross-sectional study. The study population consisted of nurses working in internal and infectious wards. The setting was hospitals affiliated with Tehran and Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences .the sample was recruited by census and 165 nurses were selected. Data was collected using self administered questionnaires. The instruments used included: discrimination against AIDS questionnaire, HIV knowledge questionnaire, AIDS Attitude Scale and Risk Perception scale. Data was analyzed by SPSS-PC using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA and Pearson coefficient correlation.Results: Response rate was 91.6 % of all study sample, 54.5% agreed with present moderately discriminatory practices toward these patients. Nurse’s perspective on discriminatory practices was significantly associated with their knowledge of AIDS transmission (p=0.005), avoidance attitudes toward people with AIDS (p=0.044), and fear of occupational exposure to AIDS (p=0.003).There was a significant difference between mean score of nurses perspective on discrimination with their sex (p=0.033), ward (0.036), and their educational level (p=0.048).Conclusion: It seems that patients with AIDS in Tehran hospitals are treated with discrimination. Reducing discriminatory practices toward these patients would be possible by increasing nurse’s knowledge about universal precautions, ethical issues and patient’s rights.

Backgrounfd & Aim: Maternal exclusive breast feeding for the first 6 months of newborn's life has been recommended by World Health Organization. Recently, a high incidence of breast feeding discontinuation has been reported in Iran. Accordingly this study was done with the aim of determining the factors associated with discontinuation of exclusive breast feeding by first time mothers.Material & Methods: It was a descriptive and cross-sectional study. The study sample (n=331) was selected by conveniece sampling among first time mothers admitted to Shahid Akbar Abadi hospital. Data was collected by questionnaire and a check list. The condition of exclusive breast feeding was followed by phone after delivery. The data was analyzed using SPSS-PC (v.12).Results: Exclusive breast feeding was observed in 52.6% of the sample. The reasons for discontinuation of exclusive breast feeding included maternal factors (low breast feeding self efficacy, mothers' perception of inadequacy of the breast milk, lactation problems related to breast, feeding of baby by others) (38.9%0), neonatal factors (colic, hyperbilirobionemia, low birth weight) (21.7%), and a combination of these factors (39.5%).Conclusion: Modification of maternal and neonatal barriers to exclusive breast feeing would be a good way for breast feeding adherence. Giving breast feeding information to low experienced mothers is recommended.

Background & Aim: Pregnancy and childbirth is one of the most important stages of women’s life. Sexual satisfaction may change during pregnancy. These changes could lead to negative long effects on mother’s sexual and mental health. This study was conducted with the aim of assessing sexual satisfaction of primigravidas and its related factors.Material & Methods: It was a descriptive cross-sectional study. The sample consisted of 230 primigravid women admitted to hospitals affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Data was collected by the adjusted version of Hudson's Index of Sexual Satisfaction (ISS) and were analyzed using SPSS-PC (v.14).Results: The mean score for sexual satisfaction was 133.6±11.2. The findings indicated that there is a significant relationship between women's age, their husbands' age, length of marriage, occupation, planned/ unplanned pregnancy, type of family, consultant with midwives, having pregnancy complication and concerning about fetus and sexual satisfaction (p<0.0001-0.006)Conclusion: Helping primigravidas to get more sexual pleasure during pregnancy would be accomplished by taking their sexual histories and resolve their misconceptions about sexual satisfaction.

Background & Aim: Mammography and clinical breast examination have been recommended for early detection of breast cancer in asymptomatic women. Health beliefs play an important role in people’s tendency toward participation in health promotion behaviors. The aim of this study was to determine the health beliefs of female health care providers of Tabriz Health Centers about mammography and clinical breast examination.Material & Methods: It was a descriptive, cross-sectional study. The participants were recruited from 52 health center of Tabriz city by proportional cluster random sampling (n=196). Data was collected by Champion’s Health Belief Model Scale and analyzed using SPSS-PC (v.14).Results: The findings revealed that 26.6% and 10.7% of the sample had a history of mammography and clinical breast examination respectively. The most prevalent barriers to mammography and breast examination were beliefs about painful nature of mammography (2.45±1.02) and fear of the possible diagnosis of cancer (2.30±1.05). There were significant associations between mammography and marital status (p=0.001) and age (p<0.001) and also between clinical breast examination and age (p=0.02)Conclusion: Misconceptions and incorrect beliefs about mammography and clinical breast examination could result in low rate of participation in mammography and clinical breast examination. Providing educational programs to correct wrong health beliefs about these examinations is recommended.

Background & aim: Reflection has been emphasized as an effective educational strategy in clinical settings. Although this educational tool lead to promotion of skills and knowledge in nursing students but is rarely used. The aim of the present study was to determine the viewpoints of nursing students toward reflection in clinical education.Materials & Methods: It was a quasi-experimental study with one group, post-test design. The sample consisted of 35 senior nursing students recruited by census. The students were asked to reflect on their performance in clinical settings for four consecutive weeks. A guide for reflective thinking was given to students and they were asked to write their reflections about clinical care in personal journals. Data was collected by a self-constructed questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS-PC (v. 11.5).Result: personal domain of reflection was the most prominent subscale from the students’ perspective (13.9±2.2). Most of students (84.3%) believed that reflection has influenced their sense of empowerment and self-esteem. There was significant relationships between the students’ perspective in all domains and their age (p<0.05). There were also significant relationships between academic achievement, the score of personal domain and interest in nursing (p<0.05). Conclusion: Reflection empowers nursing students and improves their self-esteem from their perspective. Employing this method in nursing clinical education is recommended.

Background & Aim: Breast feeding is the most important and decisive factor in Children’s state of health and nutrition, especially in societies with lower socio-economic status. Beastfeeding plays an important role in child health and development. Acordingly this study was carried out with the aim of determining the ralationship between breastfeeding and child weigth gain up to the end of 24 months of age.Material & Methods: It was a correlational predictive study. The sample consisted of 307 mothers of 2-3 years old children who have been visited for monitoring their children’s growth in heath canters of west of Tehran. They were recruited by stratified sampling method. Mothers & children’s data was collected by questionnaire & analyzed using SPSS-PC-(v.10).Results: Pearson correlation test indicated that there is no significant relationship between breastfeeding duration & children’s weight in 6 and 12 months of age. However, there was a converse significant relationship between breastfeeding duration and the children’s weight in 24 months of age (p=0.003). There was also a significant relationship between the children’s sex and their weight in 6, 12 and 24 months of age (p=0.000). No significant association was found between children’s weight in 6, 12 and 24 months of age and mothers’ age, number of deliveries, mothers’ level of education and job status, participation in educational courses for breast feeding, and the time of breastfeeding initiation after delivery.Conclusion: children fell within normal limits for weight when breastfeeding duration was longer and vice versa. Regarding the undesirable effects (eg. malnutrition and obesity) of shortening the breastfeeding period on child health, provision of support as well as education about breastfeeding continuation is recommended.