The Effect of Testicular Self-Examination Education on Knowledge, Performance, and Health Beliefs of Turkish Men.

Testicular cancer is the most common cancer among young adult men and easily detected at an early stage by periodic testicular self-examination (TSE); however, health care providers seldom teach TSE, thus opportunities for early detection are missed. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of TSE education on the knowledge, performance, and health beliefs of Turkish young men. This quasi-experimental follow-up research was conducted on 174 male Health Science university students in Turkey. The data was collected by a modified socio-demographic form and questionnaire, and the Turkish version of Champion Health Belief Model Scale which was performed at two stages: before and 3 months after education. Before education, 66.2% of the students did not know anything about TSE, and the main reason for not to perform TSE was the lack of knowledge prior to education. The results showed a significant increase in the perceived benefits in terms of TSE after education (p < 0.05). Furthermore, a positive improvement in the behavior of the students toward TSE was observed after education. These results indicate that TSE training is effective in young men, but TSE training should be repeated periodically for better efficacy. These results support that health professionals should have a more active role in the training of adult young men in colleges in terms of TSE.

Effects of peripheral cold application on core body temperature and haemodynamic parameters in febrile patients.

This study designed to assess the effects of peripheral cold application (PCA) on core body temperature and haemodynamic parameters in febrile patients. This study was an experimental, repeated-measures performed in the neurosurgical intensive-care unit. The research sample included all patients with fever in postoperative period. PCA was performed for 20 min. During fever, systolic blood pressure, mean arterial blood pressure and arterial oxygen saturation (O2 Sat) decreased by 5.07 ± 7.89 mm Hg, 0.191 ± 6.00 mm Hg and 0.742% ± 0.97%, respectively, whereas the pulse rate and diastolic blood pressure increased by 8.528 ± 4.42 beats/ min and 1.842 ± 6.9 mmHg, respectively. Immediately after PCA, core body temperature and pulse rate decreased by 0.3°C, 3.3 beats/min, respectively, whereas systolic, diastolic, mean arterial blood pressure and O2 Sat increased by, 1.40 mm Hg, 1.87 mm Hg, 0.98 mmHg and 0.27%, respectively. Thirty minutes after the end of PCA, core body temperature, diastolic, mean arterial blood pressure and pulse rate decreased by 0.57°C, 0.34 mm Hg, 0.60 mm Hg and 4.5 beats/min, respectively, whereas systolic blood pressure and O2 Sat increased by 0.98 mm Hg and 0.04%, respectively. The present results showed that PCA increases systolic, diastolic, mean arterial blood pressure and O2 Sat, and decreases core body temperature and pulse rate.

Psychometric Evaluation of the Sex After Myocardial Infarction Knowledge Test in Iranian Context.

PURPOSE: To translate, adapt, and assess the psychometric properties of the Sex After MI Knowledge Test in Iranian context (where MI is myocardial infarction). DESIGN AND METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive survey was performed. The sample comprised 250 patients with MI. Confirmatory factor analysis was applied to extract three indicators. FINDINGS: The Sex After MI Knowledge Test indicated good reproducibility (Cronbach's α = .76, Intraclass correlation (ICC) = 0.729, CI = 0.7280-0.781, p < .001 ICC: Intraclass correlation). Nonnormed and normed fit indices (FI) were 0.89, and incremental and comparative FIs were 0.90. Goodness-of-fit index (GFI) and adjusted GFI were below the criteria. After a varimax rotation, the first six items of the instrument explained 58.71% of total variance. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The instrument showed acceptable psychometric properties in terms of construct validity and internal consistency. The instrument might be used to stimulate conversations patients with MI regarding sexual knowledge and concerns.

Association Between Acute Pain and Hemodynamic Parameters in a Postoperative Surgical Intensive Care Unit.

I conducted a prospective repeated-measure study in the general surgery intensive care unit to investigate the associations among acute postoperative pain, analgesic therapy, and hemodynamic parameters. I selected 33 patients and recorded 84 episodes of pain. I measured intensity of pain and hemodynamic parameters after patients were transferred from the postanesthesia care unit to the general surgery intensive care unit, immediately before analgesic therapy and at 15, 30, and 45 minutes after analgesic therapy. Acute pain increased systolic (SBP), diastolic (DBP), and mean arterial blood pressure (MAP); pulse rate (PR); and arterial oxygen saturation. Fifteen minutes after analgesic therapy, SBP and PR decreased, and DBP, MAP, and oxygen saturation increased. Thirty minutes after therapy, SBP, MAP, and PR decreased, and DBP and oxygen saturation increased. Forty-five minutes after therapy, SBP, MAP, and PR decreased, and DBP and oxygen saturation increased. I saw no significant hemodynamic parameter changes during postoperative episodes of pain.

Gender differences in symptom predictors associated with acute coronary syndrome: A prospective observational study.

Signs and symptoms (typical and atypical symptoms) of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) differ between men and women. Identification of gender differences has implications for both health care providers and the general public. The aim of this study was to determine the symptom predictors of the acute coronary syndromes in men and women. In this prospective study, nurse data collectors directly observed 256 men and 182 women (N = 438) with symptoms suggestive of ACS in the Emergency Departments of eight hospitals in Tehran. ACS was eventually diagnosed in 183 (57.2%) men and 137 (42.8%) women on the basis of standard electrocardiogram and cardiac enzyme (CPK-MB) level. In men, chest symptoms (OR = 3.22, CI = 0.137-0.756, P = 0.009), dyspnea (OR = 2.65, CI = 1.78-4.123 P = 0.001) and diaphoresis (OR = 2.175, CI = 1.020-4.639, P = 0.044) were significantly associated with the diagnosis of ACS 3.78, 2.72 and 1.87 times more than in women having these symptoms, respectively. These results indicated that chest symptoms, diaphoresis and dyspnea were the more pronounced typical symptoms of ACS in men compared to women. Additionally, the numbers of typical symptoms can be considered as more predictive of ACS in men (OR = 1.673, CI = 1.211-2.224, P < 0.001) than women (OR = 1.271, CI = 1.157-2.331, P = 0.212). Therefore, clinicians need to take men showing typical symptoms into consideration carefully.

Effects of fever on haemodynamic parameters in neurosurgical intensive care unit patients.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of fever on the haemodynamic parameters (pulse rate, arterial oxygen saturation, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and mean arterial blood pressure) of patients in a neurosurgical intensive care unit. DESIGN: A prospective, repeated-measures study. METHODS: This study was performed in the neurosurgical intensive care unit of a University Hospital in the West of Turkey. The research sample included all patients with at least two occurrences of fever in the postoperative period. Body temperature and haemodynamic parameters of patients were measured on admission, one hour before the onset of fever and during fever (peak temperature). RESULTS: Increase of body temperature during fever episodes was followed by a significant increase in pulse rate (p = 0.001) with significant decreases in systolic blood pressure (p = 0.002) and arterial oxygen saturation (p = 0.001). Furthermore fever episodes were followed by a non-significant increase in diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.074) and a non-significant decrease in mean arterial blood pressure (p = 0.097). In this study, a degree celsius (1 °C) increase in body temperature, was associated with a decline of 4.43 mmHg in systolic blood pressure, 0.166 mmHg mean arterial blood pressure and 0.64% arterial oxygen saturation, respectively. It was also associated with an increase of 1.61 mmHg in diastolic arterial blood pressure and 7.46 beats/per minute pulse rate, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The findings from this research have demonstrated the effects that fever can have on haemodynamic parameters of patients in one neurosurgical intensive care unit. Hence the study highlights the importance for intensive care unit (ICU) nurses to appreciate the physiological effects of fever which have the potential to cause complications in febrile patients. Increasing knowledge about the effects of fever on haemodynamic parameters can therefore be of benefit to nurses in terms of quality and efficacy of patient care.