Sleep hygiene education program during pregnancy: a prospective randomized controlled study.

PURPOSE: Pregnancy-related psychophysiological changes are associated with the sleep alterations as the gestational weeks progress. The aim is to evaluate the effectiveness of sleep hygiene education programs during pregnancy. METHODS: This prospective randomized controlled study based on pre-post-test after intervention consists of 30 studies and 30 control groups. Pregnant descriptive form, Beck Depression Index (BDI), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and sleep hygiene index (SHI) questionnaires were used. Pregnant women with a score of 15 and above according to BDI were excluded from the study due to depression. Following the application of PSQI and SHI as a pretest, a sleep hygiene training program was applied to the intervention group twice with an interval of 15 days, and PSQI and SHI surveys were repeated as a posttest at the end of 1 month. End points with prespecified hypotheses were changes in sleep quality in different trimesters during antenatal follow-up (primary end point) and changes in sleep quality after the sleep hygiene education intervention from randomization to the end of the intervention period (secondary end point). RESULTS: 90% of all pregnant women had poor sleep quality in the pre-test, and 93.3% in the post-test. In the intervention group, the pre-test PSQI score was 8.10 ± 1.80 and the post-test PSQI score was 8.37 ± 2.05 (p < 0.001). In the control group, the pre-test PSQI score was 8.23 ± 2.54 and the post-test PSQI score was 9.77 ± 2.54, and the worsening of sleep quality became more evident (p < 0.05). While the SHI in intervention group was 16.57 ± 5.64 in the pre-test, it was 10.30 ± 3.78 in the post-test after sleep hygiene training (p < 0.001). In the control group, the pre-test SHI scores increased from 14.50 ± 3.78 to the post-test scores of 16.60 ± 4.36, resulting in a decline in sleep hygiene and sleep quality (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: As the gestational week progressed, the deterioration in sleep quality increased. The poor sleep quality improved significantly after sleep hygiene education counseling. It is recommended to add sleep-related screenings to routine pregnancy follow-ups and to provide sleep hygiene education.

Evaluation of the reasons for the non­COVID­19 status: A socio­demographic analysis.

The present study aimed to evaluate the reasons behind the fact that some individuals did not contract coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), considering certain socio-demographic data. The present cross-sectional study was conducted at a state hospital between February 1, 2022 and March 1, 2022. The study group consisted of individuals who never had COVID-19, and the control group consisted of individuals who did not know at the time of the study whether they had COVID-19. A data collection form consisting of 29 questions created based on a literature review was used. A total of 2,958 subjects (study group, 669; control group, 2,289) were included; of these, 53.1% were females and 46.9% were males. It was found that housewives (P<0.001), individuals with secondary school and lower education levels (P=0.02), those residing in rural areas (P=0.003), those who received a combination vaccine (P<0.001), those with chronic diseases (P=0.016), those who consumed more fruits (P=0.001), those who used N95 masks (P=0.002), those with pets (P<0.001) and those who did not follow the news regarding COVID-19 (P=0.016) had a higher probability of not contracting COVID-19. On the whole, the present study observed that socio-demographic factors affected the non-COVID-19 status.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm: A case report.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a medical condition characterized by abnormal enlargement or the ballooning of the aorta, the largest blood vessel in the human body, in the abdomen. AAA usually develops slowly and asymptomatically and becomes a potentially life-threatening condition if left untreated. Although the exact cause of AAA is not always clear, risk factors such as age, sex, smoking, hypertension, and family history may increase the likelihood of developing AAA. It is essential to manage and prevent AAA rupture, which can lead to severe internal bleeding and pose a serious risk to a person's health if not diagnosed in a timely manner and appropriate medical attention. Awareness, early diagnosis and appropriate medical care are critical factors when addressing this condition, providing a glimpse into the complex and critical nature of AAA. The present study describes the case of a patient who applied to the family medicine unit with hypertension and dysuria, and was diagnosed with AAA incidentally.

Pregnancy school education program in mother friendly training and research hospital impact on stress and anxiety.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate prenatal education and its relationship with anxiety and stress in pregnant women. METHODS: This research was carried out between July 1, 2022, and December 1, 2023, at Giresun Gynecology and Pediatrics Training and Research Hospital. Women aged >18 years at >20 weeks of pregnancy were included. Patients were randomized into two groups, and one group received a 4 week training on meditation, breathing exercises, and pregnancy-related health issues. A questionnaire was applied to both groups to analyze sociodemographic characteristics, pregnancy, birth, medical history, the Pregnancy Stress Rating Scale, and the State Trait Anxiety Inventory. RESULT: The groups were similar in terms of age, educational status, anthropometric characteristics, occupation, economic status, and gestational week. There was no difference between the trained and nontrained groups in terms of the Pregnancy Stress Rating Scale score and the State Trait Anxiety Inventory-state score. The State Trait Anxiety Inventory-trait was significantly lower in the trained group (p=0.033). There were weak positive correlations between Pregnancy Stress Rating Scale score and medication use and between State Trait Anxiety Inventory-state score and age. A negative correlation was found between the State Trait Anxiety Inventory-state score and working status, showing that employed women had lower anxiety scores irrespective of training. Another weak positive correlation was found between the State Trait Anxiety Inventory-trait score and the presence of comorbidities. CONCLUSION: State Trait Anxiety Inventory-trait anxiety was lower in pregnant women who received training on prenatal meditation, exercise, and pregnancy health; however, State Trait Anxiety Inventory-state and Pregnancy Stress Rating Scale scores were similar in the two groups. Unemployed pregnant women and those with chronic diseases appear to need closer follow-up to reduce anxiety levels.

Attitudes and Behaviors Regarding Smoking in Friends and Relatives of Patients in Emergency Room: A New Frontier in the Fight against Tobacco.

Background: Emergency rooms (ERs) are usually crowded with friends and relatives (F&Rs) of the patients. This experience may result in changes in smoking behaviors and create opportunities for smoking cessation interventions. The study aims to investigate these changes and offers a new frontier in the fight against smoking. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the ERs of two universities in different cities. A questionnaire consisting of 18 questions was applied to F&Rs of the emergency patients. Statistical analysis was performed using Jamovi program. Findings: A total of 603 respondents were included in the study. Of them, 71.3% were first-degree relatives, 51.7% waited 5 or more times in ER before, and 68.6% spent 0-2 hours in a day around the ER. Upon witnessing patients in the ERs, 53.4% of the F&Rs had the idea of quitting smoking and 42.9% wanted to have smoking cessation therapy during their wait in the hospital. While 76.1% of the participants were not using different brands of cigarettes when offered in normal life, this rate was lower around the ERs (64.6%) (P < 0.001). Participants smoked 0.82 ± 0.34 cigarette per hour in normal life excluding sleeping time; this number raised almost 6 folds during the wait (4.85 ± 2.11) (P < 0.001). Conclusion: F&Rs smoked more during waiting around ERs. However, they also expressed desire to quit smoking and receive smoking cessation intervention during the wait. Providing smoking cessation counseling to F&Rs in the ER may be a valuable intervention.

Pregnancy school education program in mother friendly training and research hospital impact on stress and anxiety

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate prenatal education and its relationship with anxiety and stress in pregnant women. METHODS: This research was carried out between July 1, 2022, and December 1, 2023, at Giresun Gynecology and Pediatrics Training and Research Hospital. Women aged >18 years at >20 weeks of pregnancy were included. Patients were randomized into two groups, and one group received a 4 week training on meditation, breathing exercises, and pregnancy-related health issues. A questionnaire was applied to both groups to analyze sociodemographic characteristics, pregnancy, birth, medical history, the Pregnancy Stress Rating Scale, and the State Trait Anxiety Inventory. RESULT: The groups were similar in terms of age, educational status, anthropometric characteristics, occupation, economic status, and gestational week. There was no difference between the trained and nontrained groups in terms of the Pregnancy Stress Rating Scale score and the State Trait Anxiety Inventory-state score. The State Trait Anxiety Inventory-trait was significantly lower in the trained group (p=0.033). There were weak positive correlations between Pregnancy Stress Rating Scale score and medication use and between State Trait Anxiety Inventory-state score and age. A negative correlation was found between the State Trait Anxiety Inventory-state score and working status, showing that employed women had lower anxiety scores irrespective of training. Another weak positive correlation was found between the State Trait Anxiety Inventory-trait score and the presence of comorbidities. CONCLUSION: State Trait Anxiety Inventory-trait anxiety was lower in pregnant women who received training on prenatal meditation, exercise, and pregnancy health; however, State Trait Anxiety Inventory-state and Pregnancy Stress Rating Scale scores were similar in the two groups. Unemployed pregnant women and those with chronic diseases appear to need closer follow-up to reduce anxiety levels.