Sexuality experiences of women with multiple sclerosis reporting overactive bladder: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: To effectively manage sexual dysfunction in women reporting overactive bladder, it is essential to know how patients perceive these problems, their lives, and their strategies. AIM: In this study we aimed to understand the sexual life experiences of women with multiple sclerosis (MS) who report overactive bladder from their point of view. METHODS: This study included 12 women with MS and was conducted as a qualitative study with a hermeneutic phenomenological framework. The data were evaluated by using Van Manen's thematic analysis method. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research checklist was used. OUTCOMES: In this study, thematic codes of sexual symptoms in women with MS with overactive bladder were defined and evaluated. RESULTS: As a result of the analysis of the data, four main themes and nine subthemes were identified. The main themes were "sexual self-concept," "sexual relationships," "sexual function," and "coping with problems". Subthemes such as body image, sexual esteem, the meaning of sexuality, communication, intimacy, coping with overactive bladder and sexual problems, and getting support showed that overactive bladder symptoms negatively affected women's sexual health. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Given the variety of sexual problems experienced by women with MS who report overactive bladder, these problems should be a routine part of clinical evaluation. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: This study is to our knowledge the first to examine the sexual life experiences of MS women reporting overactive bladder in depth based on the holistic view of sexuality theory. However, the sample is small and includes only women with MS who have reported overactive bladder. CONCLUSIONS: The sexual experience of women with MS who reported overactive bladder was multi-dimensional. Women with MS cope with their sexual problems alone and cannot receive the necessary support from their husbands, nurses, or other health professionals.

Investigation of the relationship between the attitudes of patients with type 2 diabetes toward insulin therapy and complementary alternative medicine.

AIM: This study aimed to determine the attitudes of patients with type 2 diabetes toward insulin treatment and complementary alternative medicine and to examine the relationship between them. METHOD: A cross-sectional design was used in the study. A total of 293 patients with type 2 diabetes were included in the study. The study data were collected by using a Descriptive Information Form, Complementary, Alternative and Conventional Medicine Attitude Scale (CACMAS), and the Insulin Treatment Appraisal Scale (ITAS). The factors related to the attitudes of patients with type 2 diabetes toward insulin were examined by using multiple linear regression analysis. RESULTS: It was determined that 36.5% of the patients used CAM, 49.8% received insulin therapy, and that 38.6% received oral antidiabetic treatment. Patients' mean score on the total CACMAS was 106.8 ± 19.7, indicating a moderately positive attitude. Their mean score on the total ITAS was 57.1 ± 11.6, suggesting that they had a negative attitude toward insulin therapy. In regular drug use, negative attitudes toward insulin decreased (ß = -0.151, p < 0.001), and when dissatisfaction with conventional medicine increased, negative attitudes toward insulin increased, as well (ß = -0.432p<0.05). CONCLUSION: While almost all of the patients (93.9%) had a negative attitude toward insulin, they had a moderately positive attitude toward the use of CAM. A significant portion of them (36.5%) stated that they used CAM. There was a weak positive correlation between attitude toward CAM and negative attitude toward insulin.

Anxiety During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Turkey: Relationship to Protective Behaviors and Complementary and Alternative Medicine Approaches.

Context: Today, almost all countries have implemented programs to fight COVID-19, which has spread rapidly to every location around the world. In addition, the negative effects of COVID-19 on psychological health have also captured attention. Objective: The study aimed to determine the anxiety levels of individuals who used primary healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic and to analyze the relationship of anxiety levels to participants' demographic characteristics, protective behaviors, and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) approaches. Design: The research team conducted a cross-sectional and correlational survey. Setting: This study took place in the Family Health Center in a province in western Turkey. Participants: Participants were 483 individuals who visited a Family Health Center in a province in western Turkey between October 1, 2020 and February 28, 2021, for reasons such as health services and vaccinations and who hadn't had a COVID-19 infection before visiting the center. Outcome Measures: The study research team collected data using an individual identification form that addressed participants' sociodemographic characteristics and their personal data about COVID-19 infections, protective behaviors, and CAM approaches during the pandemic. Participants also completed the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS). Results: Of the 12.2% of participants who had high-level anxiety, females had 2.4 times that of males and individuals with chronic diseases had a 2.3 times higher level of anxiety than people who didn't. Being female and having a chronic disease were significantly associated with COVID-19 anxiety (P < .05). Conclusions: Because the pandemic likely will continue in upcoming days, healthcare practitioners should develop protective and supportive psychosocial services for individuals facing COVID-19, providing them with information about evidence-based methods.

Investigation of the relationship between the use of complementary alternative medicine and illness perception and illness cognition in patients with diabetic foot ulcer.

OBJECTIVE: to examine the relationship between illness perception, illness cognition, and other sociodemographic characteristics of individuals with diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) and their complementary alternative therapies (CAM) use within the framework of self-regulation model (SRM). MATERIAL AND METHODS: This cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out with 220 individuals with DFU in the Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases outpatient clinic of two training and research hospitals between December 5, 2020, and June 5, 2021. Research data were collected by using the Patient Information Form, Brief Illness Perception Scale (BIPS), and Illness Cognition Questionnaire (ICQ). Descriptive statistical methods and the Mann-Whitney U test were used to were used in the evaluation of the data. The determinants of the CAM use status of the patients were evaluated by logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: It was determined that 136 (61.81%) patients who used CAM mostly preferred herbal methods. Patients' mean scores were 42.23 ± 5.66 on the total BIPS, 39.65 ± 16.01 on the total ICQ. Increasing age, female gender, increased disease perception (BIPS) and disease cognition (ICQ) increased the use of CAM (Nagelkerke R2:0.552; Model: x2 = 168.579 p = 0.00) CONCLUSIONS: It was determined that our patients frequently preferred CAM. Predictors of CAM use were identified as female gender, advanced age, illness perception, and illness cognition. Accordingly, for effective management of DFU, besides the comprehensive evaluation of individuals with DFU and the provision of wound care by health care professionals, illness perceptions, illness cognition, and CAM use should be considered carefully.