Spiritual Interventions Used by Jewish Women to Facilitate the Family Continuum: A Qualitative Study.

Spiritual interventions (SI) are used by patients and their families as a means to promote health. The family continuum (FC), which includes finding a partner/spouse, getting married, becoming pregnant, and having a safe pregnancy/birth, is an important concept for the Jewish culture as well as other cultures that have a traditional family-centered approach. There is a dearth of professional literature pertaining to SI to promote the FC.

Body image and scar assessment: A longitudinal cohort analysis of cardiothoracic, neurosurgery and urology patients.

Background: Scar severity and scar viewing are known to affect body image. The literature is lacking on the relationship between body image and surgical scar assessment. The aims of this study were to compare patients from 3 different surgical departments in terms of body image and scar assessment at discharge, in comparison with nurses' scar assessment, and 3 months post-surgery.

Urinary incontinence type, symptoms, and quality of life: A comparison between grand multipara and non-grand multipara women aged ≥50 years.

Aim: Parity and age are risk factors for urinary incontinence (UI). The aim of this study was to compare grand multipara women (GMP) to non-grand multipara (NGMP) women concerning UI types (stress urinary incontinence [SUI], urge urinary incontinence [UUI]), symptoms, and quality of life.

Methods: This correlation-comparative study used three tools: a demographic/health questionnaire, Questionnaire for Urinary Incontinence Diagnosis (QUID), and Incontinence Quality of Life (I-QOL).

Sexual function and quality of life of women with stress urinary incontinence: a randomized controlled trial comparing the Paula method (circular muscle exercises) to pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) exercises.

Aim: To compare the effectiveness of the Paula method (circular muscle exercises) vs. pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) exercises on sexual function (SF) and quality of life (QoL) of women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI).

Methods: A randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted in outpatient urban community clinics serving diverse socioeconomic populations between September 2004 and July 2005.

Israeli and Chinese partners of women with breast cancer: a cross-cultural view of marital issues.

Objective: Cultural nuances may influence the interface between the cancer experience and marital issues, specifically for the partner. Most of the literature has focused on the woman's narrative or couple's adjustment to cancer in general. The purpose of this study was to describe and compare the marital relationship, sexuality, and marital adjustment of Israeli and Chinese husbands of women with breast cancer and the discussion of the health-care team concerning these issues.

Sexual function and quality of life for women with mild-to-moderate stress urinary incontinence.

Introduction: Sexual function is affected by stress urinary incontinence with or without pelvic organ prolapse. The aim of the study was to describe the sexual function of women with mild-to-moderate stress urinary incontinence, with or without pelvic organ prolapse (up to stage 2) and examine correlations with symptoms and quality of life. This investigation was part of a large, randomized, clinical trial of women with stress urinary incontinence who participated in an exercise intervention.

Sexual activities, sexual and life satisfaction, and successful aging in women.

Introduction: Sexuality for women at all ages is a vital aspect of life satisfaction and is based upon continuing growth, development, and adaptation. The successful aging model includes physical, mental/emotional, and social well-being. There is no known published literature on the topic of sexual activities of older women and its implications on life and sexual satisfaction.

Cultural competence and ethnic attitudes of midwives concerning Jewish couples.

Objective: To examine nurse-midwives' general cultural competence and ethnic attitudes toward Jewish couples of varying degrees of religious identification during the birth process and the relationship between background data, ethnic attitudes, and cultural competence.

Design: Descriptive, correlational study.

Setting: Academic tertiary care health facility.

First degree relatives of women with breast cancer: who's providing information and support and who'd they prefer.

Introduction: Mothers, sisters, and daughters of women diagnosed with breast cancer have an increased need for factual information, counseling, and emotional support. The purpose of this exploratory, descriptive study was to identify the information and support needs of Israeli women with a family history of breast cancer; discover whether these needs have been met, by whom, and who is the preferred source for them.

Methods: 128 healthy Israeli women, aged 18-65, with a first degree relative with breast cancer completed the adapted Information and Support Needs Questionnaire (ISNQ).

Jewish laws, customs, and practice in labor, delivery, and postpartum care.

Many communities throughout the world, especially in the United States and Israel, contain large populations of religiously observant Jews. The purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive, descriptive guide to specific laws, customs, and practices of traditionally, religious observant Jews for the culturally sensitive management of labor, delivery, and postpartum. Discussion includes intimacy issues between husband and wife, dietary laws, Sabbath observance, as well as practices concerning prayer, communication trends, modesty issues, and labor and birth customs.

Sexual milestones and factors associated with coitus initiation among Israeli high school students.

In view of the developmental approach to sexual behavior, this article presents the stages of sexual behavior leading to coitus in four grades of high school students in Israel and the sociodemographic factors associated with initiating coitus. Analyses were based on data from the first national study dealing comprehensively with sexuality in 30 years. A self-administered questionnaire was completed by a random sample of 4,609 students of the General Educational (secular) system that included 68% of the Hebrew-speaking sector or 55% of all students in Israel.

Social, marital, and sexual adjustment of Israeli men whose wives were diagnosed with breast cancer.

Purpose/objectives: To explore the psychosocial adjustment of Israeli men whose wives were diagnosed with breast cancer.

Design: Descriptive study.

Setting: An urban tertiary medical center.

Determination of clinically meaningful levels of pain reduction in patients experiencing acute postoperative pain.

Assessment is an essential, but challenging, component of any pain management plan. Nurses who care for postoperative patients quantify and document pain by use of unidimensional scales such as the numeric rating scale, the visual analogue scale, or a verbal descriptor scale. Improvements in pain ratings on these scales are viewed as a welcome result by nurses and doctors.

Social support as experienced by Chinese and Israeli husbands of women with breast cancer: a comparative study.

The purpose of this research was to compare the experience of social support of Israeli and Chinese husbands of women with breast cancer. Social support was examined from three different sources: wives, friends and family, and the healthcare team. This study is part of a larger descriptive comparative study investigating the husbands' adjustment to their wives' diagnosis of cancer.

Patients voice issues of dress and address.

Establishing a positive patient care environment is one of the most basic concepts of health care professional practice. Dress and personal address are aspects of this environment that are influenced by culture and express mutual respect within the patient-provider relationship. The Patient Sensitivity Questionnaire was administered to determine how 76 Israeli inpatients perceived forms of address and dress in their health care environment.

Breast cancer: reactions of Israeli men to their wives' diagnosis.

The purpose of this research was to describe Israeli husbands' reactions to their wives' diagnosis of breast cancer. This quantitative, descriptive, preliminary study employed a convenience sample of 20 men and investigated their perception of the information they received, their psychosocial responses, the effects on their marital relationship, and their perceived spousal social support. The study instruments included the Locke Wallace Marital Adjustment Scale, the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale, and a Social Support Questionnaire.