Biomedical subjects

M Paunonen

Publications and source records attributed to M Paunonen.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1998

Smoking habits among Finnish middle-aged men: experiences and attitudes.

The purpose of this study was to explain smoking habits amongst middle-aged men in Finland by describing their experiences of smoking and their attitudes towards smoking. As a pilot survey for a major health campaign targeted at 40-year-old men, the data for this study were collected using two questionnaires in connection with voluntary medical examinations. The first questionnaire was based on Prochaska's theory of stages of change in health behaviour. The second instrument was an attitude scale developed specifically for this study on the basis of Green and Kreuter's theory of factors influencing health behaviour. According to the results 31% of males aged 40 were regular smokers. Men with a lower level of education and out of work smoked more often than others. Non-smokers reported a better self-perceived health than smokers. Smoking cessation is a process in which men gradually proceed from one step to the next. In this study 12% of the men were in the contemplation stage and 11% in the preparation stage. One-quarter of the men had recently given up the habit and were in the action stage, while 2% had quit smoking over 6 months ago and were in the maintenance stage. One-quarter of the men regarded smoking as an integral part of their way of life and felt that public opinion towards smoking is hostile.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Relationships between infant temperament, demographic variables, and family dynamics of childrearing families.

Relationships between infant temperament, demographic variables, and family dynamics of child-rearing families were investigated in this study. The revised Infant Temperament Questionnaire (RITQ), the Family Dynamics Questionnaire (FDQ) and the Family Dynamics Measure (FDM) were sent to 118 families who had participated in the first stage of the study as child-bearing families. About 8 months after childbirth 96 mothers and 95 fathers completed the questionnaires. The characteristics of infant temperament and demographic variables related to the variance of dimensions of family dynamics. Characteristics of the temperamentally easy baby related to more positive family dynamics perceived by child-rearing parents. Fathers rearing their first child reported that their families functioned better than fathers with their second infant. In child health clinics families rearing their second child should also be supported, especially families with arrhythmic and negative mood infants.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1998

Fear of patients related to coronary arteriography.

The purpose of this paper is to describe and evaluate the ability of instruments to produce information about the presence and intensity of fear before, during and after coronary arteriography. Information about patient fear was measured from cognitive, physiological and behavioural dimensions. The sample of the study was 243 patients who were due to have a scheduled coronary arteriography in a university hospital in Finland. Fear was measured by the Visual Analogy Scale (VAS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) Scale and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Physiological measurements (blood pressure and heart rate) were obtained. The VAS was given to 46 nurses and seven nurse assistants to measure nurses' perception of patient fear. Over 80% of the patients reported fears. Nurses perceived that the patients had more fears than they reported. Changes in physiological measurements were small but significant. One-third of the patients felt increased fear after the coronary arteriography. VAS, STAI and HAD produced reliable information about the patient fear. The correlations between the instruments suggest that each is a valid and appropriate measure of fear. Nurses need to develop their communication and observation skills in order to develop their recognition of the patients' fear.

Aged↗

PubMed1998

Nurses' ability to perceive patients' fears related to coronary arteriography.

This study describes the congruence of the perceptions of 180 patient-nurse dyads concerning patients' fears related to coronary arteriography (CA). The perceptions were measured with a purpose-designed instrument which listed 26 objects of fear. t-Tests and chi-square tests were used to compare the responses and the associations with demographic data. The results pointed to inconsistencies between patients' and nurses' perceptions. Nurses and patients had congruent perceptions of the 10 most intense fears related to CA. Otherwise nurses tended to overestimate patients' fears. Nurses' perceptions of the intensity of individual patients' fears were incongruent so that before CA there was a tendency to overestimate the intensity of fears and after CA to underestimate it. The results suggest that nurses need to pay more attention to the assessment of individual patients' fears and to avoid stereotypical views of patient fears. The use of an assessment instrument is recommended as one way of enhancing the quality of care.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Prerequisites for quality improvement in nursing.

AIM: This study examines how the characteristics of nurses, working communities and leadership affect the prerequisites for quality improvement in nursing. BACKGROUND: Knowledge of the phenomena affecting nurses' action is needed, since quality of care is seen as a result of an individual carer's professional skills, work motivation and commitment to work. METHODS: Material for the study was collected using a questionnaire. The respondents were 723 nursing practitioners from two special level hospitals. The main instrument used was the Managerial Abilities instrument developed by the researchers. FINDINGS: The results of the statistical analyses showed that exhaustion experienced by the nurses is the most important obstacle to quality improvement in nursing. The education of nurses, good team work and the ward sister's managerial abilities have a positive influence on quality improvement in nursing. CONCLUSION: Nurses' exhaustion should be reduced in order to improve quality of care.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

What contributes to breastfeeding success after childbirth in a maternity ward in Finland?

BACKGROUND: The study objective was to gain information about factors that contribute to the successful establishment of breastfeeding in first-time mothers while they are still in the maternity hospital. The study was part of a wider longitudinal project that examined the development of first-time mothers into motherhood during eight months after the birth. METHODS: Data were collected by a questionnaire distributed between January and May 1995. The sample comprised 326 first-time mothers, who completed the questionnaires on about the fifth day after childbirth. A polychotomic logistic regression analysis was applied. RESULTS: Mothers who had a positive experience of breastfeeding in the maternity ward and who began lactating 2 to 3 days postpartum coped better with breastfeeding than those whose experience was less positive and who lactated later. Moreover, the greater the emotional (affect) and concrete (aid) support received by the mother from members of her support network, the better she coped with breastfeeding. By contrast, those mothers who were upset while in the maternity ward coped less well with breastfeeding. CONCLUSIONS: Establishing successful breastfeeding in first-time mothers requires the professional guidance and support of the maternity staff and paying attention to the person closest to the new mother, who in this study was the spouse or father of the child.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1998

Family dynamics of families with cancer in Finland.

The purpose of this study was to describe family dynamics of families with cancer on the basis of Barnhill's framework for healthy family systems. The sample consisted of families in which one member had cancer. Both the patients (n = 96) and their relatives (n = 96) participated in the study (n = 192). The data for the study were collected using the Family Dynamics Questionnaire and the Family Dynamics Measure. The results indicated that the cancer of a single family member did not impair family functioning, but that family dynamics were considered quite good. There were no statistically significant differences between cancer patients and relatives on any of the family dynamics dimensions. However, an examination of sociodemographic characteristics did reveal some differences. Older relatives reported more enmeshment and rigidity than did younger relatives, whereas the latter reported more role conflict than older relatives. Older patients reported more rigidity than younger patients. Relatives who were men reported more enmeshment than women, whereas women reported more role conflict. Relatives of two-member families reported more rigidity than relatives with a larger family. Patients who reported a serious illness in the family described more mutuality, better flexibility, and clearer communication than patients who did not report such an illness. Also, relatives who mentioned a serious illness reported more mutuality and flexibility.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1998

Ethical problems in research on families who are abusing children.

Child abuse within the family is a highly sensitive issue and therefore difficult to research. This article is based on our experiences of a child abuse research project in Finland. Special attention is given to ethical considerations during the initiation of the study, and in the sampling procedures, data collection and reporting. Most importantly, all those taking part in studies on sensitive issues must be guaranteed full confidentiality and anonymity. There are also other ethical considerations that go beyond the usual concerns in the research process.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

Dynamics of families during the third trimester of pregnancy in southwest Finland.

Transition to a changed family structure during pregnancy brings into focus the family's dynamics. To describe these dynamics during the third trimester of a healthy pregnancy, the Family Dynamics Measure was administered to 136 mothers and 131 fathers in southwest Finland. Mothers and fathers reported differences in 4 of the 6 dimensions of family dynamics. Clearer communication was perceived by mothers of higher social status. Second-time parents perceived greater isolation and role conflict than first-time parents. Findings contribute cues for specific family guidance by nurses during the transition to parenthood regarding partner differences, parity and social status.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1997

Recovering from the death of a spouse.

Within the context of an international comparative grief project, the goal of this study has been to compare the grief reactions to grieving Finnish women and men who had lost their spouse within a period of either less than or more than 2 years prior the study. The sample consisted of women (n = 242) and men (n = 76) who had lost a spouse between the ages of 25 and 65 years at the time of their death. Two instruments were used in data collection: a sociodemographic instrument and the Hogan Grief Reactions Checklist, developed in the USA. In comparing the different dimensions of grief in the subgroups divided by the bereavement time, there were significant differences in the grief reactions. Despair and disorganization diminished over time. Panic behaviour and detachment dimensions also showed differences although they were not statistically significant. The widowers who lost their spouse more than 2 years prior to the study displayed their feelings of blame and anger more than the widows. Results showed that if the death had occurred less than 2 years prior to the study there were no differences between the groups.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1997

Family members' experiences of their role in a hospital: a pilot study.

The purpose of the study is to explore the experiences of family members in their role of relative in a situation where a next of kin has been admitted to hospital. The questionnaire was used in data collection. The data reported here are from a pilot study. The sample consisted of 70 family members of patients receiving treatment on the neurological wards. It was found that family members spent a lot of time at their relative's bedside, most of them up to several hours a day. The daily routines of families and way of life were also very much affected. The most important way in which the hospital supported families was to keep them informed about the patient's care and treatment. However, this was not possible without an active interest and involvement on the part of family members themselves. There were obvious problems and shortcomings in terms of family orientation: only one third of the family members felt that the nursing staff were seriously interested in the family's well-being, and only one quarter had been told what they could do in hospital. About half of the family members needed to meet nurses to get support from nurses and over one third from doctors. The oldest respondents and women needed more help than did others. Men preferred to turn to doctors rather than nurses for help. In general family members had good experiences of visiting their relative in hospital. They believed that they were expected and that they were of help to their relative. Over half of the family members said they were actively involved in caring for their relative. Only four per cent of the family members reported bad experiences of their visits to hospital, in spite of the obvious shortcomings in family nursing. For this reason it is important that nurses facilitate the involvement and integration of relatives in the process of nursing.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

Family dynamics of families with mental health problems in Finland.

This study forms part of the International Family Dynamics Project. Its purpose was describe the family functioning of families with mental health problems on the basis of Barnhill's framework for healthy family systems. The sample consisted of 160 families in which one family member had mental health problems. Both the patients and their relatives took part. The data were collected by questionnaires, i.e. The Family Dynamics Measure and The Family Dynamics Questionnaire. According to the results, mental health patients described family functioning as fairly poor, while relatives described it as fairly good. However, patients' and relatives' perceptions of family functioning did not differ significantly. There were some statistically significant differences between patients' and relatives' perceptions of different family dynamics dimensions. Relatives reported more mutuality (P = 0.006) and clearer communication (P = 0.009) than patients. Older mental health patients reported more isolation than patients under 30. Relatives who mentioned some serious illness in the family reported more role conflict than those who didn't. No differences were found by gender, family structure or education. The results indicated that the mental health problems of a single family member did not impair family dynamics. The study showed that the resources and functioning of families are fairly good in spite of the illness in the family.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

Relationships between demographic variables and family dynamics of childbearing families.

In this study relationships between demographic variables and family dynamics of childbearing families in Finland were studied. The sample was 160 urban families expecting their first or second child in the third trimester of pregnancy. One-hundred and eighteen families participated in the study. The Family Dynamics Questionnaire (FDQ) and the Family Dynamics Measure (FDM) were used in this study. Most expectant parents reported their family was well-functioning. Mothers of higher socioeconomic status found more flexibility in their families than mothers of lower socioeconomic status. Fathers in families expecting their first baby reported more mutuality, role reciprocity and more stability than second-time fathers. The findings contribute cues for public health nurses and midwives regarding parity, socioeconomic status and family dynamics to provide more specific family guidance during the transition to parenthood. Realistic information on the changes in family dynamics after childbirth should be given to pregnant parents.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1997

Management by results.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

PubMed1996

Alleviating anxiety in nursing patients' significant others.

This paper describes an investigation of factors that help to alleviate anxiety in nursing patients' significant others, based on the assumption that anxiety flows from the feeling of insecurity and accordingly that anxiety can be alleviated by strengthening the sense of security. The focus of the study is on factors that affect experiences of security in the significant others of critically ill patients. In addition, the paper addresses the questions of how the age and gender of the significant other, the duration of intensive care, and the patient's named nurse influence the assessments by significant others of the quality of the nursing care provided. Fourteen significant others of critically ill patients took part. The data were collected in focused interviews. For qualitative analysis the raw data were analysed into four main themes: nurse characteristics, interaction, professional competence, and confidence in nursing care and in the nursing staff. In the quantitative analysis the concern was with how these themes and their subcategories were emphasised by participants and on different variables. Frequencies were used. According to the results, significant others considered it important to have close contact with the nursing staff. Each patient's named nurse had an important role to play in improving the quality of nursing care. In general, respondents appeared to consider that factors which had to do with attitudes, which could be subjectively evaluated and which were not objectively discernible, were the most important determinants of safe, quality nursing care.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Social support provided by nurses to recent mothers on a maternity ward.

The purpose of this study was to look at the social support provided by nurses on a maternity ward to recent mothers and to describe the mothers' experiences of their stay on the ward after childbirth. The data were collected with a questionnaire in a sample of 200 mothers giving birth at Tampere University Hospital. The questionnaire was specially designed for this study by the researcher on the basis of Kahn's (1979) theory of social support. Of the three categories of support identified in that theory, the one that mothers reported receiving most of during their stay on the maternity ward was concrete aid; and the type of support they received least was affect or emotional support. The vast majority or 95% of the mothers described their stay on the ward as a positive experience. Both first-time and other mothers had hoped to receive more guidance in child care and breastfeeding.

Breast Feeding↗

PubMed1996

Social support and its impact on mothers' experiences of childbirth.

The purpose of this study was to look at the networks of social support available for mothers during pregnancy and childbirth. Another concern was to describe mothers' experiences of labour and the connections of social support with those experiences. The data were collected through the use of two questionnaires submitted to 200 mothers recruited from Tampere University Hospital. Both instruments--Norbeck's Social Support Questionnaire and a scale designed by the author--were based on Kahn's (1979) theory of social support. The mothers reported an average of seven support persons each. Most typically, these were the mother's spouse or partner and close friends and relatives. The network of social support is a major source of emotional support, aid and affirmation for the mothers. During labour the main source of emotional support for mothers was the midwife. For the vast majority (85%) of the mothers, childbirth was a positive experience. A significant association was found between the emotional support provided by midwives and mothers' positive experiences of childbirth.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1995

The family dynamics of childbearing and childrearing families in Finland.

Within the context of an international comparative family dynamics project, this study had two chief goals: to describe the family dynamics of childbearing and childrearing families in Finland, and to study changes in family dynamics after childbirth. The sample consisted of families expecting (n = 118) and rearing (n = 94) their first or second child in Finland. Two instruments were used in data collection, i.e. the Family Dynamics Questionnaire and the Family Dynamics Measure; both these tools have been developed in the USA. According to the results, childbearing and childrearing families were thought to function quite well. Pregnant mothers described their family dynamics in more positive terms than fathers, reporting greater flexibility and clearer communication. Similarly, mothers reported more individuation and mutuality than their partners. First-time expectant families reported more mutuality than families expecting their second child. Childrearing mothers reported more individuation, but also more role conflict than did fathers. Communication in families rearing their first child was clearer than in families rearing their second child. The birth of a child affected family dynamics by bringing about various changes such as role conflict, isolation and distorted communication.

Adaptation, Psychological↗