Educar en conductas sexuales saludables: una innovación docente en promoción de la salud

Nursing-Intense Health Education Intervention for Persons with Type 2 Diabetes: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) is a highly prevalent disease, the progression of which depends on high blood glucose levels, which are reflected in the level of glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c). Appropriate health education equips patients with the knowledge and skills to control their glucose and HbA1c levels to avoid long-term complications. This study was set up to compare the results of an intensive (360 min) educational intervention to improve HbA1c parameters in patients with DM2 with those of a usual 90 min intervention. For this purpose, healthcare personnel led a quasi-experimental study of 249 diabetics: 171 in the control group, and 78 in the intervention group. In the control group, the mean HbA1c value decreased from 6.97 to 6.75, while in intervention group it fell from 8.97 to 8.06. The before and after mean difference between both groups was compared with a Wilcoxon test, and the results statistically significant (W = 4530; p < 0.001), indicating a higher reduction of HbA1c in the intervention group. We concluded that the intensive health education provided by nurses during the consultation helped improve HBA1c levels in persons with DM2.

Creation and validation of a scale of sexuality for adolescents: Scale of Myths about Sexuality

INTRODUCTION

In recent decades western countries have become more open about sexuality and sexual relations, and adolescents get information about these issues mainly through the internet, TV and social networks. Often such information is incomplete, wrong or even contradicts itself. What favors them to develop myths, false beliefs and/or negative attitudes about sexuality, love, equality in relationships, or Sexually Transmitted Infections. At the same time, the presence of myths favors double standards, sexism, and a negative attitude toward toward personal, partner and/or social sexuality.

OBJECTIVES

To create a scale for evaluating the permanence of myths about sexuality in adolescents, and to analyze the structural reliability and validity of this scale.

METHOD

The sample was formed by a pilot group (n=216) and a final group (n=661), both with adolescents from high schools in the province of Malaga, obtained by non-probability cluster sampling. The first 69 initial items were given to the pilot sample to determine the final questions making up the "Escala de Mitos sobre la Sexualidad".

RESULT

All final items have an item-total correlation over 0.29. A final questionnaire was obtained of 27 items, grouped into 6 components. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient indicated a high internal consistency of the test (0.881). Moreover, it confirms a significant difference between the sexes and between grades (cohorts).

CONCLUSION

The Scale has appropriate parameters for use in sex education and research. The use of this scale would help to discover adherence to the myths of adolescents, in order to eliminate them and build a solid, free and personal concept of sexuality.