Ecological factors affecting first-time mothers' satisfaction with Sanhujoriwons (postpartum care centres) from South Korea: a cross-sectional and correlational study

BACKGROUND

In South Korea, commercial postpartum care centres, known as Sanhujoriwons, have emerged as important institutions aiding mothers' physical recovery after childbirth. Although previous studies have measured mothers' satisfaction level with Sanhujoriwons, this study applies Bronfenbrenner's ecological model to identify the factors influencing first-time mothers' satisfaction with Sanhujoriwons.

METHODS

This descriptive correlational study involved 212 first-time mothers admitted to Sanhujoriwons for two weeks with their new-borns (healthy babies weighing at least 2.5 kg) after giving birth after 37 weeks of pregnancy. Data were collected using a self-report questionnaire at five postpartum care centres in the metropolitan area of South Korea from October to December 2021, on the day of the mothers' discharge. This study considered ecological factors such as perceived health status, postpartum depression, childcare stress, maternal identity at the individual level; partnership with Sanhujoriwon staff at the microsystem level; and the Sanhujoriwons' education support system at the exo-system level. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, correlation analysis, and hierarchical regression analysis using the SPSS 25.0 Win program.

RESULTS

The mean score of satisfaction with Sanhujoriwons was 59.67 ± 10.14 out of 70, indicating a high level of satisfaction. The hierarchical regression analysis showed that satisfaction with Sanhujoriwons was significantly affected by the perceived health status (β = 0.19, p < 0.001), partnership between mothers and the caregivers (β = 0.26, p < 0.001), and education support system of the Sanhujoriwons (β = 0.47, p < 0.001). The explanatory power of the model for these variables was 62.3%.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that not only the mother's health status but also the educational support system of postpartum care centres and partnerships are important for improving first-time mothers' satisfaction with postpartum care centres. Thus, when developing an intervention program for postpartum care centres, practitioners should focus on developing various kinds of support and strategies to improve the physical health condition of mothers, build partnerships between mothers and care staff, and improve the quality of the educational support offered to mothers. Further studies to develop and test the effectiveness of such intervention programs are strongly suggested.

Translation and Validation of a Chinese Version of the Parental Self-Efficacy with Eczema Care Index

BACKGROUND

Parental self-efficacy has been found to be a critical determinant of the efficacy of interventions intended to enhance the parental management of childhood eczema.

OBJECTIVES

The psychometric properties of a translated Chinese version of the Parental Self-Efficacy with Eczema Care Index (C-PASECI) were examined.

METHODS

The PASECI was translated in a 2-stage process involving both forward and backward translation. Subsequently, the psychometric properties of the C-PASECI were examined in a cohort of 147 Chinese parents or caregivers of children with eczema. Specifically, the internal consistency, 2-day test-retest reliability and construct validity were assessed.

RESULTS

The C-PASECI received a Cronbach's αof 0.97, and the intraclass correlation coefficients of each item ranged from 0.93 to 0.99. Negative correlations were observed among the C-PASECI, Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index and Scoring Atopic Dermatitis Scale scores, indicating the acceptable convergent validity of the C-PASECI. The moderate correlation observed between the C-PASECI and General Self-Efficacy Scale (Pearson's r = 0.53, p < 0.001) reflected the acceptable concurrent validity of the C-PASECI. The results of confirmatory factor analysis supported the factorial validity of the C-PASECI.

CONCLUSION

The C-PASECI appears to be a reliable and valid measure of parental self-efficacy in Chinese parents or caregivers of children with eczema.

Family management of childhood atopic dermatitis

AIMS

To identify the variables that affect family management of childhood atopic dermatitis and establish a prediction model based on Bandura's self-efficacy theory.

BACKGROUND

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic recurrent skin disease and common health problem in childhood. It is necessary to use an approach that includes parental factors when considering the effective management of childhood atopic dermatitis.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study design.

METHODS

A convenience sample, comprising 168 Korean mothers caring for a child with atopic dermatitis under the age of 13, was recruited from the paediatric outpatient departments of two general hospitals in Seoul, South Korea. Data were collected using structured self-reported questionnaires including severity, antecedents, effort, self-efficacy and family management of childhood atopic dermatitis from 1 November 2015-28 February 2016. Descriptive statistics about the participants and variables were examined and data were analysed using structural equation modelling.

RESULTS

The hypothetical model had an adequate fit to the data, indicating that severity, antecedents, effort and self-efficacy influenced family management of childhood atopic dermatitis.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that strategies to support children with atopic dermatitis and their family should consider the influence of such variables.

Impact of Educational Intervention for Hand Hygiene on Dental Students' Knowledge, Attitude, and Bacterial Contamination Level on Hands

AIM

The present study aimed to investigate the impact of the educational intervention for hand hygiene (HH) on knowledge, attitude, and mean colony-forming bacterial counts and type of bacteria on hands of undergraduate dental students.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 86 dental students from different clinical grades were included in the study. They were divided into two groups, group I (55 students) received onetime educational session for HH at the start of the academic year and group II (31 students) received an extra reenforce-ment session 6 months later. After 2 weeks of reenforcement session, a self-administrated questionnaire was directed to all participants assessing their knowledge and attitude about HH. Fingertip prints of the five fingers of the dominant hand from every participant were pressed onto blood agar plates in triplets at the same clinical session, before and after HH. Bacterial colony-forming units (CFUs) on each plate were recorded and identified microbiologically.

RESULTS

The overall scores of knowledge and attitude showed higher levels in group II than in group I with nonsignificant differences between both groups as regards knowledge and significant differences (p < 0.05) as regards attitude. Mean CFUs showed extremely significant differences (p < 0.000) between 2nd and 3rd counts and between 1st and 2nd counts except for students of group I where the difference was only significant (p < 0.05). Normal bacterial flora was identified in 94.9% of the plates (92.2% coagulase-negative Staphylococci and 2.7% Micrococcus). Potentially pathogenic bacteria isolated from the other plates were Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas spp., and spore-forming aerobic nonhemolytic Bacilli.

CONCLUSION

Reenforcement session had a positive impact on HH knowledge, attitude, and reduction of bacterial CFUs.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Continuous education with frequent training sessions is recommended to reinforce HH compliance and reduce cross-contamination.