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Biomedical subjects

Pauline Slade

Publications and source records attributed to Pauline Slade.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Smoking in pregnancy: the role of the transtheoretical model and the mother's attachment to the fetus.

This study investigated whether pregnant smokers demonstrated cognitive and behavioural patterns hypothesised to underpin the different stages of change (SOC) and whether fetal attachment varied according to this process. A cross-sectional design with women categorised by SOC was used and the sample was recruited from hospital maternity services in the U. K at their booking clinics with a mean gestation of 14 weeks. Experiential and behavioural processes together with self-efficacy and attachment to the fetus were measured in 637 women. As predicted by the transthoretical model experiential processes were used mostly by women in contemplation and preparation; behavioural processes mostly by women in preparation and action. However, self-efficacy remained constant between pre-contemplation, contemplation and preparation, but women in action showed significantly higher levels. Women in preparation were significantly more attached to the fetus than women in pre-contemplation and never smokers. The relevance of the transtheoretical model with pregnant smokers is supported. Foetal attachment may be differentially associated with different SOC in smoking cessation and yield potential for the development of new interventions.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Preliminary evaluation of a coping strategy enhancement method of preparation for labour.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the use and effects of enhanced pre-existing coping strategies with the use and effects of coping strategies usually taught in National Health Service (NHS) antenatal education on women's experience of pain and emotions during labour. DESIGN: A between-group comparison of women who chose to attend NHS antenatal education where courses of preparation were randomly assigned to include either a new method of coping strategy enhancement (CSE) or standard taught coping strategies. SETTING: Two large maternity units in one city in the North of England. PARTICIPANTS: 20 women participated in antenatal classes incorporating the CSE method and 21 women participated in antenatal classes incorporating the standard approach to developing coping strategies for labour. FINDINGS: Women who attended CSE classes used enhanced coping strategies for a larger proportion of their labour than women who attended standard classes who used taught coping strategies. Birth companions were more involved in women's use of enhanced than taught strategies. Self-efficacy for use of coping strategies and subsequent experiences of pain and emotions during labour were equivalent between groups. KEY CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: An approach based on enhancing pre-existing coping strategies was associated with greater coping strategy use and involvement from the birth companion, and provided benefits to women's overall experience of labour at least equivalent to that associated with standard preparation. Further research should explore this novel approach in larger groups, and for women who may choose not to attend group antenatal preparation.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2004

The range of coping strategies women use to manage pain and anxiety prior to and during first experience of labour.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether nulliparous women, during pregnancy, can identify their own pre-existing coping strategies for managing pain and anxiety and whether the range of coping strategies used in Labour by women who do not attend antenatal classes can be described. DESIGN: Qualitative semi-structured interviews. SETTING: Two large maternity units in a city in the North of England. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-three nulliparous women were interviewed during their third trimester of pregnancy (prior to any antenatal class attendance) regarding strategies used to cope with previous experiences of pain and anxiety. A separate sample of 20 women, who had not attended any form of antenatal education, were interviewed within 72h of their first experience of labour regarding the coping strategies used to manage pain and anxiety during labour. FINDINGS: Template Analysis was used to code data from transcribed interviews. The findings indicate that as women approach their first experience of labour they can identify coping strategies that they have employed to manage pain and anxiety in their past. Equally women who have not attended antenatal classes use a wide range of strategies in labour. The range of identified coping strategies is described and comprises thoughts and behaviours with positive and negative consequences. KEY CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: It is possible to help nulliparous women to identify, in pregnancy, a range of strategies that they have previously employed to manage pain and anxiety. This range reflects the coping strategies that women may potentially use in labour to manage pain and anxiety. Women may benefit from assistance in pregnancy to develop strategies for labour that are based on knowledge of their own coping repertoire, which includes enhancing positive strategies and finding alternatives to negative strategies.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2004

An absence of evidence linking perceived memory problems to the menopause.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the prevalence of subjective or perceived memory difficulties in the general population. This is of particular interest in the field of menopause as self-reported memory difficulties make up a large proportion of complaints by women presenting at specialist menopause clinics. There is also a general assumption that memory problems increase with age. AIM: To investigate the prevalence of perceived memory difficulties in women to establish whether there are variations with menopausal status and age. DESIGN OF STUDY: Cross-sectional questionnaire study. SETTING: Sheffield, United Kingdom. METHOD: Standardised questionnaires assessing subjective memory, mood and menopausal symptoms were sent to a random sample of 400 women, aged 25-64 years, identified from a general practice list. Menopausal status and demographic details were also recorded. Two hundred and two women responded, giving a response rate of 50.5%. RESULTS: The prevalence of perceived memory difficulties was low, and did not differ on the basis of menopausal status or age. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were the main significant predictors of perceived memory difficulties. CONCLUSION: Perceived memory difficulties are not specific to particular stages of the life cycle or age, but are experienced to a greater degree by those with high levels of depressive or anxiety symptoms.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

The effects of induced abortion on emotional experiences and relationships: a critical review of the literature.

This paper reviews post-1990 literature concerning psychological experiences and sexual relationships prior to and following induced abortion. It assesses whether conclusions drawn from earlier reviews are still supported and evaluates the extent to which previous methodological problems have been addressed. Following discovery of pregnancy and prior to abortion, 40-45% of women experience significant levels of anxiety and around 20% experience significant levels of depressive symptoms. Distress reduces following abortion, but up to around 30% of women are still experiencing emotional problems after a month. Women due to have an abortion are more anxious and distressed than other pregnant women or women whose pregnancy is threatened by miscarriage, but in the long term they do no worse psychologically than women who give birth. Self-esteem appears unaffected by the process. Less research has considered impact on the quality of relationships and sexual functioning, but negative effects were reported by up to 20% of women. Conclusions were generally concordant with previous reviews. However, anxiety symptoms are now clearly identified as the most common adverse response. There has been increasing understanding of abortion as a potential trauma, and studies less commonly explore guilt. The quality of studies has improved, although there are still some methodological weaknesses.

Abortion, Induced↗
PubMed2003

Selected coping strategies in labor: an investigation of women's experiences.

BACKGROUND: Antenatal education classes offer women information about labor and birth and ways of coping with pain and emotional distress. The purpose of this paper was to describe women's experiences of using, starting, and discontinuing three coping strategies in labor that were taught in antenatal education classes. METHODS: An exploratory research design was used in which 121 women were interviewed within 72 hours of the birth of their first child. Information was obtained on why women initiated and discontinued their use of three coping strategies (breathing technique, postural changes, relaxation technique) and the reported effects of use. RESULTS: The effects of the coping strategies investigated varied widely among participants. Common aspects of care, changes of environment, and use of pharmacological pain relief affected women's discontinuation of coping strategies. CONCLUSIONS: The implications of study findings for clinical practice include the need for caregivers to provide women with accurate information about the effects of coping strategies and to be alert to aspects of care that may disrupt women's use of strategies.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2002

Does fear of childbirth during pregnancy predict emergency caesarean section?

OBJECTIVE: Caesarean section rates are rising dramatically in the UK. It has been estimated that they have increased from 10% to 22% of all births over 15 years. A Swedish study has suggested that fear of childbirth during pregnancy may increase the risk of emergency caesarean section. The aim of this study is to identify whether fear of childbirth can predict the occurrence of emergency caesarean section in a UK sample. DESIGN: A prospective design using between-group comparisons. SETTING: Sheffield. S. Yorkshire, UK. SAMPLE: Four hundred and forty-three pregnant women, recruited at 32 weeks of gestation, over 16 years of age. METHODS: Participants completed self-assessment, postal questionnaires assessing fear of labour and anxiety using the Wijma Delivery Expectancy Scale (W-DEQ) and the Speilberger State Trait Anxiety Scale (STAI), together with their expectations about their mode of delivery. Delivery information was gathered via birth summary sheets. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Mode of delivery. RESULTS: Emergency caesarean section was associated with previous caesarean section, parity, age and a score reflecting medical risk, but not fear of childbirth or anxiety measures. There were no differences in fear between women experiencing spontaneous-vertex, forceps/ventouse, emergency or elective caesarean deliveries. The W-DEQ was factor analysed and was found to measure four distinct domains: fear, lack of positive anticipation and the degree to which women anticipate isolation and riskiness in childbirth. However, these individual factors also failed to contribute to the prediction of mode of delivery. Primiparous women in the UK sample showed highly elevated fear scores when compared with a Swedish sample. Such discrepancies were not found for the multiparous sample. CONCLUSIONS: Fear of childbirth during the third trimester is not associated with mode of delivery in a UK sample. Possible cross-cultural differences are discussed.

Adolescent↗