• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.267-277
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a sex education program for middle aged men patients with diabetes and their spouses. Methods: The research design for this study was a non-equivalent control group quasi-experimental study. The subjects were 23 diabetic patients and their spouses with half of the subjects exposed to a structured sex education program. Sexual Beliefs and Information Questionnaire, Dyadic Sexual Communication Scale, Sexual Frequency Scale, Derogatis Sexual Function Inventory and International Index of Erectile Function-5 were used for data collection. Results: In the experimental group, sexual knowledge of diabetic patients and sexual communication with their spouses were improved after two weeks following the program. Also, in the experimental group, sexual knowledge, sexual communication, and sexual frequency in both diabetic patients and their spouses were improved after six weeks following the program. In the experimental group, sexual satisfaction of diabetic patients was improved after six weeks following sex education program, however their spouses in the experimental group showed no significant differences than those of the comparison group. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that sex education program for both diabetic patients and their spouses could be utilized in public health centers, hospitals, and clinics.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.483-491
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• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this research was to examine the relationship between sexual knowledge, frequency, satisfaction, marital intimacy, and depression levels in stroke survivors and their spouses. Methods: This study was a convenience sample of Korean men who had experienced a stroke and their spouses. The subjects were discharged from the hospital and received physical therapy. Data such as sexual knowledge, frequency, satisfaction, marital intimacy, and depression levels were collected from November 2005 to April 2006. Results: In a comparison of stroke survivors and their spouses, the survivors showed higher mean levels of sexual knowledge and marital intimacy. The levels of knowledge, frequency, satisfaction and marital intimacy were low and depression was mild in the subjects. There were significant correlations between sexual frequency, sexual satisfaction and marital intimacy. Also, subjects with lower levels of sexual satisfaction were more depressed. The spouses who possessed greater levels of sexual knowledge reported a higher frequency of sex and greater marital intimacy. In addition, spouses who reported feeling greater levels of marital intimacy experienced fewer depressive symptoms. Conclusion: These findings demonstrate a need for the development of sexual adaptation programs which could be effective in improving sexual knowledge, frequency, satisfaction, marital intimacy, and depression reported by stroke patients and their spouses. Ideally, these corrective programs should be administered before patients are discharged from the hospital.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.33-40
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore conflict resolution styles, marital intimacy and family functions among breast cancer patients and their spouses. Methods: The subjects were total 126 participants. Breast cancer patients who completed chemotherapy and or radiation along with their spouses. Data were collected using questionnaires with questions about conflict resolution styles, marital intimacy and family functions. Results: There were no differences between breast cancer patients and their spouses in verbal aggression, avoidance of conflict resolution styles and family functions. As patients reported using positive conflict resolution styles the spouse-perceived marital intimacy and family functions were higher. Those patients who perceived marital intimacy as lower they also reported more verbal aggression and avoidance. As breast cancer patients perceived family functions increasing, their spouses perception of both intimacy and family function increased. Conclusion: As these results, it should be considered as basic data to develop family intervention programs such as positive communication and effective stress management and improving of conflict resolution, intimacy and family functions among breast cancer patients and their spouses.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.20-26
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the stress and the coping strategies in breast cancer patients and their spouses. Methods: The stress level was measured by the Stress Questionnaire of Andersson & Albertsson (2000). The coping strategies were measured by the modified Lazarus & Folkman's Ways of Coping Questionnaire. The data were collected by a survey sampling 49 couples from one hospital in Seoul. The data were analyzed by t-test, ANOVA and paired t-test. Results: There was no significant differences between the stress level of breast cancer patients and their spouses. The problem-focused coping of breast cancer patients was significant higher than their spouses. The cancer patients and their spouses used problem-focused coping mode more than emotion-focused coping mode. In the problem-focused coping mode, breast cancer patients used two coping strategies - 'seeking information' and 'cognitive reconstruction' - significantly more than their spouses. In emotion-focused coping mode, the breast cancer patients used one coping strategy, 'emotional expression', significantly more than the their spouses. Conclusion: Further study needs to attempt to develop nursing interventions that could improve positive coping strategies.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.255-259
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• 2013

Background: Cancer is the leading cause of death in Taiwan. Spouses are generally the main caregivers of affectyed patients but previous studies have seldom investigated the needs of male spouses of patients with metastatic cancer. Purpose: To explore the lived experiences of such male spouses. Methods: A qualitative design using in-depth interviewswasconducted with male spouses of patients with metastatic cancer being treated at the oncology outpatient department in a teaching hospital in northern Taiwan. Results: Nine participants aged 31-78 were interviewed. Content analysis of the interviews revealed five themes: suffering and struggling, difficulty in focusing on communication and interaction, shouldering responsibility, cherishing the love between husband and wife, and enabling each other to live better. This study demonstrated how male spousse experienced physical and psychological suffering when their wives suffered from metastatic cancer. They had to bear the pain of their wife's suffering, and also had to shoulder the responsibility for everything. All their efforts were put towards enabling each other to live a better life. They cherished the rest of the time they could spend with their wives, even though they had to live a hard life. As the male spouses of patients with metastatic cancer, the participants exhibited both the masculinity of men and the ability to express care and tenderness. Conclusions: The results showed that male spouses need more attention in terms of communication and bearing with suffering. Health care professionals should more actively understand the needs and provide assistance when facing the male spouse of patients with cancer, so as make sure that they possess the ability to take care of their wives. Health care professionals should also assist and properly act as a bridge of communication between husbands and wives.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.63-75
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• 2017

Purpose: This study was to explore and describe the reported experiences of elderly spouses who care their bedridden spouse in the home. Methods: The participants of this study were 14 male and female elderly spouses who live in B metropolitan city and have provided care for more than six months. Data were collected from July 3 to November 6, 2014. Data analysis was done simultaneously with data collection, using the analytical methods of Strauss and Corbin for Grounded theory. Results: The core category was identified as 'going together bearing a heavy burden of care in old age.' In this study, the caring process of elderly spouses can be explained in terms of three stages such as 'a period of trial and error,' 'a period of mastering a role,' and 'a period of role transcendence'. Conclusion: The results of this study can provide an intervention framework to reduce the heavy burden of caring for an elderly spouse.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.234-244
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• 2010

Purpose: This study determined the level of stress and type of coping style of spouses with high-risk pregnant women. Methods: Subjects were 102 spouses with high-risk pregnant women at 6 hospitals in Seoul and Gyeonggi province from January to August, 2009. The tools for this study were stress scale and coping scale. The data were analyzed by t-test, ANOVA, Scheffe's test and Pearson's correlation coefficient. Results: The average score of subjects stress was 2.18 and coping score was 2.46 point out of 4.00. The highest score of stress categories was 2.44 point in emotional problems and the lowest score was 1.72 in communication and support resources. The stress level was significant differences according to length of marriage, number of hospital visits, satisfaction with marriage relationship, hospitalization days and gestational age respectively. Spouses tended to use an active coping style (2.60) rather than a passive coping style (2.31). There were significant differences according to mother's age and gestational age in active coping and educational level in passive coping. Conclusion: Considering the level of stress coping style and characteristics of high-risk pregnant women's spouses, a nursing intervention should be provided to help them alleviate stress and to encourage active coping.

• Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.184-196
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• 2018

Purpose: This study explored the adjustment experiences of spouses of elderly people with dementia in Korea. Methods: A grounded theory method was used. The data were collected by individual in-depth interviews with 11 spouses of elderly people with dementia. Results: In the analysis, 17 categories were derived. A core category emerged: Adjusting to daily life of providing love-based care. Eight major strategies for dealing with the psychosocial problems faced by spouses of elderly people with dementia: Feeling one's own responsibility in caring; halting personal activities; adopting a spouse-oriented daily lifestyle; caring with love; efforts for maintaining one's own health; efforts for maintaining spouse's health; depending on religious belief; and trying to have time for oneself. The consequences that resulted from applying these strategies were identified as "feeling worthwhile for caring," "maintaining a peaceful life," and "being grateful of the present." Conclusions: This study presents a holistic view of the adjustment experiences of spouses of elderly people with dementia. This study can also provide directions for developing interventions for enhancing the quality of life of spouses of elderly people with dementia.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.459-473
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to identify to identify the nursing needs and stress levels among spouses of women hospitalized with preterm labor, and to determine factors influencing spousal stress. Methods: Data were collected from 95 spouses of hospitalized pregnant women due to preterm labor at a hospital in Gyeonggi province from June to December of 2016. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multiple linear regression. Results: The mean score of spouses' nursing needs was 3.06±0.42 and stress was 1.85±0.44 out of 4.00. The highest score of nursing needs was 3.37±0.51 in assurance and the highest score for stress was 2.26±0.72 for patient's illness and prognosis. There was a significant positive correlation between stress in spouse and nursing needs (p=.004). Stress was explained by nursing needs (β=.28) and hospitalization days (β=.21). Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that appropriate nursing interventions are required to address the nursing needs at the beginning of hospitalization and to reduce the stress among spouses of hospitalized pregnant women diagnosed with preterm labor.

• Korean Journal of Family Welfare
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.549-573
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to examine main variables of dysfunctional communication, which worsen marital conflicts in terms of marital interaction and to clarify the relative effects of such variables. The subjects were 295 married males and females, and collected data were analyzed using SPSS WIN 23.0 program. The main findings are as follows : First, the tendencies of related variables showed that the levels of spouses' perspective taking and routine marital responsiveness were higher for both males and females, while the levels of irrational belief for marital relations and dysfunctional communication were low. Second, an analysis of spouses' perspective taking, routine marital responsiveness, irrational belief in marital relations and correlations of dysfunctional communication showed that spouses' perspective taking and routine marital responsiveness for both males and females have negative correlations with dysfunctional communication. The higher spouses' perspective taking and routine marital responsiveness, the lower the level of irrational belief related to marital relations and the lower the level of dysfunctional communication. This study clarifies that spouses' perspective taking, routine marital responsiveness and irrational faith for marital relations influence marital dysfuctional communication and has an implication, in that the findings can be used as basic data for seeking methods to solve problems of couples who experience conflicts derived from dysfunctional communication.