The term "menstrual health" has seen increased use across advocacy, programming, policy, and research, but has lacked a consistent, self-contained definition. As a rapidly growing field of research and practice a comprehensive definition is needed to (1) ensure menstrual health is prioritised as a unified objective in global health, development, national policy, and funding frameworks, (2) elucidate the breadth of menstrual health, even where different needs may be prioritised in different sectors, and (3) facilitate a shared vocabulary through which stakeholders can communicate across silos to share learning. To achieve these aims, we present a definition of menstrual health developed by the Terminology Action Group of the Global Menstrual Collective. We describe the definition development process, drawing on existing research and terminology, related definitions of health, and consultation with a broad set of stakeholders. Further, we provide elaboration, based on current evidence, to support interpretation of the definition.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/26410397.2021.1911618

Menstrual health: a definition for policy, practice, and research

Oral mucositis is one of the most frequent complications after chemotherapy or radiotherapy or a combination of both. There is no standard therapy for its prevention or treatment. Considering that some bee products have been found to be of value in this situation, we decided to analyze the scientific literature on the subject. Scientific publications on bee products were identified by a literature search on Pubmed, Scopus and Google Scholar. There is a lot of evidence regarding the use of honey for oral mucositis due to chemotherapy or radiotherapy or a combination of both. Unfortunately, the quality of several meta-analyses on the topic is very low. There is some evidence on propolis, a little on royal jelly and none whatsoever on pollen and other bee products like apilarnil or bee venom. Bee products such as honey, propolis and royal jelly may be well suited to be integrated into a general concept for the prevention and treatment of oral mucositis which should also include other established concepts like oral care, oral cryotherapy, topical vitamin E and low-level-laser therapy. Bee products could become an integral part in the treatment of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and radio chemotherapy. High-quality meta-analyses and further studies, especially on the combinations of various strategies, are needed.

Using Bee Products for the Prevention and Treatment of Oral Mucositis Induced by Cancer Treatment.

Background The lack of established measurement tools in the study of menstrual health and hygiene has been a significant limitation of quantitative studies to date. However, there has been limited exploration of existing measurement to identify avenues for improvement. Methods We undertook two linked systematic reviews of (1) trials of menstrual health interventions and their nested studies in low- and middle-income countries, (2) studies developing or validating measures of menstrual experiences from any location. Systematic searching was undertaken in 12 databases, together with handsearching. We iteratively grouped and audited concepts measured across included studies and extracted and compared measures of each concept. Results A total of 23 trials, 9 nested studies and 22 measure development studies were included. Trials measured a range of outcomes including menstrual knowledge, attitudes, and practices, school absenteeism, and health. Most measure validation studies focused on assessing attitudes towards menstruation, while a group of five studies assessed the accuracy of women's recall of their menstrual characteristics such as timing and cycle length. Measures of menstrual knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and restrictions were inconsistent and frequently overlapped. No two studies measured the same menstrual or hygiene practices, with 44 different practices assessed. This audit provides a summary of current measures and extant efforts to pilot or test their performance. Conclusions Inconsistencies in both the definition and operationalisation of concepts measured in menstrual health and hygiene research should be addressed. To improve measurement, authors should clearly define the constructs they aim to measure and outline how these were operationalised for measurement. Results of this audit indicate the need for the development and validation of new measures, and the evaluation of the performance of existing measures across contexts. In particular, the definition and measurement of menstrual practices, knowledge, attitudes, norms and restrictions should be addressed. Review protocol registration CRD42018089884.

/pdf/measurement-in-the-study-of-menstrual-health-and-hygiene-a-471oljad80.pdf

Measurement in the study of menstrual health and hygiene: A systematic review and audit

The aim of this sub-analysis was to highlight the MASCC/ISOO clinical practice guidelines for the management of oral mucositis (OM) in pediatric patients and to present unique considerations in this patient population. This sub-analysis of the pediatric patient population is based on the systematic review conducted by the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer/International Society of Oral Oncology (MASCC/ISSO) published in 2019/2020. Studies were scored and assigned a level of evidence based on previously published criteria. Data regarding adverse effects and compliance was collected from the original publications. A total of 45 papers were included and assessed in this sub-analysis, including 21 randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Chewing gum was demonstrated to be not effective in preventing OM in pediatric cancer patients in 2 RCTs. The efficacy of all other interventions could not be determined based on the available literature. There is limited or conflicting evidence about interventions for the management of OM in pediatric cancer patients, except for chewing gum which was ineffective for prevention. Therefore, currently, data from adult studies may need to be extrapolated for the management of pediatric patients. Honey and photobiomodulation therapy in this patient population had encouraging potential. Implementation of a basic oral care protocol is advised amid lack of high level of evidence studies.

/pdf/mascc-isoo-clinical-practice-guidelines-for-the-management-39rbqrfgbv.pdf

MASCC/ISOO clinical practice guidelines for the management of mucositis: sub-analysis of current interventions for the management of oral mucositis in pediatric cancer patients.

Schools worldwide have implemented many different peer-led interventions with mixed results, but the evidence base on their effectiveness as mental health interventions remains limited. This study combines a scoping review and systematic review to map the variations of peer-led interventions in schools and to evaluate the quality of the existing evidence base. This scoping review and systematic review evaluated the existing literature across 11 academic databases. Studies were included if they reported a peer-led intervention that aimed to address a mental health or wellbeing issue using a peer from the same school setting. Data were extracted from published and unpublished reports and presented as a narrative synthesis. 54 studies met eligibility criteria for the scoping review, showing that peer-led interventions have been used to address a range of mental health and wellbeing issues globally. 11 studies met eligibility criteria for the systematic review with a total of 2,239 participants eligible for analysis (929 peer leaders; 1,310 peer recipients). Two studies out of seven that looked at peer leaders showed significant improvements in self-esteem and social stress, with one study showing an increase in guilt. Two studies out of five that looked at peer recipient outcomes showed significant improvements in self-confidence and in a quality of life measure, with one study showing an increase in learning stress and a decrease in overall mental health scores. The findings from these reviews show that despite widespread use of peer-led interventions, the evidence base for mental health outcomes is sparse. There appear to be better documented benefits of participation for those who are chosen and trained to be a peer leader, than for recipients. However, the small number of included studies means any conclusions about effectiveness are tentative.

/pdf/examining-the-mental-health-outcomes-of-school-based-peer-3oqz7eaawi.pdf

Examining the mental health outcomes of school-based peer-led interventions on young people: A scoping review of range and a systematic review of effectiveness.

The Effect of Oral Care with Chlorhexidine, Vitamin E and Honey on Mucositis in Pediatric Intensive Care Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Mothers of children with developmental disabilities suffer from tremendous stress and anxiety. These mothers may use religion and spirituality as coping mechanisms to help them adjust to changes em...

Spirituality as a coping method for mothers of children with developmental disabilities

Peer educators (PEs) have a significant role in providing education on various health issues like smoking, alcohol, and other substance use. This study aimed to determine the experiences and opinio...

Peer Education from the Perspective of Peer Educators

Dunyada yasanan gelismelere karsin yoksulluk cagimizin en onemli sorunu olmaya devam etmektedir. Yoksulluk ozellikle gelismekte olan ulkelerde yasayan insanlari etkilemekle birlikte gelismis ulkelerde de karsilasilan toplumsal sorunlardan birisidir. Gunumuzde gelismekte olan ulkelerde yasayan cocuklarin %40’i gunde bir dolarin altinda gelire sahiptir. Turkiye’de ise on bes yasindan kucuk cocuklarin neredeyse dortte biri ulusal yoksulluk siniri altinda bulunmaktadir. Saglik ve yoksulluk arasinda, diger bir deyisle bireyin ve ailelerin sosyo-ekonomik konumlari ile saglik durumlari arasinda yakin bir iliski bulunmaktadir. Fizik, sosyal ve biyolojik etkenlerin insan sagligi uzerindeki etkilerini birbirinden ayirmak olanaksizdir. Bu durumdan etkilenen en duyarli grup ise cocuklar olmaktadir. Yoksulluk icinde yasamak cocuklarin beslenme, hastalik ve kazalardan korunma, saglikli yasama, buyume ve gelisme acisindan gerekli olanaklardan yoksun kalmalarina neden olmaktadir. Yoksul aileler cocuklarina gelisimleri icin yeterli olanagi veremedikleri gibi onlari erken yasta calismaya zorlamaktadirlar. Cocuklar ya okula hic gidememekte veya okuldan alinip ise verilmektedirler. Dusuk gelirli bir ailede yasamak yetiskin donemde yoksullukla karsilasma olasiligini oldukca yukselttigi icin cocuk yoksullugu acil onlem alinmasi gereken konular arasinda yer almaktadir. Bu nedenle makalede yoksulluk kavrami ile Dunya’da ve Turkiye’de yoksulluk, yoksullugun cocuk sagligi uzerindeki onemi ve hemsirelik yaklasimlarini irdelemek amaclanmistir. Anahtar Kelimeler: Yoksulluk, cocuk yoksullugu, saglik, hemsirelik

/pdf/yoksullugun-cocuk-sagligi-uzerine-cok-boyutlu-etkileri-1pdmwyt87d.pdf

Yoksulluğun çocuk sağlığı üzerine çok boyutlu etkileri

This study aims to determine the rates of complementary and alternative medicine methods used by mothers of children with developmental disabilities, reasons for using methods, and comparison of methods according to diagnosis groups. The cohort in this cross-sectional and correlational study consisted of the mothers of 390 students with developmental disabilities; 77.2% of the mothers reported using at least one complementary and alternative medicine treatment. The highest level of use was found in the groups of mothers of children with cerebral palsy (100%) and autism spectrum disorder (88.5%). The most commonly used treatments were biological therapies consisting of special diets and multivitamins, manipulative and body-based methods including massage and exercise, and mind-body interventions such as prayer, wearing amulets, and seeking help from a Muslim preacher (hodja). However, mothers never used alternative medicine treatments such as homeopathy, acupuncture, or Ayurveda, nor did they use energy-based healing techniques such as reiki, tai chi, yoga, kinesiology, or neurofeedback exercises. Health care professionals, especially nurses as health care team members, should be knowledgeable and careful about the benefits, side effects, administration methods, and contraindications of complementary and alternative medicine treatments.

Dilek Konuk Şener

Papers

The Effect of Oral Care with Chlorhexidine, Vitamin E and Honey on Mucositis in Pediatric Intensive Care Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Spirituality as a coping method for mothers of children with developmental disabilities

Peer Education from the Perspective of Peer Educators

Yoksulluğun çocuk sağlığı üzerine çok boyutlu etkileri

Use of complementary and alternative medicine treatments by mothers of children with developmental disabilities: a cross sectional study.