Introduction: The COVID-19 epidemic and its restrictions have affected all aspects of people’s lives, including health-related quality of life and, considering sexuality as an integral part of ...individual needs, also intimacy and sexuality. Therefore, the aim of this article was to investigate women’s sexual functioning and health-related quality of life assessment in Slovenian women in the reproductive period. Methods: An online survey with valid questionnaires (short form 36 SF-36 and Female sexual function index FSFI-19) was conducted in January 2022. All research ethical measures were taken to ensure the integrity of the participants. Results: The FSFI scale score was 25.37 ± 8.29, 1.18 points above the cutoff point, indicating a higher risk of sexual dysfunction (26.55). The estimated prevalence of sexual dysfunction was 36.8%, with sexual desire being the most problematic area. The mean score on the SF-36 scale in our sample reached 73.52 ± 13.84 on a 100-point scale, with 0 representing the worst and 100 the best quality of life; fatigue (x̅ = 48.50) was the most problematic category. The results partly reflect the results of foreign studies, but we must be aware of cultural differences in the understanding of sexuality and keep in mind that some countries faced difficult circumstances during the COVID-19 pandemic and that social constraints were different in 2020 than in 2022. Conclusion: The epidemic affected the sexual function of women of reproductive age and their perception of (health-related) quality of life.
The aim was to investigate first-care procedures for the newborn's umbilical cord at maternity hospitals in Slovenia and Croatia. The study was based on an empirical survey research approach and ...quantitative research paradigms and included all Slovenian (n=14) and all Croatian (n=35) maternity hospitals. Leaders of midwifery team of 14 Slovenian and 35 Croatian labor wards were invited to participate. The study was conducted in 2013, with 67% of Slovenian and 66% of Croatian maternity hospitals having responded. A causal and non-experimental method of empirical research was used. The research instrument was a questionnaire. Descriptive statistics was used on data analysis. The independence hypothesis was tested with the χ2-test or Kullback 2Î-test. A vast ma-jority of study wards employed delayed umbilical cord clamping, i.e. clamping the cord after pulsa-tion had ceased. Only 10% of Slovenian in comparison with 36.4% of Croatian maternity hospitals practiced dry cord care. Others applied disinfectant on the cord, in Slovenia most frequently 6% po-tassium permanganate, and in Croatia a combination of octenidine and phenoxyethanol. Most Croa-tian -maternity wards (95.7%) still covered the stump, while it was not regular practice in Slovenia. The authors estimate that the prevailing Slovenian and Croatian practices in regard to cord clamping are in accordance with the evidence, while improvements could be made regarding stump care, since dry cord care is the recommended method.
Mreža središč za samostojno učenje (SSU) je ena od starejših infrastrukturnih dejavnosti, razvitih na Andragoškem centru Slovenije (ACS). Z razvojem organiziranega samostojnega učenja se je ACS začel ...ukvarjati leta 1993 v želji po vzpostaviti in širjenju kulture organiziranega samostojnega učenja v Sloveniji. V letu 2017 je v mreži SSU delovalo 36 splošnoizobraževalnih središč in dve podružnici, kjer so udeleženci SSU lahko samostojno in brezplačno pridobivali in utrjevali znanje ob podpori strokovnih delavcev SSU. Podatki kažejo, da se število udeležencev SSU z leti povečuje. V času od 2014 do danes so nastale mnoge nove pobude ter bili sprejeti številni strateški dokumenti tako na nacionalni kot tudi evropski in svetovni ravni, ki prav tako podpirajo delovanje SSU. V prispevku prikazujemo rezultate raziskovalno-aplikativnega projekta, v okviru katerega smo izsledili, da se v Sloveniji pojavlja potreba po razvoju, dopolnjevanju in nadgradnji delovanja SSU, na področjih, ki jih v prispevku predstavljamo v obliki razvitih priporočil za nadaljnji razvoj SSU.
Episiotomy is a surgical cut of the perineum performed in the second stage of labor in order to widen the vaginal opening and thus facilitate the birth of an infant. Despite current recommendations ...against the routine use of episiotomy, it is one of the most commonly performed surgical interventions during childbirth. This retrospective study explores the number of episiotomies performed in Slovenian maternity hospitals and the differences in episiotomy rates in relation to parity. Data were obtained from the Slovenian National Perinatal Information System and pooled for 2013. A causal and non‐experimental method of empirical research was used. The results of the study show that episiotomy rates vary widely across Slovenian maternity hospitals, ranging from 2.5% to 51.7%. Moreover, the majority of Slovenian maternity hospitals exceed the recommended rate, with an overall incidence of episiotomy as high as 31.3%. Further research is recommended to obtain relevant information from women as well as from midwives and to draw new, evidence‐based conclusions related to the maternal benefits and adverse effects of episiotomy.
The purpose of the study was to identify views of Slovenian midwifery students about menstruation. We were interested in whether opinions about menstruation change during the study of midwifery and ...whether perceptions are affected by a midwifery philosophy that promotes the physiology of female reproduction. We used a descriptive and causal non-experimental empirical method with a literature review of professional and scientific references as a first step. Findings were upgraded with quantitative findings. Descriptive statistics were performed; statistically significant differences were determined by χ2 -test and Kullback 2Î test. A high proportion of respondents reported negative feelings about menarche, however they were currently in general positive towards menstruation; third-year students were more positive than first-year students. Compared with past Slovenian studies, performed in the general population of students, midwifery students show more open attitudes regarding menstruation, which may partially be the result of promoting a physiological view on menstruation and reproduction throughout the study programme. Based on our results we conclude that the socialisation processes that occurs during professional midwifery education should promote and encourage a midwifery model of care which is based on respect for the intricacy of physiology; in this case the menstrual and reproductive cycle. Midwifery study programmes that enable practical training in settings that promote physiological birth promote better midwifery philosophy about the physiology of female reproductive cycles; therefore these students take a more physiological view of menstruation.
In Slovenia there is a unitary system of early education for all preschool-aged children. Since the vast majority of children attend full-day programmes, the daily routine represents a significant ...part of life for children in kindergarten. When systemic and curricular reform of preschools was introduced at the end of the twentieth century, lot of attention was paid to changing the previously rigid and non-individualised daily routine. This article presents some of the findings of a research project that introduced principles of Reggio Emilia preschools in Italy to preschool teachers in Slovenia and concerned indirectly the daily routine. The focus was on whether and in what manner the daily routine changed in the decade after the introduction of the new national curriculum, and whether the mentioned training influenced these changes. The results show increased flexibility of the daily routine in teachers' practices but the picture is not uniformly positive.
The network of Centres for self-directed learning (CSDL) is among the older infrastructure activities developed by the Slovenian institute for adult education (SIAE). Following the development of ...self-directed learning, the SIAE began to focus on establishing and extending the culture of self-directed learning in Slovenia in 1993. In 2017, there were 36 CSDLs and 2 branches within the CSDL network, where CSDL participants were able to independently and freely strengthen and acquire knowledge with the support of CSDL experts, counsellors or mentors in organised self-directed learning. Data shows that the number of CSDL participants has increased over the years. From 2014 until now, many new initiatives have been created and many strategic documents have been developed and accepted at the national, European and global levels, which also support the work of the CSDLs. The article also presents the results of a research-applicative project used to develop recommendations for facing future challenges and implementing updates. Results show that there is a need to research-applied project, which found that there is a need to develop, supplement and upgrade the operation of CSDLs in Slovenia in specific areas, and provides recommendations for the further development of CSDLs.