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Objective To examine the knowledge that healthy pregnant women have of appropriate actions to take in response to hypothetical symptoms of preterm labor. Design This was a descriptive, correlational study using a convenience sample. Setting Subjects were recruited from the private practices of obstetricians and nurse-midwives. Participants Three hundred twenty pregnant women who were between 20 and 32 weeks gestation were asked to complete a 17-item demographic information sheet and an 18-item Health Pregnancy Questionnaire while waiting for prenatal visits. Questionnaires from 269 women were appropriate for analysis. Results Most respondents could select appropriate action responses to items that identified obvious symptoms of being in preterm labor. In response to three questions that posed hypothetical preterm labor symptoms that were more subtle or were similar to normally occurring discomforts of pregnancy, between 26% and 35% of the women selected a choice that would have delayed entry into care. With a 95% confidence interval, significant positive relationships were found between selecting best responses and having experienced a previous preterm labor and maternal age. Conclusion This study supports the need for all pregnant women to receive information on identification of preterm labor symptoms and appropriate actions to take with regard to these symptoms.

The extent to which theory and research were interrelated in 142 gerontologic nursing studies was examined using the Theory-Research Linkage Inventory, an instrument developed by the authors. Forty-six percent of the studies reviewed were related in varying degrees to a specific theory or model. Strengths and limitations were identified for the conceptual, empirical, and interpretive phases of the studies. However, the most problematic was the interpretive phase, where study findings and implications for practice should be linked to theory. Factors influencing the primarily unidirectional theory-research linkage are examined, and recommendations for the advancement of gerontologic nursing science are offered.

Questionnaires were mailed to 45 primiparous lactating women at six weeks postpartum to measure their perceived social support and its influence on lactation outcomes. Also evaluated were the size and structures of their support networks. Subjects were asked to share their thoughts and feelings regarding breastfeeding. There were no statistically significant differences between perceived support scores of women who considered themselves successful or those women who felt unsuccessful in their lactation experience.There was a significant correlation between numbers of health care provider support, informational support and perception of successful lactation. Thematic analysis identified differences in personality characteristics and focus ofbreastfeeding concerns. Increasing a woman's informational support network to include qualified health care professionals may increase the numbers of women who are satisfied with their breastfeeding experience.

This study was conducted to determine the association between the presence of somatic symptoms (couvade syndrome) and the amount of paternal-role preparation attained by 64 expectant fathers. Thirty-five men in the sample identified more than two symptoms; most frequently, restlessness, increased appetite, and difficulty sleeping. Men experiencing symptoms scored higher on scales measuring paternal-role preparation than men not experiencing symptoms.