Effects of passive smoking in the work place on expiration air carbon monoxide [CO] and carboxihemoglobin [COHB] levels: results of a survey in Turkey

To assess the prevalence of smoking and the effects of passive smoking among bank employees. This cross-sectional study was conducted between 2001 and 2002. Data was collected through questionnaire. The level of Carbon Monoxide [CO] and the percentage of Carboxihemogtobin [COHb] level in the blood were measured by using Bendfond Pico Smokertyser. Chi-square and ANOVA were used. Six hundred fifty four respondents participated in the study which included 384 [58.7%] male and 267 [40.6%] female. The mean value for CO in the expiration air was 14.57 +/- 11.1 ppm [[18.49 +/- 11.21, 7.74 +/- 5.71 and 4.85 +/- 2.35; for current smokers, non-smokers with current exposure and non-smokers without current exposure, respectively [p<0.001]]. The mean value for COHb% was 2.97 +/- 1.9 [[3.60 +/- 1.88, 1.80 +/- 1.17 and 1.21 +/- 0.99; for current smokers, non-smokers with current exposure and non-smokers without current exposure, respectively [p<0.001]. Passive smoking is still a significant health problem in the work place. Anti-tobacco implementations should be carried out strictly in all work places

Adolescent pregnancy in West Turkey. Cross sectional surgery of married adolescents

The purpose of this research was to determine both the fertility characteristics of married adolescent women in Denizli province center and the adolescent pregnancy rate and also some factors that could occur with adolescent pregnancy. This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Denizli province center in the year 2001. According to the Turkish Demographic Health Survey 1998 statistics, the percentage of married adolescents between 15-19 years of age who have begun to give birth is 9.3-10.2%. The sample size of 3471 was determined using Epi Info software. To reach this sample size, 5 of the 25 health clinics in Denizli province center were chosen by simple random sampling method. Approximately 6.4% of the adolescents were married, 4.9% had been pregnant as an adolescent, 4.8% had delivered a baby, 23.3% of the married adolescents had never been pregnant, 23.3% were pregnant with their first child, and 51.2% were mothers; 76.7% had been pregnant one or more times. The majority of the married adolescent women in the research group [57.2%] do not use any method of family planning, followed by 15.7% who use an intrauterine device. Age, lower degree of education [less than 8 years] and unemployment were identified as risk factors for adolescent pregnancy. The results of this study suggest that although the frequency of adolescent pregnancy in the region is lower than the mean value in Turkey, it is higher compared with other countries. Age, education <8 years and unemployment are risk factors for adolescent pregnancy