Turkish Teachers' Response to the COVID-19 Crisis: Challenges and Opportunities

The present study examined teachers' perceptions of changes in their professional lives brought about by distance education during the COVID-19 outbreak. It was also aimed to explore how this particular global crisis and unprecedented times of education have affected teachers' motivation and their perceptions of the teaching profession. Twenty-two teachers working at different levels and types of K-12 schools in different cities in Turkey were interviewed by utilizing a phenomenological qualitative inquiry method. Our analysis showed that the obligatory transition to distance education created new opportunities and challenges for both teachers and students. While the teachers had emotional exhaustion, stress, and professional difficulties;distance education helped them develop new skills to better integrate educational technologies into classroom teaching. The findings also indicated that the COVID-19 crisis reinforced deep-rooted inequities in the Turkish education context. This study offers several implications for policymakers and educators to plan educational recovery from COVID-19.

Evaluation of the effect values of risk factors by clustering method in patients who died due to COVID-19 disease

Objectives: The aim of this study is to determine the factors that may be associated with mortality in patients who died due to COVID-19 and to determine the effect sizes of the factors that make a statistically significant difference. Method(s): The patients who died due to COVID-19 between 01.03.2020 and 01.03.2021 in Bursa province were evaluated retrospectively. In addition to demographic information such as age, gender, nationality, existing chronic diseases of the patients, COVID- PCR test results, length of hospital stay, intensive care unit follow up times, intubation application times were recorded. The effect size of the variables on mortality were evaluated. Result(s): Total of 3,510 deaths due to COVID-19 were evaluated. Of these, 2107 (60%) were male and 1403 (40%) were female. Three thousand three hundred and seventy-four (96.12%) patients are 50 years or older. In both sexes, the highest number of deaths were in the age range of 70-79. The most common comorbidities were hypertension (HT) (n = 1,182;34.16%) and diabetes mellitus (DM) (n = 776;22.43%). HT and DM had a strong effect value between the groups (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, phi effect values: 0.661 and 0.681, respectively). Although there was a statistically significant difference for the age variable, it had an insignificant effect value (p = 0.008, delta = 0.074). Conclusion(s): Risk factors frequently reported for COVID-19 deaths but there are no studies showing the true effect values. In this study, HT and DM had a strong effect separately, gender and coronary artery disease (CAD) variables were moderate, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer and other chronic disease variables had weak effect values, age and non-lung cancers had insignificant effect. Copyright © 2022 by Prusa Medical Publishing.

THE EFFECT OF RELIGIOUS COPING ON GERIATRIC ANXIETY IN A GROUP OF OLDER TURKISH WOMEN DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC PERIOD

Purpose: This study aims to determine the effect of religious coping on geriatric anxiety in a group of older Turkish women during the COVID-19 pandemic period. Methods: Implementing a cross-sectional research design, this study was conducted on 356 women who visited the women’s health clinics, for various reasons, in a hospital in Elazig, Turkey, between January and February 2021. Data were collected using a sociodemographic form, the COVID-19 Phobia Scale, the Religious Coping Scale, and the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory. Results: The study determined that 78.4% of the women were between 60 and 70 years old, 43.0% had a basic level of literacy, 82.9% were married, 45.8% had equal income and expenditures, and 69.9% were housewives. Data showed 87.9% of the women had chronic diseases and 45.2% had difficulties accessing hospital services. The relationship between geriatric anxiety and the age and marital status of participants was significant. Women aged 71 to 81 years and single women had a higher risk of geriatric anxiety;unemployed women were found to have more geriatric anxiety. Those with geriatric anxiety perceived their health status to be moderate. The negative religious coping score was found to be statistically significantly higher in the older women who experienced geriatric anxiety. Conclusion: These results reveal the importance of supporting older women in coping with fear and geriatric anxiety. Old age often brings loneliness and loss of income for women and those forced to remain at home due to restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic period need to be considered holistically.

COVID-19 IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which started in China in December 2019 and spread all over the world, is more progressive in patients who are elderly and with chronic diseases. Especially, kidney involvement affects the survival of patients. In this study, we analysed COVID-19 patients who developed acute kidney injury treated in our unit, retrospectively. METHOD: The clinical and laboratory data of 610 patients who were hospitalized due to COVID-19 pandemic between 1 June 2020 and 30 June 2021 in the intensive care and other clinics of our hospital were evaluated from the records, retrospectively. A total of 140 patients were diagnosed with AKI according to the criteria of Kidney Disease Global Outcomes (KDIGO). The patients were divided into two groups as KDIGO stages 1 and 2 and 3. RESULTS: The median age in both groups was 70 (35-92) and 73 (35-90) years. Approximately 70% of them were >65 years old. Almost all of the patients had hypertension. Most of the patients were using angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inh) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) (84%). AKI was present at the time of admission (61.9%) in the KDIGO 1 group and at the time of hospitalization (64.3%) in the KDIGO 2, 3 groups. The mortality rate was higher in stage 2-3 AKI patients (35.7%). Ferritin and fibrinogen levels were high in the KDIGO 2, 3 group, while lymphocyte levels were low. CONCLUSION: AKI can be seen at the time of admission and during treatment in patients who are hospitalized and treated due to COVID-19. COVID-19 is more mortal in patients with advanced AKI. (Table Presented).

Did Covid-19 Precautions and Lockdowns Cause Better Air Quality? Empirical Findings from Turkish Provinces

The Covid-19 pandemic have dramatically affected the socio-economic structure in the world since governments put into action considerable precautions including lockdowns to reduce the speed of the contagion. Focusing on this point, we empirically investigate the environmental outcomes of the Covid-19 precautions and lockdowns in Turkey. The empirical analysis through the data obtained from different measurement stations indicate that the air pollution in the selected Turkish cities decreased due to the implemented precautions. The findings suggest that the Covid-19 might be an opportunity to rethink some economic and behavioral practices, as demonstrated by the reduction in the emission of air pollutants.

In COVID-19 suspicion without severe manifestations, chest ct sensitivity is not sufficient for triage: a single-centre experience

Objectives: In Coronavirus diseases-2019 (COVID-19), chest computed tomography's (CT) benefits are controversial in the subgroup of asymptomatic and mild-to-moderate symptomatic individuals. Since most patients are in this subgroup, for triage, it is necessary to choose the diagnostic tool with the highest diagnostic performance and the least risk. We aimed to evaluate chest CT findings and the initial chest CT's sensitivity in individuals suspected of COVID-19 with no severe disease manifestations. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective study. Symptomatic individuals who had mild-to-moderate clinical manifestations and asymptomatic individuals who had close contact with confirmed COVID-19 positive patient were eligible. Presenting severe clinical manifestations was excluded. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and chest CT were performed on admission day. Consecutive nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swab sampling, tested by RT-PCR, were accepted as the reference standard for definitive diagnosis of COVID-19.

The association between coronaphobia and attitude towards COVID-19 Vaccine: A sample in the east of Turkey.

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to examine the association between coronaphobia and attitude towards COVID-19 vaccine in the society. METHODS: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with snowball sampling method between December 30, 2020 and January 10, 2021. The survey form was sent online to individuals who were 18 years of age and older. 1252 individuals who responded to the surveys were included in the study. The data were collected by using "Descriptive Information Form", "Attitudes towards the Covid-19 vaccine scale" and "Coronavirus 19 Phobia Scale (CP19-S)". Descriptive statistics and Pearson Correlation analysis were used in the evaluation of data. RESULTS: In the study, it was found that the participants had a mean ATV-COVID-19 scale positive attitude sub-dimension score of 2.81±1.04, while they had a mean negative attitude sub-dimension score of 2.95±0.78 and a mean total score of 2.89±0.78. It was found that the participants had a mean C19P-S psychological sub-dimension score of 21.03±5.36, a mean psychosomatic sub-dimension score of 10.30±4.11, a mean social sub-dimension score of 15.04±4.71, a mean economic sub-dimension score of 8.89±3.46 and a mean total scale score of 55.28±15.00. It was found in the study that there was a positive association between the participants' C19P-S and social sub-dimension and ATV-COVID-19 and positive attitude sub-dimension, while there was a negative association between ATV-COVID-19 and negative attitude sub-dimension (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: It was found that the participants had a moderate level of coronavirus phobia and positive attitudes towards the vaccine. It was found that positive attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccine increased as the coronavirus phobia increased.

Investigation of Parents’ Opinions About Distance Education During The COVID-19 Pandemic

The purpose of the current study is to investigate the distance education given via the Education Information Network platform, TRT EBA-TV and EBA live lesson during the Covid-19 pandemic on the basis of parents’ opinions. The current study employing the survey model was conducted with the participation of 709 parents. The research data were collected by an online questionnaire prepared by the researchers. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. As a result of the study, it was determined that during the distance education process, parents ensured that their children followed the lessons and motivated them, and students were eager to participate in the lessons. It was determined that student motivation was negatively affected for reasons such as connection problems and being closed at home during the pandemic. Parents stated that their awareness of their children’s education increased and they better understood the value of the teacher and school. It was revealed that there were technical problems in the process but support was received for the problems encountered. Though the parents think that face-to-face education cannot be replaced by distance education, they are of the opinion that distance education was good during the pandemic so that their children did not get alienated from the school. © 2021. All rights reserved.