Intercultural and Ethical Sensitivity Levels of Healthcare Professionals and Related Factors.

AIM: This study was conducted to determine the intercultural and ethical sensitivity levels of healthcare professionals working in primary healthcare institutions and related factors. METHOD: This is a cross-sectional study. It conducted between January 2020 and January 2021 on healthcare professionals working in primary healthcare institutions in a western province in Turkey. The population of the study consisted of 679 healthcare professionals working in family healthcare centers, and the sample consisted of 265 healthcare professionals. In the research, a questionnaire form including personal characteristics, Intercultural Sensitivity Scale, and Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire were used. RESULTS: Healthcare professionals' Intercultural Sensitivity Scale total score was 92.96 ± 11.96, and Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire total score was 94.13 ± 25.88. Intercultural sensitivity level increased depending on the status of gender, marital status, level of education, having a friend from different countries, and providing care for patients with different cultural characteristics, and ethical sensitivity level increased depending on the geographical region in which the person was raised. As the ethical sensitivity of healthcare professionals increased, the level of intercultural sensitivity increased (p < .05). CONCLUSION: In line with the findings obtained, it was concluded that the individual characteristics of healthcare professionals were effective on the scale scores.

Determining health promoting behaviours, self-rated health, life satisfaction and loneliness among older persons.

OBJECTIVE: To determine relationship between health-promoting behaviours and loneliness, and between life satisfaction and self-rated health among the elderly. METHODS: The cross-sectional study was conducted from June to November 2020 in Aydin, Turkey, after approval from the ethics review committee at Ege University, Izmir, Turkey, and comprised individuals of either gender aged >65 years. Data was collected through face-to-face interviews using a data-collection form with questions to identify independent variables and the geriatric health protective behaviour scale. Data was analysed using SPSS 23. RESULTS: Of the 661 subjects, 334(50.5%) were females and 327(49.5%) were males. The largest group was of those aged 65-69 years 270(40.8%), while the smallest group comprised those aged 74-79 years 94(14.2%). Overall, 19(2.9%) subjects perceived their health as very good, while 161(24.4%) described it as good. Subjects aged 65-69 years, who had secondary education, whose perception of household income was good, who were not disabled, who did not feel lonely and who were regularly visited had higher scores (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Health-promoting behaviours are affected by an individual's socioeconomic conditions as well as their life satisfaction, feeling of loneliness and perception of health.

Attitudes towards human milk banking among native turkish and refugee women residing in a rural region of Turkey: a mixed-methods approach.

BACKGROUND: Human milk banks (HMB) play an essential role by providing human milk to infants who would otherwise not be able to receive mother's milk. There is currently no donor milk bank in Turkey. For any new health intervention to be successful, determining its acceptability is a vital first step. This study intends to determine the opinions, knowledge, and attitudes of native Turkish and refugee women living in Çestepe, Aydin, a rural area in Turkey, about HMB. METHODS: A population-based cross-sectional, mixed-methods study was conducted. Qualitative study data were collected through in-depth interviews with 33 women, and quantitative study data were collected using a questionnaire. A total of 271 women in the region were included in the study. Qualitative data were thematically analyzed and then a conceptual framework was created. Logistic regression was performed for quantitative data. RESULTS: Fifty-seven point nine per cent of the women were willing to donate breast milk, whereas only 27.7% were willing to use donor milk for their babies. Religious concerns, fear of infectious diseases, and distrust in people they did not know were among the reasons for the negative attitudes of the women. Fear of infectious diseases was mentioned specifically by native Turkish women, and religious concerns were reported both by native Turkish and refugee women. The importance of breast milk and religion were among the reasons for positive attitudes. Additionally, odds of having a positive attitude were 4.19 times higher in homemaker women (95% CI 2.0, 8.76); 4.77 times higher in women with three or more children (95% CI 1.25, 8.15); 6.12 times higher in women who had a positive attitude towards wet nursing (95% CI 3.14, 9.63); and 2.68 times higher in those who had previously heard about human milk banking (95% CI 1.24, 5.79). CONCLUSION: Attitudes towards HMB are affected by religion, cultural beliefs, and concerns about the safety of breast milk in HMBs. Refugees and native Turkish women are found to have similar religious concerns. These findings should be taken into consideration in human milk banking initiatives and in activities to increase acceptance by the public.

Sun protection behaviour of agricultural workers and associated factors in West of Turkey.

Objective: To determine sun-protection behaviours and related factors of agricultural workers in western Turkey. METHODS: The cross-sectional, analytical study was conducted from January to October 2019 in Aydin province, Turkey, after approval from the ethics review committee of the Aydin Adnan Menderes University, Aydin. The study sample comprised agricultural workers of either gender. Data was collected using the Sun Protection Behaviour Scale. Data was analysed using SPSS 21. RESULTS: Of the 254 subjects, 127(50%) each were males and females. Mean overall Sun Protection Behaviour Scale score was 20.29±5.61 and there was no significant differences in terms of gender, marital status and socioeconomic stratification (p>0.05). Sun Avoidance and Sunscreen Use subscale scores were high for female workers, while Hat Use behaviour score was high for the males (p<0.05). Conclusion: The sun-protection level of agricultural workers was not found to be sufficient, with males, those with sunburn, and those having no knowledge about skin cancer showing more risky behaviours.

Burden on caregivers of dementia patients and affecting factors in Turkey: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the burden on the caregivers of dementia patients and the factors affecting the perception of it. METHODS: The current systematic review was done in Turkey and comprised a search between October 2019 and March 2020 on Turkish and English indices, including the Turkish Academic Network and Information Center database, Web of Science, PubMed, Education Resources Information Centre, Medline, SocINDEX, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PsycINFO, Google Scholar, Ulusal Tez Merkezi, Dergipark and Turk Medline. The key words used were 'Demans', 'alzheimer', 'bakim verenler', 'hastalik yükü', 'dementia', 'alzheimer's', 'caregivers' and 'burden of illness'. Studies included were those having been conducted from 2010 to 2019 and which used the Personal Information Form, the Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale and the Caregiver Burden Inventory. RESULTS: Of the 4,182 studies initially found, 502(12%) were accessed using Turkish key words, and 3,680(88%) using English key words. Overall, 16(0.38%) studies met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed. There were 2,060 caregivers and 414 patients in these studies. A high number of variables affected caregiver burden. Patient-related variables reported in multiple studies included time spent on caregiving, dementia stage, patient's age and level of patient's dependence. CONCLUSIONS: The most frequently reported caregiver-related variables which increased caregiver burden were being female, younger age, being unemployed, older age, lower education level.

Descriptors of living alone for elders: based on Turkey national data.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study is to analyze the data of the 2018 Turkey Demographic and Health Survey and determine personal and demographic factors associated with elderly who are 60 and older and living alone. METHODS: This cross-sectional study is the secondary analysis of the national data obtained with the 2018 Turkey Demographic and Health Survey. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate differences in living alone based on gender, age, welfare status, region of residence, urban/rural residence, whether the person is working in a paid job and home ownership. Independent effect of every variable is observed in the first stage and then checked for all variables in the equation. RESULTS: There is a total of 37,897 participants' data in the Turkey Demographic and Health Survey Database. In the study, there are 6244 (16.5%) older adults in 11,056 households and 9.79% of the elderly population is alone. The percentage of elderly women living alone is 13.62% while this percentage is 5.48% for elderly men (p < 0.001). The risk of living alone for elderly women is 2.74 times more than elderly men (95% Cl 2.28-3.31). Being poor increases the risk of living alone for elderly people 2.84 fold compared to being rich (95% Cl 2.17-3.71). Those who have high school and higher education level have 2.38 (95% Cl 1.73-3.29) fold higher risk of living alone than people with lower education. Older adults living in the Western region of the country have 3.18 (95% Cl 2.20-4.59) times higher risk of living alone than older adults living in the Eastern region of the country. The risk of living alone for older adults increases 1.90 fold (95% Cl 1.55-2.32) if the house they live in do not belong to a household member. CONCLUSION: Based on these findings, needs of older adults under risk should be met to allow them to be healthy and live their lives in better social, economic and cultural conditions.

Autonomy Levels and Professional Attitudes of Nurse Educators.

AIM: This study aimed to determine the autonomy levels and the professional attitudes of nurse educators. METHODS: This study was a descriptive, cross-sectional design. Total of 486 people, including 172 faculty members, 103 lecturers, and 211 research assistants were included in this study. The individual information form, Sociotropy-Autonomy Scale autonomy subscale, and the inventory of professional attitude at occupation were used to collect the research data. RESULTS: The mean age of academics participating in the study was 35.14±8.39. In total, 94.2% of them were women. Of the academics, 35.5% were faculty members, 21.2% were lecturers, and 43.4% were research assistants. The mean autonomy score was 80.04±15.69 and the mean score of the professional attitude inventory was 146±10.59. The mean autonomy score was found to be the highest among professors, the mean score of professional attitudes inventory was highest among associate professors, while the mean value of both scale scores was the lowest in research assistants. CONCLUSION: According to the research findings, it was concluded that the autonomy levels of the nurse educators were above average, their professionalism was at a high level, and they developed more professional attitude as the professional experience increased.

Oral health status and oral health related quality of life in adolescent workers.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Oral health status and oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) of working adolescents has been very little reported in literature. Therefore, this study aimed to determine oral health status and OHRQoL in a group of adolescent workers. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in an apprentice training center in western Turkey between December 2016 and January 2017. The study group population was 585, and the sample size was 514 students between 14 and 18 years old. The Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) Index, the Turkish version of the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14), and a form requesting the socio-demographic information of the students were used as data collection tools. Permissions were obtained from the relevant school, parents, students, and ethical committee. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Student's t-test, and the Pearson correlation coefficient. RESULTS: The results showed significant relationships between the tooth brushing frequency, dental visit frequency, dental trauma history, smoking, and the OHIP-14 subdomains (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Poor oral health and a lack of good oral health attitudes may have negative impact on the oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) of working adolescents. Dental health education programs in collaboration with schools and dental health services may be beneficial for promoting oral health and improving the OHRQoL of working adolescents.

The impact of health behaviours development training on healthy lifestyle behaviours amongst adolescents with obesity risk: A school example in a city in western Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of health behaviours development training on healthy lifestyle. METHODS: This pre-experiment research was conducted at a junior high school governed by Aydin Provincial Directorate of National Education in Aydin, Turkey, from November 2014 to December 2015, and comprised students. All the students with obesity risk were included. Participants were asked to complete the questionnaire, and Healthy Lifestyle Behaviours Scale II.SPSS 18 was used for data analysis. RESULTS: Of the 1,042 students, 78(7.48%) were included in the study. Of them, 38(48.7%) were girls and 40(51.3%) were boys. The overall mean age was 11.77±0.92 years. It was found that healthy lifestyle behaviour improved after the training (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents assessed with the Healthy Lifestyle Behaviour Scale II had higher post-training scores.

Problem solving, loneliness, depression levels and associated factors in high school adolescents.

OBJECTIVES: To determine problem solving, loneliness, depression levels and associated factors in high school adolescents. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a city west of Turkey (Bursa) in a public high school and the population was 774 and the sampling was 394 students. Students to be included in the study were selected using the multiple sampling method. A personal Information Form with 23 questions, Problem Solving Inventory (PSI), Loneliness Scale (UCLA), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were used as data collection tools in the study. Basic statistical analyses, t-test, Kruskall Wallis-H, One Way Anova and Pearson Correlation test were used to evaluate the data. Necessary permissions were obtained from the relevant institution, students, parents and the ethical committee. RESULTS: The study found significant differences between "problem solving level" and family type, health assessment, life quality and mothers', fathers' siblings' closeness level; between "loneliness level" and gender, family income, health assessment, life quality and mothers', fathers', siblings' closeness level; between "depression level" and life quality, family income, fathers' closeness level. CONCLUSION: Unfavorable socio-economic and cultural conditions can have an effect on the problem solving, loneliness and depression levels of adolescents. Providing structured education to adolescents at risk under school mental health nursing practices is recommended.

Loneliness in Elderly People, Associated Factors and Its Correlation with Quality of Life: A Field Study from Western Turkey.

BACKGROUND: This study examined the factors that affect loneliness of older people and their relationship with quality of life. METHODS: Data in this cross-sectional study were collected through survey form, UCLA Loneliness Scale and Quality of Life (QOL) Short Form (SF-36) Scale. The total number of elderly people over the age of 65 yr from whom the study population was chosen was 4,170. The study population was determined as 190 with G-power program by taking impact size 0.362, α=0.05, power (1-ß) =0.80 at a confidence level of 95% and a substitute group composing of 10 individuals was added. In total, 83.2% (n=174) of the target population was reached via Multi-Stage Sampling Methods. RESULTS: UCLA Loneliness median score of the participants was 33 (25(th)p= 27, 75(th)p= 40). It was found that the existence of chronic diseases and physical handicaps, regular use of medication, lack of hobbies and living with spouse increased loneliness (P<0.05). A negative relationship was identified between all sub-scales in the QOL scale and loneliness. CONCLUSION: Loneliness negatively affects QOL in old age and that the existence of chronic health problems and lack of hobbies are strong predictors for loneliness. Elderly people living alone must be evaluated as a high-risk group and thus policy makers and health personnel should be aware of the factors that can affect loneliness. In order to increase life quality of the aged population and psychological well-being of the elderly, social support systems must be taken into account and the elderly should be encouraged to participate in social activities.

Skin cancer knowledge and sun protection behavior among nursing students.

AIM: The objective of this study was to determine skin cancer knowledge and sun protection behavior among nursing students. METHODS: A total of 1178 nursing students in the Aegean Region of Turkey took part in this descriptive study. A score for knowledge on protection against skin cancer and a score for protective behavior against skin cancer were calculated. RESULTS: In this study, first year students sunbathed more in the middle of the day than fourth year students, and their knowledge of skin cancer was lower. No statistical difference was determined for protective behavior between the two groups. The knowledge levels and protective behavior of first year students were alarmingly low, but the average scores for knowledge and behavior of the fourth year university students were higher. The knowledge levels of the fourth year students were average but their protective behavior was insufficient. It was found that the knowledge levels and the levels of protective behavior of light-skinned students were higher. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that the knowledge levels and protective behavior of first year nursing students against the harmful effects of the sun and for protection against skin cancer were alarmingly low. It also showed that the knowledge levels of the fourth year nursing students were average, but that their protective behavior was very insufficient. These findings suggest that it is of extreme importance to acquire knowledge and behavior for protection against skin cancers in the education of nursing students.

Domestic violence during pregnancy in an eastern city of Turkey: a field study.

Violence is an increasing and important community health problem that can be seen in any area of human life. Limited studies were found about domestic violence among pregnant women and its relation with social status of women. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and types of domestic violence during pregnancy, factors affecting it, women's thoughts about violence, and relation between social status of women and domestic violence. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 253 pregnant women, using cluster and simple random sampling methods. Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis methods were used to analyze the data. Women who indicated that they have been exposed to violence at some point of their lives were 24.1% and who indicated that violence continued while they were pregnant were 11.1%. Physical violence was the most common type of violence reported (18.2%). It was found that women who had primary school or lower level of education and who made unwanted marriage suffered from more violence during pregnancy. It can be said that violence against pregnant women is still a social problem. In societies where gender roles are dominant, decision makers have to take necessary steps such as supporting education of girls to improve social status of women, increasing awareness among women in regard to personal rights and legal regulations which will contribute to the solution of the issue.