Effects of the supportive care needs of patients with cancer on their comfort levels.

BACKGROUND: Providing supportive care to patients with cancer and improving their comfort levels can promote their adjustment to the disease, compliance with treatment and improve their quality of life. AIM: The aim of this cross-sectional, descriptive study was to identify the effects of the supportive care needs of cancer patients on their comfort levels. METHODS: The study was performed in the oncology department of a university hospital. A total of 153 cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy constituted the sample. The data collection procedure included the Supportive Care Needs Survey (SCNS) and the General Comfort Questionnaire (GCQ). RESULTS: The SCNS scores of the patients were low (Mean±SD: 75.13±27.93). The socio-cultural dimension of the GCQ was the most adversely influenced area of comfort. There was a negative relationship between needs and comfort levels (rs=-0.69, p<0.01). Lower scores of comfort were associated with higher scores of SCNS (ß=-0.487; ß=-0.316; ß=-0.958, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy were supported in meeting their physical and psychological needs and performing their activities of daily living and care during their hospital stay. Patients with higher support needs had lower comfort levels.

Turkish Validation and Reliability of the EORTC QLQ-CR29 Quality of Life Scale for Colorectal Cancer.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to test the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer, Quality of Life Questionnaire-Colorectal Cancer Scale, and to evaluate the relationship between the factors affecting the quality of life in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). METHODS: 117 patients diagnosed with CRC and treated at the Training and Research Hospital were included. A Personal Information Form, questionnaires on the Quality of Life in Cancer Patients, Quality of Life in Patients with CRC, and the Adaptation Scale for Individuals with Ostomy were used. RESULTS: The validity and reliability of the KKHYK scale were found significant (P < .05). From the demographic data of the patients, the differences between 3 sub-dimensions, grouping according to gender, and 2 sub-dimensions were statistically significant. In the characteristics related to the disease, the differences between the groups were significant; for one for the diagnosis time of the disease, 2 dimensions in the adaptation parameter (P < .05). CONCLUSION: The Turkish version of the scale is a measurement tool with validity and reliability indicators to measure the quality of life of patients with CRC. It was concluded that patients did not have sufficient knowledge about their disease, and that this increased the burden of nursing care.

The attitudes of nursing students regarding the complementary and alternative medicine

The aim of this study was to determine the attitudes of nursing students towards complementary and alternative medicine. The sample consists of voluntary students (n=152) who had been present at school at the date of data collection. The data was collected via a questionnaire prepared by researchers and also via the "Holistic Complementary and Alternative Medicine Questionnaire (HCAMQ) which was developed by Hyland et al. (2003). The mean age of students was 20.09±1.6 (min=17, max=24). The mean score of scale was 25.41 ± 5.25 (min=11, max=45). The total score average of the first graders was 24.77±5.46, and of the last graders was 27.1±4.26. The difference between them was found to be statistically significant (t=- 2.482, p=0.014). It is detected that more than half of the student nurses have no information about complementary and alternative medicine and that last graders, compared to the first graders, have a more negative attitude towards CAM applications.

Effects of Nursing Education on Awareness of Risk Factors for Colorectal Cancer.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study is to determine the effect of nursing education on awareness of risk factors for colorectal cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this descriptive study, the sample is consisted of 132 volunteer students studying in the 1st and 4th grades of School of Health Nursing Department during the fall semester of 2014-2015. Data were collected via a questionnaire including information on the socio-demographic features of the participants and the correlating risk factors of colorectal cancer, prepared by researchers in view of the literature. The questionnaire was distributed to students and completed during class time. Before presenting the questionnaires to the respondents, informed consent was obtained from each. The data obtained were analyzed with a statistical package (SPSS). At first, a Kolmogorov-Smirnow test was performed on the research data. However, since it was seen that variables did not have a normal distribution, the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test was applied. P values of <0.05 were considered statistically significant. Percentages, means and standard deviations were also utilized for evaluation. RESULTS: Of the total of 132 students participating in this study, 85.6% (n=113) were female, and 14.4% (n=19) were male. The average age was 20.5±2.04. 54.5 % of the students (n=72) were 4th graders and 45.5 % (n=60) were first graders. Total score averages of first graders on risk awareness was X=12 ± 7.24, and fourth graders was X=16.93 ± 7.71. The difference between these two scores were found to be statistically significant (Z= -9,333; p=0.000). CONCLUSIONS: Nursing education was found out to have a positive influence on the students' awareness of risk factors for colorectal cancer.

Trends in smoking among university students between 2005-2012 in Sakarya, Turkey.

Turkey protects its entire population of 75 million people with all the MPOWER measures at the highest level. The aim of this study is to make a comparison of smoking and addiction data obtained from Sakarya University students in 2005-6 and 2012-13. A total of 4,200 (2,500 and 1,700 for each academic year) students at Sakarya University in Sakarya, Turkey, were randomly selected for sampling purposes. The selected participants represented Sakarya University students. Data were collected using a pretested anonymous and confidential, self-completed questionnaire which took 15-20 minutes to complete and Fagerstrom Test for nicotine dependence. Chi-squared, Spearman correlation, and binary logistic regression tests were used to define associations, if any. The level of significance was kept at alpha=0.05. Smoking prevalence dropped by 8.5% (from 26.9% to 18.5%). Male gender, older age, high family smoking index, low self-rated school success, and high peer smoker proportion were common variables that have correlation with smoking status. In the binary logistic regression test the highest contributor to "being a smoker" was found to be the rate of peer smokers. Having all friends smoking puts the student a a 47.5 and 58.0 times higher risk for smoking for males and females, respectively. Our results suggest an admirable diminution of smoking prevalence among Sakarya University students, which can be attributed to MPOWER protection.

Fallacies about water pipe use in Turkish university students - what might be the consequences?

BACKGROUND: The popularity of the narghile waterpipe, also referred to as hookah, shisha or hubble-bubble has increased tremendously during the past few decades. The aim of this study was to expose perception of narghile among a representative sample of university students in Sakarya University campus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Written approval was taken from the local education authority. An anonymous questionnaire which was prepared by the investigators and contained 17 questions was administered. Nine of the questions were related to socio-demographic characteristics and eight were related to the students harm perceptions about waterpipe. A total of 1,320 questionnaries were received and after preliminary evaluation 1,255 (95.7%) were found to be suitable for evaluation. The data was evaluated in SPSS program by using percentages and averages. RESULTS: The mean ± SD age of the students was 20.8 ± 2.29 years (min 18, max 32). There were 864 (68.8%) females and 391 (31.2%) males. A total of 6.3 % of the students (n=79) believed that waterpipe is not harmful because its smoke does not burn the lungs. Almost one-third (n=318) think that the carcinogenic chemicals are filtered while waterpipe smoke passes from the water; 12.1 % of the students (n=152) checked "true" for the statement of "waterpipe smoke contains no nicotine". It is seen that 14.0 % of the students (n=176) think waterpipe with fruit/ aroma is healthier than plain waterpipe. CONCLUSIONS: As a result of this study, it is found out that a substantial number of university students have false beliefs on harmful effects of waterpipe smoking.