The association between the work environment and the fear of Covid-19 experienced by nurses.

BACKGROUND: The conditions in the workplace have a critical influence on the mental health of nurses and their attitudes toward their job, which may impact patient care. OBJECTIVE: This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the association between perceptions of the work environment and fear of COVID-19 experienced by nurses. METHODS: The data were collected using a demographic data form, the Work Environment Scale (WES), and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale. The study was completed with 183 nurses who provide care to COVID-19 patients. RESULTS: The mean scores for the WES and Fear of COVID-19 Scale were 63.59±12.35 and 21.98±8.36, respectively. There was a positive correlation between the points acquired from the "employee fears" section of the WES and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale mean ranks (r = 0.22). There was a weak negative correlation between the Fear of COVID-19 score and the WES "job satisfaction" score (r = -0.214). There was a weak negative correlation between the scores of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale and perceived support at work (r = -0.33) and between the WES scores and weekly working hours (r = -0.27). However, there was a weak to moderate positive correlation between the WES scores and number of days off per week (r = 0.45). CONCLUSIONS: Nurses experience a high fear of COVID-19, and a decrease in their attitudes of the work environment was associated with an increased fear of COVID-19. The fear of COVID-19 may be reduced by various interventions to provide support at work and increase nurses' job satisfaction.

Factors affecting the psychomotor vigilance of nurses working night shift.

BACKGROUND: Shifts and long working hours decrease the psychomotor vigilance of healthcare workers especially when working night shifts. Working night shifts adversely affects nurses' health and impacts patient safety. AIM: The purpose of this study is to identify factors affecting the psychomotor vigilance of nurses working night shift. METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out with 83 nurses who were working in a private hospital in Istanbul and voluntarily participated in this study between April 25 and May 30, 2022. Data were collected using "Descriptive Characteristics Form," "Psychomotor Vigilance Task," "Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index," and "Epworth Sleepiness Scale." The "STROBE checklist" for cross-sectional studies was utilized in order to report the findings of the study. RESULTS: When time-dependent variation of the nurses' psychomotor vigilance task performances on the night shift was examined, it was observed that the nurses' mean reaction time and number of lapses increased at the end of the night shift. Age, smoking, physical activity, daily water consumption, daytime sleepiness, and sleep quality were found as the factors affecting nurses' psychomotor vigilance. CONCLUSION: The psychomotor vigilance task performances of nurses working night shift are affected by age and a variety of behavioral factors. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICY: Suggestions for nursing policy include the implementation of workplace health promotion programs in order to increase the attention level of nurses in order to ensure employee and patient health and safety and create a healthy working environment.

Effects of bloom's mastery learning model based on CBRN preparedness program on learning skills of nursing students: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Exposure to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats and hazards can have fatal or disabling consequences. One of the most risky groups in terms of secondary contamination in CBRN exposure is healthcare workers. Nurses need to have several competencies to be able to respond correctly to people exposed to CBRN agents and to protect themselves from secondary contamination. AIM: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a Bloom's Mastery Learning Model-based Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear Threat and Hazards Preparedness Program for nursing students (MLM-CBRN Preparedness Program) as a means for improving knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy and skills. DESIGN: A parallel-group trial design was used. METHODS: A total of 104 4th-year nursing students were randomized into intervention and control groups. The data from the participants were collected before the intervention, immediately after the intervention and in the 1st and 3rd months after the intervention. RESULTS: After the intervention, a significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of knowledge, attitude and self-efficacy scores. It was seen that there was a significant difference between the pre-intervention measurement (1st measurement) and the 2nd, 3rd and 4th measurements (Table 2). This was due to the increasing scores of the intervention group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: It shows that the MLM-CBRN Preparedness Program is effective in increasing the knowledge, attitude, self-efficacy and skill development of student nurses about CBRN threats and dangers.

A self-management programme for work ability and quality of life in nurses aged 45 years and over: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Nurses are exposed to declining work ability and quality of life because of biological and environmental factors. AIM: The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of a self-management programme based on an attitude-social influence-self-efficacy model on work ability and quality of life for nurses aged 45 years and over. METHODS: A parallel group trial design was used. Nurses who fitted the eligibility criteria of being aged 45 years and over were randomly assigned to an intervention or a control group. Data were collected between October 2017 and June 2018 at the hospital. The participants were blinded to group allocation. The primary outcome in the study was the impact of age on work ability. RESULTS: Each group consisted of 30 nurses. There were no dropouts, so all subjects were analysed. Compared with the baseline, the intervention group's work ability was higher. There was a statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of the amount of changes in Work Ability Index scores at the third month compared the baseline. CONCLUSION: The self-management programme was effective in increasing the nurses' work ability and healthy lifestyle behaviours affecting their quality of life.

Effects of a work-related stress model based mental health promotion program on job stress, stress reactions and coping profiles of women workers: a control groups study.

BACKGROUND: Work-related stress and its detrimental effects on human health have rapidly increased during the past several years. It causes many different stress reactions, related diseases and unhealthy behavior among workers, but especially women workers. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the effects of the work-related stress model based Workplace Mental Health Promotion Programme on the job stress, social support, reactions, salivary immunoglobulin A and Cortisol levels, work absenteeism, job performance and coping profiles of women workers. METHODS: This study had a "pre-test post-test non-equivalent control groups" design and included 70 women workers (35 in each study group) selected by randomized sampling from two factories. The programme was delivered as an intervention including 12 weeks of follow-up. Reminder messages, videos, and WhatsApp texts were used at the follow-up stage. The research measurements were; the assessment form, the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire, the Brief Coping Profile Scale, salivary ELISA kits, and a self-reported check-list. RESULTS: There were no differences in sociodemographic characteristics, general health or working conditions between the Intervention and control groups(p > .05). Three months after the intervention, there was a significant decrease in job stress(p ≤ .001), physical and mental reactions' scores(p ≤ .001) and work absenteeism(p < .05), and there was an increase in job performance(p < .05), social support(p ≤ .001) among the intervention group. The programme showed positive effects on coping profiles(p < .05). After the intervention salivary-cortisol and IgA levels showed a statistically significant decrease(p < .05). A majority of effect sizes were very large (ηp2 > .14). CONCLUSIONS: Work-ProMentH was found to be effective and useful in job stress management and promotion of effective coping profiles. It enables its users to holistically assess worker stress and to plan and examine intervention programmes via a systematic approach. There is a need for more empirical studies that may support the data of the present study, but it is thought that the intervention can be maintained for the long-term. We recommend that occupational health professionals at workplaces should consider using this model-based cost-effective intervention, which seems easy and practical to apply in real-life situations. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN registration ID: ISRCTN14333710 (2020/10/03, retrospective registration).

Using the Omaha System to determine health problems of urban Syrian immigrants.

OBJECTIVE(S): This study assessed the health problems of Syrian immigrants living in urban areas using the Omaha System. DESIGN: A descriptive and observational study was conducted in Istanbul. SAMPLE: The sample included 51 Syrian immigrant families and 248 Syrian refugees. MEASURES: Data were collected using the Omaha System-Problem Classification List and a sociodemographic questionnaire. RESULTS: The average household size was 6.36; 71% of those over the age of 18 were not employed. Only 8.5% of children aged 0-15 were vaccinated; 15 nursing problems and 46 signs and symptoms were diagnosed using the Problem Classification List scale. Personal care was the most frequently diagnosed problem, followed by Sanitation, Communication with community resources, Mental health, and Residence. CONCLUSIONS: Health and social problems are common Syrian immigrants living in urban areas. The Omaha System-Problem Classification List can be used as a tool by public health nurses to identify health problems encountered by immigrants.

Achieving consensus on the undergraduate curriculum of public health nursing in Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to construct a consensus on the undergraduate learning objectives and topics for public health nursing (PHN) in Turkey. DESIGN: A three-round e-mail-based Delphi study was conducted between May and July 2015 with a national sample. SAMPLE: Ninety-one academics from 54 universities were invited as experts to participate by e-mail. Fifty-nine academics from 43 universities participated in the study. MEASUREMENTS: Data were analyzed by computing the median, quartiles one and three, and the interquartile range for each learning outcome and topic. Consensus was considered as less than the interquartile range of 1.2. RESULTS: Experts who participated in the study added 70 learning outcomes, eight main topics, and 278 sub-topics during the first round. Round I generated 170 learning outcomes, 28 main topics, and 385 sub-topics. At the end of Round II, consensus was reached on 126 learning outcomes, 22 main topics and 168 sub-topics. At the end of Round III, consensus was achieved for 126 learning outcomes, 22 main topics, and 169 sub-topics. CONCLUSION: The learning outcomes and topics that were decided upon through a consensus process will contribute to the standardization and development of PHN education.

Psychological Health Problems Among Adolescent Workers and Associated Factors in Istanbul, Turkey.

BACKGROUND: Work and work environment have a critical influence on adolescent workers' health. They are subjected to more risks than adults. The aim of this study is to examine psychological health outcomes in adolescent workers in the areas of depression, somatization, anxiety, hostility, and negative self-concept, and to investigate any related factors. METHODS: This is a descriptive and cross-sectional study. Research samples were collected from adolescent workers between 15 and 18 years old attending a 1-day mandatory education course at vocational training centers, working 5 days per week in small enterprises. Data were collected using the following instruments: Brief Symptom Inventory, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and Descriptive Characteristics of Children's Assessment Form. RESULTS: The investigation covers 837 young workers, of whom 675 were males and 162 were females. The majority of the families had low incomes (68.1%). Overall, 33.5% of the adolescents had been hospitalized because of health problems. Their average weekly working hours were 78.1 ± 10.7. Almost 50% of adolescent workers scored above the mean average in the Brief Symptom Inventory, indicating serious pschological health symptoms.Those who scored high for hostility, depression, negative self-concept, anxiety, and somatization were between 45.4% and 48.9% of the sample. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the underlying factors: a perception of "feeling very bad" health conditions was 2.07-fold whereas the rate of "no annual leave" was 0.73-fold, and both were found to be effective on psychological problems. CONCLUSION: In this study, it seems likely that psychological health problems are the result of multiple adverse factors including working conditions, annual leave, and health considerations.

A Turkish translation of the Nordic Occupational Skin Questionnaire (NOSQ-2002/LONG) adapted for young workers in high-risk jobs.

BACKGROUND: Occupational skin diseases (OSDs) represent 10-40% of all occupational diseases in many industrialized countries. Young workers are frequently exposed to toxic substances and chemicals in the workplace. The occupational conditions of young workers can impose a high level of risk for the occurrence of OSDs. The Nordic Occupational Skin Questionnaire (NOSQ-2002) was developed in English as a new, comprehensive, standardized tool with which to screen for OSDs. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to translate the NOSQ-2002 into Turkish and to culturally adapt the long version of the instrument for use with young workers in jobs with high risk for the occurrence of OSDs. METHODS: Forward and back translations were carried out. Problematic items were modified until the Turkish-language version achieved a satisfactory consensus with the original version of the NOSQ-2002. The final Turkish version was tested in 40 randomly selected young workers with and without OSDs who were studying in the fields of hairdressing, jewelry making, and car mechanics at vocational training schools run by the National Education Ministry. RESULTS: When the original questionnaire had been translated into the target language, a first consensus version was evaluated by an expert panel. The expert panel determined that 36 questions (63.2%) in the Turkish version required some level of modification in order to facilitate clear understanding. Cognitive interviews were then performed. After some modification, the final Turkish version was established and tested among young workers. CONCLUSIONS: The new Turkish version of the NOSQ is a comprehensible, reliable, and useful tool that can be applied to young workers in specific occupations.

Factors Associated With Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors in a Sample of Turkish Adolescents: A School-Based Study.

PURPOSE: This was a descriptive-correlational study designed to determine factors associated with the healthy lifestyle behaviors of high school students in Turkey. DESIGN: The study sample consisted of 812 high school adolescents. The Adolescent Lifestyle Profile scale was used to identify the healthy lifestyle behaviors of adolescents. RESULTS: The total Adolescent Lifestyle Profile mean score of 2.75 ± 0.33 and the mean score on the Interpersonal relations subscale were found to be the highest scores while the mean score on the Health responsibility subscale was found to be the lowest. Significant predictors of healthy lifestyle behaviors of adolescents were good relationships with family and friends, having a father who was a college graduate, and good health perception. CONCLUSIONS: The study revealed similar results among adolescents of different cultures. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: These findings can be used as a guide in developing an adolescent health promotion program for school nurses.

Occupational health nursing in Turkey: an international update.

This article discussed Turkey's occupational health system and the current education, legislation, and practice of occupational health nursing.

The Adolescent Lifestyle Profile scale: reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the instrument.

BACKGROUND: The Adolescent Lifestyle Profile (ALP) scale, based on the Health Promotion Model, is designed to asses the health promotion lifestyle profile of adolescents. This study is the first psychometric research of the ALP scale. PURPOSE: The aims of this study were to translate the ALP scale into Turkish and to assess its psychometric properties with 890 adolescents between the ages of 14 and 18 years. METHODS: Data on reliability and validity were assessed using the item-total correlations, Cronbach's α coefficient, content validity index, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Participants were divided randomly into two groups, with the data from one group subjected to exploratory factor analysis and the data from the other group subjected to confirmatory factor analysis. RESULTS: Content validity was confirmed by a satisfactory level of agreement with a content validity index of .91. Varimax rotation yielded seven factors with eigenvalues greater than 1, which explained 46.87% of the total variance. Four items were removed because of factor loadings of less than .30. The revised 40-item ALP was tested, and the values of the goodness fit index were χ = 176.05, df = 91, p < .001, χ/df = 1.93, goodness-of-fit index = .93, comparative fit index = .94, adjusted goodness-of-fit index = .90, root mean square error of approximation residual = .060, and standardized root mean square residual = .060. The total Cronbach's α coefficient was .87, and subscales ranged from .61 to .81. The item-total correlations ranged between .22 and .64. CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The results confirm that the Turkish ALP scale has acceptable psychometric properties and that the scale may be used with Turkish adolescents as an effective measure of their health-promoting lifestyle behaviors.

Screening behaviors, health beliefs, and related factors of first-degree relatives of colorectal cancer patients with ongoing treatment in Turkey.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers. Family history is an important risk factor; first-degree relatives (FDRs) are most at risk. Studies are needed to determine the screening behavior of FDRs and factors affecting their health behaviors. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the screening behaviors, health beliefs, and related factors of FDRs (parent, sibling, or child) of CRC patients undergoing treatment. METHODS: A cross-sectional design was used with 400 FDRs of patients undergoing treatment at 2 hospitals in Turkey. Data were collected using the Colorectal Cancer Risk Questionnaire and the Turkish Colorectal Cancer Health Belief Model Scale. RESULTS: A slight majority of the participants were male (51.3%), with a mean of age 37.7 years. The rate of having at least 1 colonoscopy in FDRs was 22.2%. First-degree relatives reported high perceived confidence-benefits scores on average (mean, 48.4 ± 5.2) and high perceived barrier scores on average (mean, 15.5 ± 3.8). Health motivation of FDRs was the strongest predictor of their having a colonoscopy (odds ratio, 7.50; 95% confidence interval, 3.40-16.5). CONCLUSIONS: First-degree relatives have a low rate of having a colonoscopy but are more likely to have had this procedure if they have strong health motivation. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Nurses working with CRC patients must develop strategies to increase FDRs' knowledge of, awareness of, and motivation for CRC screening tests. Risk counseling of FDRs during the treatment period might increase screening rates.

Beliefs about cervical cancer screening among Turkish married women.

Cervical cancer can be prevented by having a Pap test aiming for early screening. This study was planned to determine the beliefs of women about cervical cancer and the influencing factors. The cross-sectional study was conducted in Sariyer, one of the most densely populated districts of Istanbul, which is the most crowded city in Turkey. This study sample included 300 women receiving training at public education centers. The data for the study were collected with "HBM-based scale" developed by Bryd et al. upon the basis of health belief model. The mean of the women's ages was determined as 33.9 ± 10.6. Considering the beliefs of the women who haven't had a Pap test about cervical cancer, it was determined that 75.7% of the women participating in the survey thought "I am not at risk for cervical cancer". Logistic regression analysis was carried out in order to find out the most decisive variable among the reasons for not having a Pap test, and it was determined that the factors stated as "I don't know where I could go if I wanted a Pap test" was a four times factor. This study demonstrated that the main determinant factor affecting CCS behaviors of married women is beliefs. It is considered that the results from this study could be basic data for cervical cancer early screening and educational programs.

Healthy behaviours and educational needs among Turkish women: a school-based study.

The present descriptive study was planned to be the first stage of a school-based programme towards promoting healthy behaviours in Turkish women after determining their healthy behaviours and their need for relevant education. The sample was composed of 468 mothers of students attending an elementary school located in the city of Istanbul. The data were obtained during interviews and using two separate questionnaires. The Health Promotion Model formed the basis for the questionnaires describing healthy behaviours. The mean age was 34.6 +/- 0.5 and 10.9% of the participants were illiterate. They generally were in middle-income families and 41.5% had at least one chronic disease. The participants were found to have poor behaviours pertaining to exercising, eating habits, and weight control. The majority (88%) did not exercise regularly. Chronic diseases were found to be the factor with the largest impact (OR: 1.87, 95%, CL = 1.908-2.515). The participants pointed out that they would especially like to be educated on how to control their weight. The researchers have appended a programme devised for women regarding exercising, eating habits and weight control.

Workrelated risks and health problems of working children in urban Istanbul, Turkey.

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to identify the work-related risks and health problems of working children. The sample included 167 working boys. These boys were chosen from schools giving occupational education in the industrial part of Istanbul. A questionnaire and worksite assessment checklists, developed by the researchers, were used as data gathering tools. Data were collected from the boys' schools and workplaces. From this data, it was found that 24.6% of the boys were jewelers, 32.3% were car mechanics and 43.1% were hairdressers. Findings revealed that 30.5% of the boys, who were engaged in child labor, were poor and dropped out of school to assist their families. Boys, whose mean age was 17.6 +/- 1.2, had been working since they were 13 yr old. The boys were also found to work 66.4 h a week, which was an unexpectedly high result considering the 35 hours limitation set by the laws of Turkey for working children. As for work-related risks, chemical risks for boys working as hairdressers (p<0.01), and using sharp tools and accidents for boys working as car mechanics were more common than the other groups (p<0.001, p<0.001). Boys working as hairdressers mostly had respiratory system problems, skin problems, and headache (p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001). Those working as car mechanics had nose/throat problems, and musculoskeletal system problems (p<0.001, p<0.01). Among those working as jewelers, eye-related problems were common (p<0.001). It was concluded from the findings of the present study that child labor creates an unhealthy environment for children.