Validity and reliability of the heart failure-specific health literacy scale in Turkish.

Inadequate health literacy is common among adults with HF. The disease management process in HF closely depends on health literacy. No questionnaire is used to assess health literacy among Turkish patients with heart failure. This study aimed to determine the validity and reliability of the Turkish form of the 'Heart Failure-Specific Health Literacy Scale'. The research is a methodological study design. The study was conducted at the cardiology clinic between May and July 2021, located in the eastern part of Türkiye. The study sample consisted of 121 patients with HF. Data were collected using the Personal Information Form and the Heart Failure-Specific Health Literacy Scale. The patients' mean age was 62.88 ± 12.55 and 66.9% were men. Based on the factor analysis, three factors with eigenvalue above 1 have been identified. These model has been determined as x2 = 80.209, sd = 49 and p = 0.003. The fit indices were as follows: x2/SD = 1.637; RMSEA = 0.073, GFI = 0.90, CFI = 0.94, IFI = 0.95, TLI = 0.92 and NFI = 0.87. The scale has a total Cronbach's alpha of 0.66. With test-retest analysis, it was determined that it had a good, positive and significant correlation in terms of both the scale and its sub-dimensions. The Turkish form of the form is a valid and reliable tool.

The Relationship Between Spiritual Care Levels of Turkish Nurses with the Spiritual Well-Being of Their Patients: An Exploratory Study.

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between spiritual well-being of patients with the spiritual care levels of nurses. This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted between July and August 2019. The sample was composed of 63 nurses from one university hospital and 142 patients receiving care at the department of internal medicine of the hospital. For data collection, the information form and "Spirituality and Spiritual Care Rating Scale" were applied to the nurses, personel information form and "FACIT Spiritual Well-Being Scale" were used for the patients. For data analysis, the descriptive statistics, Spearman correlation analysis, Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used. The mean age of the nurses was 37.44 ± 6.95 years, and 88.9% were female. The mean age of the patients was 55.04 ± 15.86 years, and 57.7% were female. 89.4% of the patients stated that nurses provided spiritual care. A positive correlation was found between item scores on two scales (r = 0.264, p < 0.001). As the level of spirituality and spiritual care of nurses increases, the level of spiritual well-being of patients increases as well.

Nursing students' spiritual caregiving status: Comparison of Western and Central Anatolia regions of Turkey.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the status of spiritual caregiving education in nursing students belonging to two different state universities in Turkey. DESIGN AND METHODS: The descriptive, cross-sectional study was completed with 326 students. FINDINGS: Turkey's western regions in mean scale scores of students (147.27 ± 19.40) in central Anatolia (140.83 ± 18.82) was higher than the students and the difference was statistically significant. A statistically significant difference was found between the total score averages of the Spiritual Caregiving Scale and their year of study, self-perception of spirituality, and relating their profession to spirituality (p < 0.05). PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: It is recommended to include spiritual care issues and principles in the nursing education curriculum.

Determining the Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factor Knowledge and Related Factors Among Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

In this study was to determine knowledge of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and to explore related factors among adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) who have not been diagnosed with CVD. This descriptive study was conducted with 175 adults. Data were collected individual identification form and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors Knowledge Level (CARRF-KL) scale. A negative correlation was found between age and CARRF-KL score. A significant difference was found between educational status and CARRF-KL score. The individuals described their health status as good, managed their condition with diet and exercise, received information from nurses, adults with DM in their family and those with no DM complications had significantly higher scores in CARRF-KL. The knowledge of an individual with DM about CVD risk factors should be assessed, CVD risks should be identified at an early stage, and individuals at risk should be subjected to screening.

Computational investigation of enhanced properties in functionalized carbon nanotube doped polyvinyl alcohol gel electrolyte systems.

Recently, functionalized carbon nanotubes (fCNTs) were shown to increase the mechanical strength, thermal stability, and ionic conductivity in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) based gel electrolytes (GE) for Zn ion batteries. However, questions remain about the origin of the property enhancement and the interactions between components of GEs. In this work, we employ density functional theory calculations to analyze the interactions between fCNT, PVA, and Zn ions. CNTs with increasing numbers of carboxyl (-COOH) functional groups and PVA chains with varying lengths were studied. We found that increasing the number of -COOH on the CNTs enhanced the adsorption energies (Eads) of PVA, and Eads also increased as the number of monomers increased. We then modelled the coordination of a Zn ion in fCNT-PVA complexes. Our results suggest that strong fCNT-PVA interactions contribute to the enhanced mechanical strength, while the enhanced ionic conductivity is partly owing to weak Zn adsorption.

Eliciting the Concept of Cancer in Nursing Students in Turkey: an Exploratory Metaphor Analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Although there are promising studies on cancer treatment, it is still a frightening disease. For effective treatment, an integrative and positive perspective is required. Using the power of metaphors to facilitate understanding of complex and intangible ideas, this study aims to define cancer from the perspective of Turkish nursing students. SAMPLE AND SETTING: This study was conducted with 166 nursing students at a nursing faculty in Turkey. It was a mixed method study using qualitative and quantitative methods. METHODS AND VARIABLES: To capture the picture in a human mind of the complexity of feelings for cancer, writing a description and elicitation interviews were employed. Moreover, to reach ontological and epistemological level thoughts in the deepest layers of elicited metaphors, the data were analyzed in an analytical framework. RESULTS: The study provides a conceptualization of "Cancer." The students produced 92 valid metaphors. The most commonly used metaphors were found to be 'death', 'war', 'a virus', 'a malady' and 'a spider'. It was found that the metaphors produced by the students on the concept of cancer generally used negative themes. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: This study provides a framework for understanding all aspects of the concept of cancer on the metaphor axis. It is believed that the results will provide an holistic approach toward the concept of cancer, especially in nursing education, and will increase awareness of this concept.

Life in lockdown: Social isolation, loneliness and quality of life in the elderly during the COVID-19 pandemic: A scoping review.

Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) had an unprecedented effect all over the world, especially in older individuals. The aim is to evaluate the social isolation, loneliness and quality of life of elderly individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic and to map suggestions to reveal and improve the current situation. This was a scoping review. Articles since December 2019 to March 2021 published on PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest, Cochrane Library, CINAHL databases with the following MeSh terms ('COVID-19', 'coronavirus', 'quality of life' 'aging', 'older people', 'elderly', 'loneliness' and 'social isolation) in English were included. The research, by consensus, resulted in seven studies selected for full reading, including three descriptive and cross-sectional studies, a quasi-experimental study, a pre-post pilot program, an editorial note and a correspondence. In generally, these recommendations were grouped as evaluating the current state of loneliness and isolation in elderly people, making more use of technology opportunities, using cognitive behavioral therapies and different individual intervention components.

Adaptation of Diabetic Empowerment Scale-Short Form to Older Individuals and to Turkish Language: Validity and Reliability Study.

OBJECTIVE: The empowerment of old people is important in order for them to gain control over their own lives and to raise their quality of life. The purpose of this study was to adapt the Diabetes Empowerment Scale-Short Form (DES-SF) to old people and to the Turkish language, and to determine its validity and reliability. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This methodological type study was conducted between 1 January and 30 March 2017 with 106 old people fitting the criteria of acceptance in the study who attended the geriatrics clinic of a university hospital. In determining validity, language equivalence, content, and predictive validity were used, while reliability was tested with temporal invariance, Cronbach's alpha coefficient, and item total correlation. We examined its reliability and validity via item analyses, content validity (expert panel), confirmatory factor analyses, and construct validity (exploratory factor analyses). RESULTS: The Cronbach's alpha of the scale was 0.883. The scale items were grouped under a single factor in accordance with the original. Confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis showed good fit signs. CONCLUSION: After conducting validity and reliability testing on the adaptation of the Diabetic Empowerment Scale-Short Form to old people and the Turkish language, it is was concluded that it is a reliable scale to determine the empowerment levels of old people. Based on the statistical analyses applied to evaluate the validity and reliability of the scale obtained by adapting the DES-SF to old people, it was inferred that it is an instrument with high validity and reliability. The scale is a short and practical instrument to evaluate the empowerment levels of old people. The new name of the scale is the elderly empowerment scale.

Validity and reliability of Turkish version of the Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form for patients with chronic nonmalignant pain.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form for patients with chronic nonmalignant pain. METHODS: An analytical design was used. A total of 192 patients were included in the study. A demographic questionnaire and the Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form were used to collect data. Content validity was assessed by experts and construct validity was tested using exploratory factor analysis. Reliability analyses estimated the internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Cronbach's alpha and the item-total correlations were calculated for the subscales to examine internal consistency. RESULTS: Exploratory factor analysis yielded 2 factors: pain severity and pain interference, which accounted for 68.81% of the total variance. The coefficient alpha of both subscales demonstrated good internal consistency. The item-total correlations of the scale ranged between 0.56 and 0.87. The test-retest reliability was r=0.774 for pain severity and r=0.808 for pain interference (p=0.001). CONCLUSION: The Turkish version of the Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form is a valid and reliable instrument to assess chronic nonmalignant pain.

Knowledge and attitudes of nursing students about pain management.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the present study was to examine the knowledge and attitudes of Turkish nursing students about pain management. METHODS: The participants in this cross-sectional study were 190 nursing students who were studying at a nursing faculty in western Turkey. The research data were collected between March and June of the academic year 2015-2016, using a Student Description Form and the Nurses' Knowledge and Attitudes Survey Regarding Pain (NKASRP). RESULTS: The mean age of the students in the study sample was 23.06+-1.44 years. In all, 83.7% were female, 96.8% were unmarried, 94.7% were working as a nurse, and all had social security. The mean score of the NKASRP was 15.85+-3.25%. A comparison of the knowledge scores with student characteristics revealed that only the status of current employment as a nurse demonstrated a significant difference. No significant difference was detected between the NKASRP score and variables such as age and the score of the worst pain ever experienced (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: It was determined that the students had a generally poor level of pain knowledge. It will improve the quality of life of patients if pain management is given a greater place in undergraduate education.

The use of herbal supplements by individuals with diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the use of herbal supplements by individuals with diabetes mellitus. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was carried out in the endocrinology clinics of two hospitals in Izmir, Turkey, between June and August 2016. The sample consisted of diabetic patients. Data was collected through face-to-face interviews guided by a questionnaire. SPSS 17 was used to analyse the data. RESULTS: There were 455 subjects with a mean age of 47.02±16.6 years. Of the total, 373(82%) were female, and 352(77.4%) were diagnosed with type-2 diabetes. Overall, 262(57.6%) subjects used herbal supplements like cinnamon, sage, thyme, turmeric and ginseng. Significant differences in the use of herbal supplements were found according to gender, marital status, and duration of diabetes (p<0.05 each). CONCLUSIONS: About half of the diabetic patients used herbal supplements.

Pheniramine Maleate is more effective than Lidocaine on Fentanyl Induced Cough.

OBJECTIVE: Fentanyl is frequently used during anesthesia induction. The use of fentanyl can cause cough through different mechanisms. Here, we aimed to investigate effects of pheniramine maleate (PM), an antihistaminic agent, and compare it with lidocaine on fentanyl induced cough. METHODS: This is a randomized double-blind prospective clinical study of ASA I-II, 120 patients scheduled for elective abdominal surgery. Patients were administered drugs intravenously and randomly allocated into three groups: Group C (2 ml 0.9 % normal saline), Group L (1mg/kg lidocaine), and Group F (PM 45.5 mg). 90 seconds after administration, 2µ/kg fentanyl was applied in three seconds to all patients. Severity of cough (mild: 1-2, moderate: 3-5, severe> 5), time of the cough and vital parameters were recorded 90 seconds after fentanyl injection. RESULTS: Eight patients (25%) in Group C had fentanyl induced cough whereas three patients (7.5%) in Group L and one patient (2.5%) in Group F experienced this phenomenon. There was statistically significant difference between Group F and Group C (p<0.05); however, differences between Group L and Group C or Group F and Group L were not statistically significant (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Pheniramine Maleate 45.5 mg is better that placebo and as effective as lidocaine to prevent fentanyl induced cough.

Myostatin Gene Polymorphism in an Elderly Sarcopenic Turkish Population.

INTRODUCTION: One of the genetic contributors to sarcopenia predisposition is Myostatin (MSTN), which in humans encodes myostatin, a 376 amino acid growth factor protein that negatively regulates muscle growth. The aim of this study was to investigate MSTN polymorphisms in an elderly sarcopenic population in Turkey and determine how they relate to sarcopenia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included nursing home residents who were aged ≥65 years. Sarcopenia screening was performed using "The European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People" guidelines. Blood sample was taken from each participant and DNA was obtained from the peripheral blood. MSTN polymorphisms were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism methods. RESULTS: A total of 152 elderly patients were included in the study. The rate of sarcopenia was determined to be 41.4%. The DNA nucleotide sequence of all three MSTN exons was determined for each study participant. Among the 152 patients, only 6 (3.9%) showed an MSTN K153R heterozygous mutation. Among these, three participants were sarcopenic and three were nonsarcopenic. No statistically significant difference in the polymorphism frequency between the sarcopenic and control groups was observed (p=0.664). CONCLUSIONS: MSTN genotyping revealed that only 3.9% (6/152) of participants had the MSTN K153R heterozygous mutation. Despite the detection of this mutation in the study group, no relationship was found between this mutation and sarcopenia.