Domestic Violence and Healthcare Utilization in Turkey.

This study aims to analyze the prevalence of domestic violence, the level, and determinants of healthcare utilization of women exposed to violence and the satisfaction from the behaviors of health personnel. The data source of this study is the 2014 Research on Domestic Violence against Women in Turkey which was carried out with Hacettepe University Institute of Population Studies and Ministry of Family and Social Policies in Turkey. The research has a nationally representative sample of 7462 women aged 15-59. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the effect of the basic characteristics of women on receiving healthcare due to violence. In this study, the rate of women receiving healthcare was 63%. Women who were unemployed have no health insurance, live in low wealth level, in rural areas, and the Eastern region had used healthcare services at a lower level.

Effects of electronic medical records on patient safety culture: The perspective of nurses.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigates the effects of nurses' views regarding electronic medical records on patient safety culture. METHODS: The implementation part of the study was conducted with nurses working in seven state hospitals in the Burdur province of Turkey. The data were collected between 15 March and 20 April 2018. Correlation and multiple regression analyses were performed to evaluate the relationships among the variables in the study. In addition, descriptive analyses (mean, standard deviation) and Cronbach α coefficients of reliability of the scales were also used. RESULTS: The results of the analyses revealed that control variables (gender, educational level, age, etc) and all dimensions of electronic medical records affected all three dimensions of patient safety culture. The control variables and all dimensions of electronic medical records explained 41% of the total variance in perceptions of process, 42.5% of the total variance in management support for patient safety, and 27.9% of the total variance in perceptions of safety. DISCUSSION: This study provides insight concerning the effects of nurses' views of electronic medical records on patient safety culture. The results of the study reveal that nurses' views of electronic medical records affect the perception of patient safety culture positively. CONCLUSIONS: It is recommended that further studies be conducted on topics such as the use of medical records and the development of patient safety. Health care managers should encourage nurses to undergo training and educational efforts on electronic medical records and patient safety.

Obesity among Women in Turkey.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to determine the prevalence and potential risk factors of obesity among women in Turkey. METHODS: The data source was the Turkey Demographic and Health Survey (TDHS) in 1998, 2003, 2008 and 2013, conducted by Hacettepe University Institute of Population Studies. Cross-tables and binary logistic regression were used in the study. RESULTS: Obesity was a serious problem among women in Turkey. Obesity rate was 21.7% in 1998 and increased to 26.5% in 2013. Age, education level, the number of births, region, residence, and wealth status were included as potential risk factors. Age was an important variable affecting obesity and increased with age. There was an inverse relationship between obesity and education level. Women having no education or not completed primary school and those who were not working were higher at obesity risk. Obesity increased with the giving births of mothers. Obesity was mostly observed in the West and Central. As household welfare increased, obesity increased except for 2013 research. CONCLUSION: Preventive interventions should be announced particularly among urban women in Turkey. Women should be stimulated by physical activities and informed by realistic food policies.

Trends of caesarean section rates in Turkey.

The aims of this study was to determine the trends in rates of caesarean sections in Turkey. The data source for this study was the Turkey Demographic and Health Survey (TDHS) 1993-1998-2003-2008-2013 conducted by Hacettepe University, Institute of Population Studies. Cross tables and binary logistic regression were used for analysis. It was found that the caesarean section rate, which was 14.3% in 1993, increased to 51.9% in 2013. The rate increased with maternal age and educational level at childbirth. The Caesarean section rate was higher in women who were under health insurance coverage, first time mothers, childbirth in the private health institutions, those staying in the Western region and urban areas, and having the highest level of wealth. This study aims to contribute to the literature of caesarean sections especially in developing countries, in which caesarean section has become a major healthcare issue. Impact Statement What is already known on this subject: Caesarean section is among the most widely practiced obstetric surgery worldwide. Previous studies have suggested that the rates of caesarean section were affected by the biological, genetic and medical factors. What the results of this study add: Besides the biological, genetic and medical factors, it is believed that social factors (income and social status, education, employment, etc.) play an important role on the caesarean section in developing countries. Although the laws on caesarean sections have been enforced since 2012 in Turkey, this study shows that there has been a significant increase in caesarean section between the 1993 and 2013 periods. The study also reveals that prohibiting caesarean sections, except in cases of medical necessity, is a problematic issue in the health system despite all efforts. What the implications are of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research: This study may be of interest for authorities and researchers in terms of showing the social factors associated with the caesarean section.

Prevalence of pre-school children for overweight/obesity in Turkey.

BACKGROUND: Most of the studies and interventions are targeted to address undernutrition, but childhood obesity has become a silent killer among children. Developing countries, including Turkey, could recognize the importance of the issue now and have begun to discuss the necessity of studies on this subject. Therefore, this study aims to examine the prevalence of obesity among pre-school children in Turkey. METHODS: The data source of this study is the Turkey Demographic and Health Survey (TDHS)-2013. The TDHS-2013 was a sample study to gather information about the fertility levels and changes in them, infant and child mortality, family planning, and maternal and infant health at the national level. RESULTS: Overweight/obesity for height was 8.6% and 6.6% for age. Overweight/obesity problems are mostly observed in the West and are higher in urban areas. Overweight/obesity decreases with increasing age. There is a positive correlation between overweight/obesity and maternal educational level. As the household welfare level increases, overweight/obesity increases in pre-school children. Female children are at higher risk of overweight/obesity than males. As birth order increases, overweight/obesity decreases. Children living in other regions have overweight/obesity problems more than the pre-school children living in the East. CONCLUSIONS: This study speculates that obesity appears to be a major problem among pre-school children in Turkey. Based on the findings, the current situation of overweight/obesity among pre-school children is so close to many developing and developed countries, whose obesity levels are a greater concern. This finding demonstrates that effective interventions of obesity should begin as early as infancy in Turkey, as it is a developing country.

Do health care reforms in Turkey have a significant effect in equal access to maternal and child health services in Turkey: An evidence from 20 years.

This study aimed to investigate whether there was an improvement in the equitable access to maternal and child health care services by examining the effects of socioeconomic and individual factors in Turkey from 1993 to 2013 and determine the effectiveness of health care reforms implemented mainly under the Health Transformation Program since 2003 on equitable access t;o maternal and child health care services in terms of years. The study used nationally representative 5 Turkey Demographic and Health Surveys (1993, 1998, 2003, 2008, and 2013). Prenatal care utilization rate increased from 67.0% in 1993 to 96.2% in 2013 while the rate of women giving birth at health care facilities increased from 63.8% to 98.1% in 2013. Prenatal care utilization and giving birth at health care facilities were higher among women who were under health insurance coverage, first time mothers, those staying in the western region and urban areas, and those with the highest level of wealth. The findings suggest that the issue of equity in the utilization of maternal and child health care services exists in Turkey, and the latest health care reforms under HTP are not effective in diminishing the effect of wealth.

Impact of nurses' perceptions of work environment and communication satisfaction on their intention to quit.

AIM: This study examines the association of nurses' perception of their work environment and communication satisfaction with their intention to quit. METHOD: The implementation part of the study was conducted with nurses working in a public hospital in the city of Burdur, Turkey. Data were collected in January 2017 from 175 participants and then assessed. RESULTS: The analysis showed that perceptions of the work environment and communication satisfaction taken together explain the total variance of the intention to quit. While participants' perceptions of the work environment become increasingly positive, their communication satisfaction increases and their intention to quit decreases. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study suggest that making improvements to the nursing work environment and nurses' communication satisfaction will decrease their intention to quit.

Patient companions in the Turkish healthcare system: the role, expectations and problems.

The purpose of this study was to determine the roles, expectations and problems of patient companions and to develop solutions to the difficulties encountered by the nurses, patients and their companions. A qualitative approach with semi-structured face-to-face interviews was used during May and June 2014 to collect data. A convenience sample of participants was selected from the nurses, patients and their companions. Content analysis was used for the data. The results of this study revealed that the need for companions is important to the current Turkish healthcare system, but it has many drawbacks. As companions are witness to a patient's declining health and family, social and financial problems, their role should be to support their patients emotionally or socially, but they should not perform medical tasks. Therefore, the agencies responsible for managing the use of patient companions should regularly review its function by communicating often with the patients and their caregivers. Open communication between patient companions and all those responsible for patient care could improve the present difficulties which exist.

Exploring the impacts of personal factors on self-leadership in a hospital setting.

Self-leadership may be defined as a self-effecting process that individuals experience by maintaining the motivation they require for fulfilling their roles and duties. The self-leadership process comprises three key strategies: behaviour-oriented strategies, natural reward strategies and constructive thought pattern strategies. What is intended herein is to inquire about the implementation of self-leadership within organisations and to examine the effects of such variables as age, gender, total terms of employment, marital status and education on self-leadership strategies. The primary data collection instrument was a survey distributed to 450 personnel working at a state hospital in Kirikkale, Turkey, and feedback thereto was received from 308 (68.4%) of those surveyed. As a result of the findings taken from the analyses, age, total terms of employment and receipt of education in leadership affect the use of self-leadership strategies. Although age and total terms of employment display a negative-directional correlation with the self-leadership strategies, female employees and those who receive education in leadership are more inclined towards self-leadership strategies.

An evaluation on levels of knowledge, attitude and behavior of people at 65 years and above about alternative medicine living in Ankara.

The aim was to determine the knowledge, attitude and behavioral levels of people at and above 65 years of age, living in Ankara (Turkey) about alternative medicine. The study was carried out between March - April 2010 through survey application of 200 participants by selective random sampling from the population. Data obtained as a result of the survey were analyzed by SPSS program. The study revealed that 83.5% of the participants believed in alternative therapy methods but 16.5% of them did not. It is concluded that herbal therapy methods are the most frequently used methods with a 63% rate among other alternative therapy methods. When status of the participants was analyzed it was found that it was found that 69% received the information about alternative medicines from their family while 53.5% received it from television This study revealed that alternative medicine is profoundly used by people above 65 years of age in Ankara.