Knowledge and Protective Behaviors of Teachers on Skin Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study from Turkey.

BACKGROUND: People socialize and receive education and training for the first time outside the home at school, where their teachers act as role models. Teachers play a crucial role in instilling sun-protection habits in children. Avoiding the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., staying in the shade, wearing sun-protective clothing, wearing sunglasses, wearing hats, using sunscreen products, and using an umbrella are some of the sun-protection methods described in the literature. This study sought to assess teachers' skin cancer knowledge and attitudes (SC). METHODS: In this cross-sectional study conducted between 21 September 2020, and 21 October 2020, 647 teachers from 30 schools in Kahramanmaras were included with their consent. The number of teachers employed at Kahramanmaras was 1863. Accordingly, the sample was found to be 641 with a 5% margin of error and a 99% confidence interval. Schools were selected by a simple random method. Teachers' knowledge and behaviors were assessed using a 25-point questionnaire designed by the literature data to gauge the level of SC knowledge. RESULTS: Of the 647 teachers included in this study, 230 (35.5%) were male, and 417 (64.5%) were female. The mean age of the participants was 38.44 ± 8.79 (min = 22, max = 65) years. The knowledge level of the teachers about SC was 13.54 ± 4.48 (min = 0, max = 23). The internet (75.9%) was the most preferred source of information. SC knowledge level was significantly higher in those with SC in their families and birthmarks on their bodies. (p < 0.001, p = 0.042, respectively). The rate of precaution taken to protect from the sun was higher in those with higher knowledge (p = 0.032). Women, primary school teachers, those with skin type 1, those with multiple nevi, and those with a high level of SC knowledge used statistically significantly more sunscreen (p = 0.001, p = 0.003, p < 0.001, p = 0.037, p = 0.002, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: It was found that the knowledge level of teachers about skin cancer and sun-protective behaviors was moderate. Correct behaviors increased as knowledge about SC grew. Information and recommendations made on the Internet should be made by experts. Additionally, health policymakers should implement projects aimed at improving teachers' knowledge and behaviors and, through them, teaching students about SC; as such projects would significantly contribute to both public health and health economics.

Is YouTube useful as a source of information for approaches to reducing blood pressure and hypertension treatment?

Hypertension is an important public health problem due to its high prevalence and common complications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of videos on YouTube related to reducing blood pressure and hypertension treatment. Using the six search terms "hypertension treatment", "cure hypertension", "hypertension medication", "control high blood pressure", "lower high blood pressure", and "reduce high blood pressure", a total of 360 relevant videos on YouTube were evaluated. Some parameters, i.e., the length of the video, number of days on YouTube, number of view counts, and number of likes, dislikes, and comments, were noted for all videos. The Global Quality Scale (GQS) was used to evaluate the quality of the videos. We categorized the video content as useful or misleading using the evidence-based medical literature. After exclusions, 104 videos were evaluated by two independent reviewers. Out of all the videos, 51% were useful, and 49% were misleading. Videos mentioned lifestyle changes (LCs) more (65 videos, 62.5%), and only 39.4% (41 videos) of all the videos contained information about pharmacological treatment (PT). Videos about alternative treatment (AT) had high numbers of views, and videos about PT had low numbers of views, and this difference was statistically significant. Videos that did not include PT but did include LCs and AT had more likes, similar to the number of views. YouTube, which is an important source of information, can guide individuals to in reducing high blood pressure with nonpharmacological and pharmacological methods. Uploaders; doctors (31.7%), herbalists/nutritionists (18.3%), independent users (10.6%), chiropractors (6.7%), yoga teachers (4.8%), and others (27.9%). (B) Country of origin; United States of America (58.7%), India (16.3%), Australia (5.8%), United Kingdom (3.8%), others (4.8%), and unknown (10.6%). (C) Usefulness rate by content (%). PT, pharmacological treatment; LC, lifestyle change; AT, alternative treatment.

Bibliometric analyses of publications in the field of restless legs syndrome.

PURPOSE: Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a chronic neurological disorder and the incidence of RLS is a more common disease than known is accepted. This study was performed to identify and analyze the characteristics of RLS-related articles published from 2001 to 2020 using bibliometric analyses. METHODS: RLS-related articles published from 2001 to 2020 were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database with predefined search terms. VOSviewer software was used to visualize various bibliographic coupling networks on data. The top 10 lists (about organizations, papers, journals, most commonly cited articles, authors, countries, and keywords) extracted from 2001 to 2020 were also analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 2311 articles were included and the total number of publications from 2001 to 2020 was increased by 5.02-fold. The highest number of RLS publications (n = 171) since 2001 was observed in 2020. The United States is contributed the highest number of RLS-related publications (34.53%). The top productive journal was Sleep Medicine and the most prominent organization was Johns Hopkins University. In the list of top 10 authors, Allen RP was the first author. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first bibliometric analysis that provides a general perspective on the RLS from 2001 to 2020 and may be useful as a guide for further research in this field.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors of Imams on Prostate Cancer in Kahramanmaras, Turkey.

Imams are Muslim religious leaders in Turkey, who have a significant influence on society's healthcare attitudes and behavior, and all of them are male. In this study, it is aimed to investigate the knowledge and attitudes of Imams toward prostate cancer (PCa) in order to evaluate their contribution to the fight against PCa in one part of Turkey. This study was carried out on 287 Imams serving in Kahramanmaras Province in Turkey. A questionnaire investigating the sociodemographic characteristics of the participants and their knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors on PCa was conducted. The mean age of Imams was 40.46 ± 8.93 (min = 22, max = 60). Of the participants, 266 (92.7%) said they had heard of PCa, and 16 (5.6%) had heard of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. The majority of Imam's had poor knowledge regarding PCa. The knowledge score of Imams did not change according to marital status (p = 0.304) or education level (p = 0.16), but the knowledge score significantly increased with age groups (as age increased) (p = 0.010). Results of the present study revealed that Imams lack significant knowledge on PCa. Training on PCa should be organized for Imams, and the issuance of fatwa for PCa should be encouraged. The coordinated work of media, medical personnel, religious officials, and religious schools on PCa will be an important factor in the fight against PCa.

Tularemia research activity: a bibliometric analysis between 1980 and 2020.

INTRODUCTION: Tularemia disease attracts attention as an important contagious zoonosis that has increased its impact in recent years. The aim of the study is to analyze the publications on tularemia between 1980 and 2020. METHODS: We performed literature retrieval in the Web of Science (WoS) on 22 September 2021. Search terms were "Francisella tularensis" and "Tularemia" in the article title for the period between January 1980 and December 2020. We determined the number of articles, keywords, countries, authors, and institutions for each publication. We visualized the data with the VOS viewer tool. RESULTS: After all inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied finally, 1688 articles were analyzed. The number of articles has increased in recent years. The three most productive countries in tularemia were the USA (777 articles 46.03%), Sweden (113 articles 6.69%), and Turkey (95 articles, 5.63%). Most of the articles were from the journal of Infection and Immunity (II), Plos one, Journal of Clinical Microbiology (JCM), Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID), and Vaccine. Sjostedt A. and Umea University-Sweden were the most influential author and institution. CONCLUSIONS: Productivity trend has been shown to increase in tularemia. High-income countries had a great influence on the literature in the field. Publications from the USA were in a high percentage among all articles. Related work may lead to the future direction of this dossier in the next years.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Behavior of Teachers Regarding HPV (Human Papillomavirus) and Vaccination.

This study aims to determine the knowledge, attitude, and behaviors of teachers regarding human papillomavirus (HPV) and its vaccination. This cross-sectional study included teachers from 30 schools of the Kahramanmaras city between 01 March 2015 and 09 June 2015. The teachers were informed prior to the study, and 804 teachers giving written consents were enrolled. Nine questions (9 points) to ascertain the knowledge of teachers regarding HPV and 5 questions to detect the knowledge level about HPV vaccination were prepared from the literature. Of the participants, 448 (55.7%) were men and 356 (44.3%) were women with a mean age of 38.32 ± 8.36 (min = 23, max = 65) years. Of the teachers, 309 (38.4%) reported having heard about HPV before while 207 (25.7%) stated hearing about the HPV vaccine. The knowledge about HPV was mostly gained from the internet (n = 183, 22.8%). The mean knowledge score of HPV was 1.29 ± 1.57 in men and 1.76 ± 1.70 in women. The mean knowledge score about the HPV vaccination was 0.86 ± 1.06 in men and 1.14 ± 1.29 in women. The knowledge scores of female teachers regarding HPV and its vaccination were significantly higher compared with male teachers (p < 0.001, p = 0.001). We found that teachers' level of knowledge regarding HPV and its vaccination is lacking. Furthermore, we observed deficiency and mistakes in teachers' attitude and behaviors towards HPV and its vaccine. The knowledge deficiency of male teachers about HPV and vaccination compared with female teachers is remarkable.

Prevalence of oral Candida carriage and Candida species among cigarette and maras powder users.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Candida carriage and Candida species among cigarette and Maras powder (MP) users. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study was conducted on 180 volunteering men in 20 cafehouses in the city of Kahramanmaras, Turkey. The sociodemographic characteristics of the participants and the behaviors of MP and cigarette usage were noted down. Culture specimens were obtained from bilateral buccal mucosa and dorsum of the tongue with a sterile cotton-tipped swap. RESULTS: The specimens were inoculated into Sabouraud Dextrose Agar. The mean age of the participants was 40.49 ± 12.89 years (min = 18, max = 87). Fifty-eight percent of the cigarette users, 56.7% of the MP users, and 36.7% of the control group were Candida carriers. The difference of Candida carriage between cigarette and MP users and the control group was statistically significant (P = 0.018 and P = 0.029 respectively). The prevalence of Candida carriage was similar between cigarette and MP users (P = 0.854). The most frequently isolated species was Candida albicans at a rate of 30% in the cigarette users' group, 28.3% in the MP users' group and at a rate of 18.3% in the controls. The prevalence of Candida tropicalis carriage was found to be at a rate of 20% in cigarette and 21.7% in the MP users' group compared to 11.7% in the nonusers. CONCLUSIONS: In the present study we found that the prevalence of oral Candida carriage was significantly higher among cigarette and MP users.

Evaluation of adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in smokers and Maras powder users.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate adult attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in smokers, Maras powder users and non-users of tobacco products by using the Adult Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder Self-report Scale (ASRS). METHODS: The study was performed on 446 males presenting to family health centers in Kahramanmara, Turkey. Of 446 participants, 104 were Maras powder users, 133 were smokers and 209 were volunteers not using any tobacco products. Data were collected with a questionnaire composed of questions about socio-demographic features and features of smoking and Maras powder use, and the Fagerström Nicotine Dependence Scale and the ASRS. P < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 33.94 ± 10.68 years (min = 18, max = 64). There was no significant difference in age between the study groups (P = 0.089). Thirty-one participants (7.0%) received scores higher than the cut-off value (≥ 14 points) for the short form of the ASRS. Twenty-one participants (4.7%) achieverd scores higher than the cut-off value (≥ 44 points) for the ASRS. The smokers received the highest scores of 8.42 ± 3.79 for all the subscales of the short version of the ASRS, 26.87 ± 10.46 for the ASRS, 12.57 ± 6.47 for the attention deficit subscale and 14.30 ± 5.35 for the hyperactivity and impulsivity subscale. CONCLUSION: Higher rates of the smokers and the Maras powder users had symptoms of ADHD. Considering nicotine may decrease symptoms of ADHD, it can be assumed that the rates of the smokers and Maras powder users with ADHD are higher.

Oral Candida carriage and prevalence of Candida species among Maras powder users and non-users.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to investigate Candida carriage and species in Maras powder users and non-users. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study included 100 volunteering men in 12 cafés in the city of Kahramanmaras, Turkey. A questionnaire composed of questions about socio-demographic features and Maras powder use was filled in by the participants. Culture specimens were obtained from bilateral buccal mucosa and dorsum of the tongue with a sterile cotton-tipped swap. The specimens were inoculated in Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA). RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 48.0 ± 12.5 years (min = 20, max = 70). Fifty-four percent of the Maras powder users and 22% of the non-users were Candida carriers. The difference between the groups was significant (P = 0.001). The most frequently isolated species was Candida albicans at a rate of 44% in the Maras powder users and at a rate of 18% in the non-users. Other frequent species were Candida glabrata at a rate of 6% in the Maras powder users and 2% in the control group and Candida tropicalis at a rate of 4% in the Maras powder users and 2% in the nonusers. CONCLUSION: We found that a significantly high rate of the Maras powder users was Candida carriers. It should be kept in mind that opportunistic infections may be caused by Candida species in Maras powder users especially with immunosuppressive conditions since Candida species are likely to lead to such infections in cases of immunosuppressive diseases.

Knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of mosque imams regarding organ donation.

BACKGROUND: In this study we aimed to determine knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of mosque imams regarding organ donation. MATERIAL/METHODS: This study involved 322 mosque imams working in Kahramanmaras, a city in the Mediterranean region of Turkey. A questionnaire was used to determine participants' sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding organ donation. RESULTS: Out of a total of 322 participants, 253 (78.6%) stated that organ donation is allowed in Islam, while 5 (1.6%) expressed that it is religiously forbidden, and 64 (19.9%) stated that they have no idea about the issue. Only 2 (0.6%) participants were registered organ/tissue donors, wile 320 (99.4%) were not. Out of all participants, 72 (22.4%) imams were willing to donate organs. Forty-six (14.3%) imams had previously received basic training about organ donation, and 166 (51.6%) were willing to attend a related training. Television programs and healthcare professionals were the most common means of learning about organ donation. Educational programs by healthcare professionals for imams and the public were proposed to be effective in increasing the number of organ donations. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that the knowledge of mosque imams regarding organ donation is poor and they had little willingness to donate their organs. Interestingly, many imams had no knowledge about organ donation under Islam. Collaboration of media, healthcare professionals, and mosque imams regarding organ donation might help increase organ donation.