Assessment of healthy lifestyle behaviors in traveling seasonal agricultural workers.

OBJECTIVES: The deficiencies in working conditions, fees, housing conditions, and nutritional capabilities have negative influences on health of seasonal agricultural workers. It is highly important to adopt healthy lifestyle behaviors in this group of individuals. This study aimed to identify healthy lifestyle behaviors in seasonal agricultural workers. STUDY DESIGN: This is a descriptive study performed with seasonal agricultural workers. METHODS: This descriptive study was performed by 508 seasonal agricultural workers, who worked temporarily in Kayseri Province between June 2016 and November 2016. The data were collected by a sociodemographic questionnaire including items on demographic characteristics such as age, gender, marital status, and education level. The Healthy Lifestyle Behavior Scale (HLBS) II was used to assess healthy lifestyle behaviors. The data from 118 seasonal agricultural workers were included to the analysis. Descriptive data are summarized as count and percent, whereas total and subdomain scores from HLBS II are summarized as min-max, standard deviation, and mean values. RESULTS: In the study population, mean age was 29.2 ± 12.1 years. Of the study population, 33.9% were women whereas 59.6% were married, and 65.2% were graduated from primary school or higher. The mean total score was 86.7 ± 7.3 ranging from 70 to 112 in HLBS II. The interpersonal support score showed highest value among subdomains. CONCLUSIONS: It was found that healthy lifestyle behaviors were moderately adopted by seasonal agricultural workers.

Muscle function-dependent sarcopenia and cut-off values of possible predictors in community-dwelling Turkish elderly: calf circumference, midarm muscle circumference and walking speed.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of muscle strength-based sarcopenia and to determine possible predictors. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This is a cross-sectional population-based study in the community-dwelling Turkish elderly. Anthropometric measurements, namely body height, weight, triceps skin fold (TSF), mid upper arm circumference (MUAC), waist circumference (WC) and calf circumference (CC), were noted. The midarm muscle circumference (MAMC) was calculated by using MUAC and TSF measurement. Sarcopenia was assessed, adjusted for body mass index (BMI) and gender, according to muscle strength. Physical performance was determined by 4 m walking speed (WS; m/s). The receiver operating curve analysis was performed to determine cut-offs of CC, MAMC and 4 m WS. RESULTS: A total of 879 elderly subjects, 50.1% of whom were female, were recruited. The mean handgrip strength (HGS) and s.d. was 24.2 (8.8) kg [17.9 (4.8) female, 30.6 (7.1) male]. The muscle function-dependent sarcopenia was 63.4% (female 73.5%, male 53.2%). The muscle mass-dependent sarcopenia for CC (<31 cm) and MAMC(<21.1 cm in males, <19.9 cm in females) was 6.7% and 7.3%, respectively. The prevalence of low 4 m WS (≤ 0.8 m/s) was 81.8% (91.3% in females and 72.3% in males, respectively). We compared MAMC, CC and 4 m WS and found that AUC for 4 m WS was the best predictor of sarcopenia. CONCLUSIONS: An adequate muscle mass may not mean a reliable muscle function. Muscle function may describe sarcopenia better compared with muscle mass. The CC, MAMC and 4 m WS cut-offs may be used to assess sarcopenia in certain age groups.

Large retroperitoneal schwannoma mimicking ovarian carcinoma: case report and literature review.

UNLABELLED: In this article we present a case of retroperitoneal schwannoma localized in the pelvic cavity with complete cystic degeneration, mimicking ovarian carcinoma. CASE: A 25-year-old nulligravid woman was admitted to our gynecology out-patient clinic with the complaint of abdominal distension, right flank pain and pollakiuria. Sonographic study showed a cytic mass containing necrotic areas and filling the whole pelvic cavity. Computed tomography and colonography suggested the possible diagnosis of a right ovarian malign tumor. Laparotomy revealed a retroperitoneal cystic lesion. Microscopic examination of the pelvic mass confirmed the diagnosis of cystic degenerative schwannoma. After six months of initial surgery she is still alive without any evidence of disease. CONCLUSION: In the present case, it is emphasized that it is easy to make an error and misdiagnose a pelvic mass as an ovarian tumor when it is in fact a tumor from another origin. Additonally, clinicians should keep in mind that retroperitoneal schwannoma may mimic cystic ovarian carcinoma even in young women.