Determining the Mental Status, Sleep Quality, and Eating Behaviors of University Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in adverse effects on individuals' physical and mental health worldwide, with university students also being adversely affected by this process. OBJECTIVES: This research aimed to determine the mental condition, sleep quality, and eating behaviors of university students during the COVID-19 process. METHOD: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 1,065 university students. Study data were collected with an online questionnaire including a personal information form, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and the Dutch Eating Behavior Scale. RESULTS: Students' poor sleep quality was determined to be 69.5%. It was also determined that students' depression and stress levels were moderate that their anxiety levels were low, their eating behaviors were generally problematic, and more than half had poor sleep quality. In addition, eating disorders and poor sleep quality increased as depression, anxiety, and stress levels increased, and eating disorders increased as poor sleep quality increased (p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: The results emphasize the importance of the strengthening of students' mental health, particularly by improving their sleep quality and eating habits. Evidence-based interventions regarding the effects of the pandemic should be made for students under the leadership of a psychiatric nurse, and effective strategies must be developed accordingly.

The effect of loneliness and perceived social support on medication adherence self-efficacy in hypertensive patients: An example of Turkey.

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of loneliness and perceived social support on medication adherence self-efficacy in hypertensive patients. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted between March and June 2015 at 5 Family Health Centers in central Erzincan in eastern Turkey. The data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a descriptive questionnaire, the UCLA Loneliness Scale, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the Medication Adherence Self-Efficacy Scale Short Form. The mean score obtained from the UCLA Loneliness Scale was 38.35 ± 9.85, from the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support 64.10 ± 18.31, and from the Medication Adherence Self-Efficacy Scale 40.27 ± 11.97. The mean UCLA Loneliness Scale score was found to have a low negative correlation with the mean Medication Adherence Self-Efficacy Scale score and a highly significant negative correlation with the mean Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support score (P < .001). There was also a very low positive significant correlation between the mean scores of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and the Medication Adherence Self-Efficacy Scale (P < .001). This study revealed that individuals with hypertension perceived a moderate level of loneliness, and their perceived social support and medication adherence self-efficacy were higher than the moderate level. Perceived loneliness and perceived social support were significant indicators of perceived medication adherence self-efficacy. Therefore, effective consultancy services should be provided to hypertensive patients to increase their social support and to make positive changes in their perceived loneliness so that their perceived medication adherence self-efficacy can be improved.

The Effect of Education Given to Children with Functional Constipation and Fecal Incontinence and Their Mothers on Anxiety and Constipation Management.

AIM: This study aimed to determine the effect of multidimensional training program on children with constipation and fecal incontinence and their mothers on anxiety and their constipation management. METHOD: The study had an experimental design with a pretest-posttest control group. The intervention group consisted of children diagnosed with functional constipation (n=20) and fecal incontinence (n=21) and their mothers in the Pediatric Surgery Clinic. The control group consisted of healthy (n=20) children who applied to two different Family Health Centers for any reason. Data were collected between February 2016 and June 2017 using a descriptive questionnaire, a nutrient consumption frequency form, the Rome III diagnostic criteria form, and the Trait Anxiety Scale for Children. RESULTS: After the training program, the mean score of the Trait Anxiety Scale for Children decreased in both intervention groups (p<0.01) and increased in the control group (p<0.05). In addition, the frequency of the consumption of milk, caffeinated drinks, and white bread was reduced in the children of both intervention groups after the training program. The consumption of dried legumes, vegetables, and whole wheat bread increased. According to the Rome III diagnostic criteria, it was determined that constipation symptoms were not observed in 50% of the children. CONCLUSION: The training program had a significant influence on the prevention and management of constipation and anxiety. Given that constipation is associated with both physical and mental health outcomes, the approach for the treatment should be holistic in nature, involving a multidisciplinary team.

The effect of depression on adherence to antihypertensive medications in elderly individuals with hypertension.

This study was carried out to find the effect of depression on adherence to antihypertensive medications in elderly individuals with hypertension. The descriptive study population consisted of hypertensive individuals aged 65 years and older, who presented to one of the three Family Health Centers located in the provincial center of Erzincan. No sampling was attempted, and 350 people who met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. The study data were collected between May and September 2014 by face-to-face interviews using a descriptive questionnaire, the Medication Adherence Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form for hypertensive patients, and the Geriatric Depression Scale. Depression was found in 57.1% of all the elderly in this study and in 72.6 % of those aged 80 years and older. A moderately significant negative correlation was found between depression and the mean medication adherence self-efficacy score. In conclusion, early diagnosis and treatment of depression symptoms is an important factor in the management and treatment of hypertension. For this reason, it is important for the nurse and other health professionals working in primary care to observe hypertensive elderly people for depression symptoms, to consider the effect of depression on adherence to medication in coping with the disease.

Effect of Psychosocial Skills Training on Disease Symptoms, Insight, Internalized Stigmatization, and Social Functioning in Patients with Schizophrenia.

PURPOSE: This study was performed for the purpose of determining the effect of psychosocial skills training (PSST) on disease symptoms, insight, internalized stigmatization, and social functioning in patients with schizophrenia. DESIGN: One group pretest-posttest model. METHOD: The study was carried out with 25 outpatients who were diagnosed with schizophrenia. The PSST was given to three groups of eight to nine patients once a week in 24 sessions, each lasting 90-120 minutes for a period of 6 months. FINDINGS: The program had significant results in schizophrenic patients in improving the level of symptoms, increasing the level of functioning, and coping with stigmatization. CONCLUSION: The PSST program, adjuvant to pharmacological treatments, can be considered as a significant modality in daily practice due to its effect on improving symptoms, insight, and level of functioning and decreasing internalized stigmatization. CLINICAL RELEVANCES: PSST in patients with schizophrenia can contribute to the use of evidence-based education strategies in psychiatric nursing practice to improve coping skills with the disease.

Reliability and validity of the Turkish form of the eight-item Morisky medication adherence scale in hypertensive patients.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the 8-item Morisky medication adherence scale. METHODS: The study was conducted as a methodological design. The study included 196 patients with hypertension who applied to the Family Health Centers in three different regions of Turkey. Data were collected from February-June 2012. Methods used in the analysis included factor analysis, assessment of Cronbach's α test and item-total correlation in order to perform psychometric measurements. Variables influencing scores of medication adherence were determined using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Factor loadings of all items in the scale were above 0.40, and the variation explained was determined to be 42.4. The Turkish form consisted of a single domain. The Cronbach's α coefficient of the items in the scale was 0.79. Item-total correlations of items in the scale were between 0. 30 and 0. 62. Scores of medication adherence were observed to be affected by low economic condition and city where said individuals reside. CONCLUSION: It was determined that levels of reliability and validity of Turkish version of 8-item Morisky medication adherence scale is acceptable.

[The effect of family-to-family support programs provided for families of schizophrenic patients on information about illness, family burden and self-efficacy]. / Sizofreni hastalarinin ailelerine uygulanan aileden aileye destek programinin hastalik hakkinda bilgi, aile yükü ve öz yeterlilik üzerine etkisi.

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to determine the effects of family-to-family support programs provided for the families of schizophrenic patients on the need for information about the illness, family burden and self-efficacy METHOD: The study was carried out with 34 relatives who have key rolesin the lives of 34 outpatients who were diagnosed with schizophrenia under DSM-IV-TR. A volunteering family member was given training about the purpose, contents and planning of the program. Thefamily member who had been trainedthen extended this training to other family members with the assistance of the psychiatric nurse. The training was done once a week, for atotal of 12 sessions. The data were collected using a Disease Information Form (DIF), the Perceived Family Burden Scale (PFBS) and the Self-Efficacy Scale (SES). RESULTS: There was a significant decrease in the PFBS objective scores (from 11.76±3.89 to 9.82±4.03, p=0.000), subjective scores (from 37.85±14.57 to 32.74±4.39, p=0.030) and total scores (from 49.62±18.25 to 42.56±7.56, p=0.005) and a significant increase in the SESS scores (from 82.65±12.01 to 97.79±7.17, p=0.000). Before training, 58.8% of family members correctly answered that schizophrenia is a brain disease, while 94.1% correctly stated that,it must be treated with medication;however, 55.9% of caregivers incorrectly believed in magical attributions relating to the disease.After training, all caregivers were able to answer correctly. CONCLUSION: A family-to-family support program was found to be effective in reducing caregivers' need for information, reducing their burden, and increasing their self-efficacy in our country.

Effects of a nursing intervention program on the depression and perception of family functioning of mothers with intellectually disabled children.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to examine the effect of psychosocial education provided to mothers with intellectually disabled children on the risk of depression and perception of family functioning in those mothers. BACKGROUND: Families with intellectually disabled children need encouragement, support and training to more actively participate in their children's education and to positively affect their children's growth and development. DESIGN: Randomised controlled study. METHODS: The study included the mothers of 75 intellectually disabled children (40 intervention, 35 control). The mothers in the intervention group who participated in a routine program at private education and rehabilitation centres attended four different psychosocial educational sessions. Sessions were conducted once a week for four weeks and lasted 120 minutes. The control group attended only the routine program of the private education and rehabilitation centre. RESULTS: Our study results showed that after completion of the educational program, there was a greater decrease in the risk for depression in the intervention group when compared to the control group, and the former perceived their family functions better. These differences were statistically significant (p < 0·001). CONCLUSIONS: The education given by nurses to mothers who have children with intellectual disabilities may be effective in reducing the risk for depression and in increasing the perception of healthy family functioning. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Psychosocial nursing education program can contribute to the use of evidence-based education strategies in nursing practice to improve the mental health for mothers with intellectually disabled children.