A community-based intervention programme on hormonal contraceptives: The utilisation of social networks.

The aim of the study was to determine the effects of an intervention programme based on the utilisation of the social learning concept which is practised through social networks among adult women in a suburban population in Turkey. The study was performed in two disadvantaged neighbourhoods of Umraniye, Istanbul. One of the neighbourhoods served as the intervention while the other as the control group. In order to document the efficacy of the intervention, baseline and evaluation surveys were carried out in both neighbourhoods. The most widely known hormonal contraceptive method was oral contraceptives, while emergency contraceptives were determined as the least known methods. The improvement was higher for the least known methods. Education with peer groups is shown to be effective in improving the knowledge of women about contraception. Information transfer through peer groups should be used more frequently particularly for emergency contraception.

Radionuclide concentrations in soil and lifetime cancer risk due to gamma radioactivity in Kirklareli, Turkey.

The objective of this study is to evaluate and map soil radionuclides' activity concentrations and environmental outdoor gamma dose rates (terrestrial and cosmic) in Kirklareli, Turkey. The excess lifetime cancer risks are also calculated. Outdoor gamma dose rates were determined in 230 sampling stations and soil samples were taken from 177 locations. The coordinates of the readings were determined by the Global Positioning System (GPS). The outdoor gamma dose rates were determined by Eberline smart portable device (ESP-2) and measurements were taken in air for two minutes at 1m from the ground. The average outdoor gamma dose rate was 118+/-34nGyh(-1). Annual effective gamma dose of Kirklareli was 144microSv and the excess lifetime cancer risk of 5.0x10(-4). Soil samples were analyzed by gamma spectroscopy. The average 226Ra, 238U, 232Th, 137Cs, and 40K activities were 37+/-18Bqkg(-1), 28+/-13Bqkg(-1), 40+/-18Bqkg(-1), 8+/-5Bqkg(-1) and 667+/-281Bqkg(-1), respectively. The average soil radionuclides' concentrations of Kirklareli were within the worldwide range although some extreme values had been determined. Annual effective gamma doses and the excess lifetime risks of cancer were higher than the world's average.

Do perceived health risks outweigh the benefits of modern contraceptives? A qualitative study in a suburban population in Istanbul, Turkey.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the health concerns and the perceived non-contraceptive benefits of modern contraceptive methods through utilizing qualitative methods. METHODS: Six focus group discussions were carried out with a total of 53 married women in a socio-economically disadvantaged community in Istanbul, Turkey. RESULTS: Women had a vague knowledge of the mechanism of menstruation. Some women believed that the uterus was filled with blood -- termed 'dirty blood' -- which should be eliminated during menstruation in order to stay healthy. For this reason, amenorrhoea was recognized as the important disadvantage of the progestin-only injectable contraceptives. While the participants mentioned fallacious and exaggerated side effects related to modern methods they did not recognize their non-contraceptive benefits. Most women gained the information concerning side effects through their social networks. Sometimes the information acquired was based on rumours that biased women against the modern contraceptives. CONCLUSIONS: Women outweighed the risks, some of which were fallacious and exaggerated, against the benefits of modern contraceptives. It is crucial to address health concerns of women and what they 'heard' from their peers during counselling sessions. Also the non-contraceptive health benefits of modern methods should be well emphasized. Since informal sources are prevalent, the effectiveness of peer education should be studied in this community.