Prevalence of Intimate Partner Violence and Associated Factors.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to investigate the prevalence of intimate partner physical violence among depressive Turkish women, as well as the association of intimate partner physical violence with attachment patterns, childhood traumas, and socio-demographic factors. METHODS: The study included 100 women diagnosed with depressive disorder and 30 healthy women. The Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV axis I disorders, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, Adult Attachment Style Questionnaire (AASQ), and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) were used for clinical assessment. RESULTS: It was found that 64% of the women diagnosed with depression were suffering from intimate partner physical violence. In these women, the severity of depression and anxiety symptoms was higher, suicidal ideation and suicide attempts were more common, and the diagnosis of double depression was more prevalent. These women also achieved higher scores in the avoidant and ambivalent subscales of AASQ and higher total scores and higher scores in the physical abuse subscale of CTQ. The partner's and the woman's experiences of physical violence in their families during their childhood predicted intimate partner physical violence for women suffering from depression. CONCLUSION: The investigation of domestic violence contributes to the treatment of depression and also to the recognition and prevention of domestic violence that has profound effects on successive generations.

[The perceived burden of care and its correlates in schizophrenia]. / Sizofrenide Ailenin Yükünü Etkileyen Etmenler.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to investigate the perceived level of burden of care and its correlates in family members of schizophrenia patients. METHOD: The study included 239 schizophrenic patients that were followed-up at the psychiatric outpatient clinics of Izmir Ataturk Education and Research Hospital, and Celal Bayar University Medical School, and 239 of their primary caregivers. Patients were assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANNS), Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF), Social Functioning Scale (SFS), Brief Cognitive State Examination (BCE), and UKU Side Effect Rating Scale. Their primary caregivers were assessed using the Perceived Family Burden Scale (PFBS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). RESULTS: Caregiver PFBS scores ere correlated with male patients, female caregivers, inadequate social support, economic difficulty, the presence of chronic physical disorder in the caregivers, patient violence toward the caregivers, total duration of illness, the number of patient hospitalizations, PANNS total and subscale scores, and SFS, BDI, and BAI scores. Perceived burden of care was predicted by the severity of the patients' positive symptoms, SFS independence/competence and interpersonal functioning subscale scores, and caregivers' anxiety and depression levels. CONCLUSION: In order to decrease the burden of care in schizophrenia we recommend effective management of patient symptoms, enhancement of patient social functioning, interventions that target caregivers with high levels anxiety and depression, and social support provided by healthcare professionals.

Traditional medicine in Sakarya province (Turkey) and antimicrobial activities of selected species.

Traditional medicine in North-West of Turkey (Sakarya province) were studied during a 2 months field study by interviewing local informants from several villages. Plant species used to treat infections were tested for antimicrobial activity. Information was collected for 46 plant species from 30 families and for 5 animal species. Twenty four of the plant species were cultivated. Most used families were Asteraceae, Cucurbitaceae, Lamiaceae and Rosaceae and the most used plants were Artemisia absinthium, Equisetum telmateia, Lavandula stoechas, Melissa officinalis, Tussilago farfara and Urtica dioica. A total of 139 medicinal uses were obtained. Plants are used mainly for infectious diseases (18%), for neurological and psychological disorders (13.7%), cardiovascular disorders (13%), skin disorders (12.2%) and respiratory disorders (10.1%). Extracts were tested in vitro for antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 65538, Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 12228, Escherichia coli ATCC 8739, Klebsiella pneumonia ATCC 4352, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 1539, Salmonella typhi, Shigella flexneri, Proteus mirabilis and Candida albicans ATCC 10231, using microbroth dilution technique according to National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS). This research showed that Arum maculatum, Datura stramonium, Geranium asphodeloides and Equisetum telmateia petroleum ether extracts had MIC values of 39.1 microg/ml, 78.1 microg/ml, 78.1 microg/ml and 39.1 microg/ml, respectively against Staphylococcus epidermidis. Datura stramonium petroleum ether extract had a MIC value of 39.1 microg/ml against Escherichia coli and Trachystemon orientalis ethanol extract had a MIC value of 39.1 microg/ml against Escherichia coli. The antimicrobial activity of Arum maculatum, Equisetum telmateia, Geranium asphodeloides, Plantago intermedia, Senecio vulgaris and Trachystemon orientalis has been reported here for the first time.