Knowledge and skill needs of home caregivers and their care burden perceptions

Research problem/aim: Family members are increasingly taking more responsibility for patient care. We were conducted this study to determine knowledge and skill needs of in-home caregivers and their care burden perceptions. Methods: The study was designed as descriptive study. The universe of this study included 350 patients who were registered in a Public Hospital Home Care Services Department by year of 2016 and the research sample consisted of 161 patients and patient relatives. Data was collected to use Patient and Caregiver Forms, Care Burden Scale, and Barthel Index. We were calculated the data with percentage, average, standard deviation, independent samples t test, Mann Whitney U, Kruskal Wallis tests. Finding: Total Care Burden Scale point is 41.32 ± 13.20, caregiver’s age, marital status, educational status, economic status, to get help about care and receiving care duration do not affect CBS points, female caregivers have less CBS points than male caregivers and this difference is statistically significant (p < 0.05), the least skill level part of caregivers are care and prevention of decubitus, patient handling with the proper method, pay attention to their own body mechanisms, wound care, vital measurements, genital care, stress management and constipation. Conclusion: Caregivers have in a low level of training about care and need knowledge and skills according to patient needs. Care burden of men is higher than women

A Short Educational program for the working staff of a university hospital: An intriguing implementation strategy for palliative care.

Background: Palliative care practice, aimed at improving psychosocial and physical quality of life without the aim of providing medical cure, is under development in our country. We aimed to reveal the implementation strategy and success of a short palliative care education program organised for health workers in our institution. Method: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted at the Palliative Care Research and Application Centre of Gaziosmanpaşa University in Tokat. As part of implementation strategy, an educational program for all nurses, technicians and other hospital staff (bureau personnel and etc.) was organised. A test about palliative care was conducted before and after the education program. 4 weeks later, the same test was delivered to hospital staff who can’t attend education program. The pre- and post-test results of attending staff and the test results of non-attending staff were compared and analysed via SPSS Statistic 20 program. Findings: There were 120 women (63,2%), 70 men (36,8%) participants in attending group and 42 women (45,2%), 51 men (54,8 %) participants in non-attending group. Rate of correct response to ‘Which of the following is not suitable for the definition of palliative care?’ question, increased 14,7 % and reached 55,8 % in attending group. The non-attending group expressed that they have learned palliative care from attending group with 73,7 % . Conclusions: This study showed that there is a high level of lack of knowledge about palliative care among healthcare workers and that a statistically significant level of awareness can be achieved via a brief education program

Women's Knowledge And Attitude About Osteoporosis At Kayseri Melikgazi Health Group Headship’s - Original Investigation

Aim: At the present day osteoporosis is an important subject of public health concern. Osteoporosis is a systemic skeletal disorder, which is characterized by increased bone fragility and increased fracture risk. The aim of this study was to evaluate women’s knowledge and attitude about osteoporosis. Patients and Method: The study was performed in 2006 at Kayseri Melikgazi Health Group Headship’s 14 village clinic area on 800 women over 18 years old who accepted to join this study. İt is performed by home visits with a descriptive questionnaire which concernes knowledge, attitude and risk factors about osteporosis. Results: Women merge in the study, 74.6% is at 18-49 age group, 49.0% is first and second degree graduated, 83.5% is housewife and 29.8% is at menaposis. Women’s knowledge level about osteoporosis is low, knowledge level is on increase with education levels increase and it is significant and it decreases significantly by the age increases (p<0.05). 12.3% of the participants (98 women) reported a diagnosis of osteoporosis. 15.0% of the women reported daily regular exercise and walk. 11.5% of the women reported have previously fracture history and 84.8% of the fractures related to crash. There are no statistical differences between diagnosis of osteoporosis and, color of skin and body structure. The most common knowledge source about osteoporosis is television and radio. Most taken medicines to osteoporosis are calcium and vitamin D. Conclusion: Basic approach at osteoporosis is protection, therefore it must be focused on education to raise women’s knowledge level about osteoporosis. Health professionals must act more in this head, and all should be educated about osteoporosis risk factors, diagnose, threatment and complications. (From the World of Osteoporosis 2007;13:60-6

Carnitine concentrations in healthy and septicaemia suspected neonatal calves and its relation to passive immunty

Erdoğan, Hidayet Metin ( Aksaray, Yazar )This study was designed to determine carnitine concentrations in newborn calves with suspected septicaemia, healthy calves, and colostrum samples as well as to detect alterations in blood carnitine concentrations after colostrum intake. Carnitine concentrations were detected in both neonatal calves with suspected septicaemia (n = 195) and healthy calves (n =10) as well as in colostrum/milk samples from their dams (n = 20). The mean carnitine concentration on the 2nd day after colostrum intake (32.61 μmol/L) was significantly higher than that measured before colostrum intake (17.61 μmol/L) (P < 0.05). The striking result was significantly lower mean carnitine concentration detected in calves with suspected septicaemia (17.11 μmol/L), compared to healthy calves (24.92 μmol/L) (P < 0.001). Apart from a sudden increase on day 7, no significant alteration was observed in colostrum/milk carnitine concentrations throughout the postpartum period. The results indicated that colostrum contained carnitine, which passed into the bloodstream of the calf by passive colostral transfer, and that a dramatic reduction in blood carnitine concentrations of calves with suspected septicaemia existed. The results might be of help in dealing with septicaemia suspected neonatal calves through both measurement of blood carnitine and, in response, to supplement such cases with carnitine

Investigation of Behçet's Disease and Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis Frequency: The Highest Prevalence in Turkey

Background: The Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis (RAS) is the most frequently observed painful pathology of the oral mucosa in the society. It appears mostly in idiopathic form; however, it may also be related with systemic diseases like Behçet’s Disease (BD). Aims: Determining the prevalence of RAS and BD in the Northern Anatolian Region, which is one of the important routes on the Antique Silk Road. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Overall, 85 separate exemplification groups were formed to reflect the population density, and the demographic data of the region they represent. In the first stage, the individuals, who were selected in random order, were invited to a Family Physician Unit at a certain date and time. The dermatological examinations of the volunteering individuals were performed by only 3 dermatology specialists. In the second stage, those individuals who had symptoms of BD were invited to our hospital, and the Pathergy Test and eye examinations were performed. Results: The annual prevalence of RAS was determined as 10.84%. The annual prevalence was determined to be higher in women than in men (p=0.000). It was observed that the prevalence was at the peak level in the 3rd decade, and then decreased proportionally in the following decades (p=0.000). It was also observed that the aphtha recurrence decreased in the following decades (p=0.048). The Behçet’s prevalence was found to be 0.60%. The prevalence in women was found to be higher than in men (0.86% female, 0.14% male; p=0.022). Conclusion: While the RAS prevalence ratio was at an average value when compared with the other societies; the BD prevalence was found as the highest ratio in the world according to the literature

Determination of Seroprevalence and Risk Factors of Crimean–Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) in the Endemic Region in Turkey: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Objectives. Turkey is one of the countries that has the most cases of CCHF in recent years among the endemic countries. The disease also poses an important health threat with high mortality rate. The aim of the study was to determine the seroprevalence and risk factors of CCHF in adults aged ≥20 years in Tokat in the endemic region, Turkey. Methods. In this population-based cross-sectional study, a total of 85 Family Medicine Units (FMUs), from over 170 in Tokat, were randomly selected using 50% sampling. The sample size was determined among the subjects aged ≥20 who registered with the FMUs, due to gender, age group, and the urban/rural population size of Tokat using the stratified cluster sampling method. Subjects were invited to the FMUs. A questionnaire was performed face to face. The blood samples were taken, and anti-CCHFV IgG antibodies were measured with ELISA method. Results. 1272 (54.9%) out of 2319 participants were female, and the mean age was 47.3 ± 15.3. Anti-CCHFV IgG seropositivity was 5.6% (n = 130). Seropositivity rates in terms of adjusted odds ratios (AOR) were higher 2.53 times (95% CI: 1.57–4.08; p=0.001) in males; 4.05 (95% CI: 2.14–7.65; p<0.001) in age group ≥65; 0.33 (95% CI: 0.14–0.76; p<0.001) in graduates of high school and above; 0.71 (95%CI: 0.33–1.52; p<0.001) in ones with good income; 1.84 (95%CI: 1.18–2.86; p<0.001) in farmers; 1.64 (95% CI: 1.04–2.27; p<0.001) in people dealing with animal husbandry; and 1.02 (95% CI: 1.03–2.29; p<0.001) in those with history of tick contact. Conclusions. CCHF seroprevalence is still a common public health problem in Tokat, Turkey. Male gender, advanced age group, low-educated, low-income, farmers, animal husbandry, and history of tick contact were found to be risk factors for CCHF. The importance of this kind of community-based studies to identify the seroprevalence in regional and national level increases even more