Developing message content sent via WhatsApp for improving quitting success rate

Aim To present the content development study of support messages to be sent via WhatsApp embedded to smoking cessation healthcare service to increase the individuals’ success rate. Methods After the literature review, 178 key messages were gathered supporting smoking cessation. Similar messages related to "preparation" and "action" phases of the Transtheoretical Model were combined and a total of 60 key messages were obtained. Messages have been transformed into graphic images and sending period has also been determined for each message. Graphic messages were sent to field experts and individuals with quitting experience via an online questionnaire. Participants were asked to rate each graphic message in terms of content and appropriateness of sending period on a Likert-type scale (1: Absolutely no - 5: Absolutely yes). Messages with 4.0 and higher average scores were decided appropriate and, others were revised. After the revision, messages were sent back to the both participant groups again and, they were asked to evaluate with the same scale. Results A total of 60 messages were developed (seven for pre-quitting and, 53 for quitting phase). All (n=14) participants (seven from expert and seven from quitters group) were responded in the first round and 10 (71.4%) in the second round. The average score of the messages in the first round; 4.4 ± 1.0 in the expert group, 4.6 ± 0.8 in the quitters group and 4.5 ± 0.9 for all participants. The number of messages below the cutoff point were five (8.3%) in the expert and two (3.3%) in the quitters group. The average score of messages in the second round; 4.9 ± 0.3 in the expert group, 4.7 ± 0.6 in the quitters group and 4.8 ± 0.4 for all participants. In this round, all messages’ average scores were found above (> 4.0) the cut-off point. Conclusions Study was conducted with a multidisciplinary participation. Sixty messages were created to support quitters according to stages of Transtheoretical model. A consensus developed on these graphic messages among field experts and individuals with quitting experience in terms of content and sending period

Faculty Members’ Evaluations Regarding the Faculty Development Program Conducted with the Hybrid Learning Method

Objective This study aims to determine faculty members’ feedback and the level of satisfaction about the faculty development program carried out with the hybrid learning method at Selçuk University Faculty of Medicine (SÜTF) and compare faculty members’ satisfaction levels regarding face-to-face and online sessions. Material and Methods The Faculty Development Program has been carried out since 2010 and updated with program evaluations as well as faculty members’ needs and expectations. In the COVID-19 pandemic era, distance education and hybrid education sessions were added to the program. The renewed faculty development program was conducted in June 2021 with a hybrid learning method, eight sessions both face-to-face and online and six sessions online only. The feedback of the participants was obtained through online questionnaires consisting of structured items rated with Likert-type scales (1: Strongly disagree – 5: Strongly agree and 0: Very poor – 10: Very good) and semi-structured items. Results Fifty faculty members participated in the program and 30 (60.0%) answered the research questionnaires. Faculty members reported a total of 170 session participation, 140 (82.4%) face-to-face and 30 (17.6%) online. It was determined that the participants' satisfaction levels about the faculty development program sessions was high and very high (min=4.05±0.99 ; max=5.00±0.00). It was also found that there is no statistically significant difference between faculty members evaluations for online or face-to-face participation in the training sessions. Participants reported that their overall evaluation of the program was very good (9.33±0.65). Conclusion The SÜTF Faculty Development Program, designed in accordance with the COVID-19 conditions, has been successfully implemented using the hybrid method. The positive feedback of faculty members and the fact that online or face-to-face participation in the sessions does not make a difference in their satisfaction levels is considered as an important development for the implementation of the forthcoming faculty development program using the hybrid method

Birinci basamak sağlık hizmeti sunumunu geliştirmeye yönelik görme keskinliği muayenesi, kulak muayenesi ve işitmenin değerlendirilmesi konulu eğitim programının değerlendirilmesi

ntroduction and Aim: This study aims to present the results of the “Visual acuity examination, otoscopic examination and evaluation of hearing” course which was conducted as a Continuing Medical Education activity. Method:Learning objectives of the course were defined in accordance with the needs of primary health care physicians. To achieve these objectives, theoretical content were prepared by the field expert faculty members. A total of four case stories were created from the ophthalmology (two cases) and otorhinolaryngology (two cases) fields in order to assess physicians’ examination skills and to give feedback on their performance. These case stories were converted into two simulated / standardized patient case scenarios and standardized patients were trained using these scenarios.The draft course program was piloted with the participation of two family physicians. The program was finalized in the light of the physicians’ feedback. A 15 (ophthalmology five, otorhinolaryngology 10) item written test was prepared to assess the physicians’ knowledge at the end of the course. The course program was conducted with the participation of 14 physicians. At the end of the course, participants were asked to complete a structured feedback form containing 12 questions on a 9-point scale. Results: Eight (61,5%) physicians’ performance on the ophthalmology case and 9 (69,2%) physicians’ performance on the otorhinolaryngology case were found stasifactory in terms of correct clinical desicion making. Written test correct answer mean scores were ophthalmology = 4,69 (SD = ;plusmn; 0,63), ENT= 5,64 (SD = ;plusmn; 3,2) respectively. Physicians’ feedback showed that they were highly satisfied from both ophthalmology and otorhinolaryngology parts of the course (Meanmin.= 8.18,Meanmax.= 9.00). Conclusion:This course, which focuses on skills training in addition to theoretical content, was reflected positively in the participants' knowledge, skills and the levels of appreciation. This program is being planned to implement in two separate and more comprehensive courses which are “Visual acuity examination” and “Evaluation of hearing” as continuing medical education activitiesGiriş ve Amaç:Bu çalışmada; Sürekli Mesleki Gelişim etkinliği olarak gerçekleştirilen “Görme keskinliği muayenesi, kulak muayenesi ve işitmenin değerlendirilmesi” kursuna ilişkin bulgu ve sonuçların sunulması amaçlanmıştır. Yöntem: Birinci basamak sağlık hizmetleri kapsamında hekimlerin gereksinimleri doğrultusunda kursun öğrenme hedefleri belirlendi. Bu öğrenme hedeflerine ulaşmak için konu alanı uzmanı öğretim üyesi hekimler tarafından kuramsal içerik hazırlandı. Hekimlerin, muayene becerilerini değerlendirmek ve performanslarına ilişkin geribildirim vermek için göz hastalıkları (iki olgu) ve kulak burun boğaz hastalıkları (iki olgu) alanlarından toplam dört hasta öyküsü hazırlandı. Bu hasta öyküleri iki ayrı simüle / standardize hasta senaryosuna dönüştürülerek standardize hastalara rol eğitimi verildi. Kurs taslak programı, iki aile hekiminin katılımıyla pilot olarak uygulandı. Hekimlerin geribildirimleri ışığında kurs programına son biçimi verildi. Hekimlerin kurs sonundaki bilgilerini ölçmeye yönelik 15 soruluk (göz hastalıkları beş, kulak burun boğaz hastalıkları 10) olgu yazılı sınavı hazırlandı. Kurs, 14 hekimin katılımı ile uygulandı. Kurs sonunda katılımcılardan, 12 soruluk yapılandırılmış geribildirim formunu dokuzlu değerlendirme ölçeğine göre yanıtlamaları istendi. Bulgular: Hekimlerin sekizinin (%61,5) göz hastalıkları ve dokuzunun (%69,2) kulak burun boğaz hastalıkları ile ilgili SH olgu çözümlemelerinin yeterli düzeyde olduğu saptandı. Yazılı sınav doğru yanıt ortalamaları sırası ile göz hastalıkları = 4,69 (SS=±0,630), kulak burun boğaz hastalıkları = 5,64 (SS=±3,2) olarak saptandı. Katılımcı hekimlerin geribildirimlerinde, hem kulak burun boğaz hastalıkları hem de göz hastalıkları bölümlerine ilişkin beğenilerinin çok yüksek düzeyde olduğu belirlendi ( Ort.min.= 8,18, Ort.maks.= 9,00). Sonuç:Kuramsal eğitim yanında beceri eğitimine de ağırlık veren kurs programının, katılımcıların bilgi, beceri ve beğeni düzeylerine olumlu yönde yansıdığı saptanmıştır. Kurs programının, görme keskinliği ve işitmenin değerlendirilmesi biçiminde iki ayrı ve daha geniş kapsamlı sürekli mesleki gelişim etkinliği olarak uygulanması planlanmaktadı

Increasing Trend of Studying Abroad for Residency Training Among Medical Students

Physician emigration from developing and underdeveloped countries to developed countries is a growing problem that is taking place in current times and is an obstacle in achieving global health. Social circumstances, economic demands, as well as modern medical technologies and desire to pursue better career opportunities, are all driving factors for medical graduates' emigration. This study investigates Turkish medical students' intentions of pursuing residency training abroad and explores associated factors that play a significant role in instilling the tendency of moving overseas. A cross-sectional study was conducted at Ege University, Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey. Students' future specialty intentions, preferred country for residency training, and the contributing factors in their decisions were questioned via an online survey questionnaire. Out of 617 students included in the study analysis, 183 (29.7%) expressed their desire for going abroad for residency training and Germany, United States of America, United Kingdom, and Canada were the top preferred destinations where 40 (25.3%) reported planning to stay permanently. Mother's level of education and student's training/ understanding of advanced levels of any foreign language were found significantly associated with the developed intention of going abroad for residency training. Qualitative analysis revealed better living standards/conditions was the most frequently uttered reason for studying abroad. It's vital to know reasons out why medical school graduates want to go to another country. A better understanding of this issue will aid in developing actions to reduce the proclivity of medical graduates to relocate

Effects of Aplication of Limited Water and Mycorrhiza on the Growth of Young Kütdiken Lemon Tree

Kütdiken limon çeşidinin genç bitkilerinde kısıtlı su ve mikoriza uygulamalarının bitki fizyolojisi, morfolojisi, bitkideki biyokimyasal değişimler ile bitki besin elementleri kapsamı üzerindeki etkilerinin belirlenmesini amaçlayan bu çalışma, Alata Bahçe Kültürleri Araştırma Enstitüsü cam seralarında üç yıl süreyle yürütülmüştür. Denemede kullanılabilir faydalı suyun üç farklı seviyesi (su tutma kapasitelerinin %100, %75, %50) ve mikoriza mantarı olarak bitki başına 1000 spor/bitki gelecek şekilde kokteyl (Glomus mossea + G. clarium + G. calodenium + G. etunicatum+ G. fasiculatum) kullanılmıştır. Her sulama seviyesi için mikorizalı ve normal yetiştirme harcı kullanılmış ve iki ayrı test uygulanmıştır. Denemede suyun kısıtlanmasıyla, bitki boylarındaki gelişme genel anlamda azalarak devam etmiştir. Bitki çapında ise su kısıtlanmasının etkisi tersine olmuş, su seviyesi düştükçe genel olarak bitki çapları artmış ve %50 su seviyesi diğerlerinden en üst düzeyde gerçekleşmiştir. Su kısıtlandıkça yapraklardaki Bağıl Yaprak Oransal Su Kapsamı (BYOSK) oranı düşmüştür. Yaş gövde ağırlığında su seviyeleri ve mikoriza uygulaması etkili olmuş; normal yetiştirme uygulaması ve %100 su seviyesi diğerlerinden üstün bulunmuştur. Karbonhidrat içeriği su kısıtlandıkça artış göstermiş, bu parametreye hem su seviyesi hem de uygulamalar etkili olmuştur. Stoma sayısı üzerine hem su seviyeleri hem de uygulamalar etkili olmamıştır. Bitki besin elementleri kapsamı açısından azotta uygulamalar, fosforda uygulamalar ve su seviyeleri, potasyumda ise su seviyeleri arasında farklılıklar bulunmuştur. Kurağa dayanım açısından mikoriza uygulaması 16 günlük dayanım süresi ile daha yüksek düzeyde bulunmuştur. Bu veriler ışığında mikorizanın stres koşullarında daha etkin çalıştığı ve bitkiyi strese karşı koruduğu belirlenmiş olup, mikorizanın kuraklığa dayanıklılık mekanizmasının çalışılması yararlı olacaktırThis study was carried out to determine the effect of limited water and mycorrhizal inoculation on plant physiology, chemical changes at plant and nutrient content of young Kütdiken lemon plants. The study was conducted in glasshouse at Alata Horticultural Research Institute for three years. Three utilized water levels (100%, 75% and 50% of water holding capacity) and cocktail mycorrhiza inoculums (Glomus mossea + G. clarium + G. calodenium + G. etunicatum+ G. fasiculatum) were used. Sterilized and non-sterilized growing media were prepared for each irrigation level. The experiment were planned to be applied two test. Depending of the restriction of water, growth of plant weight decreased gradually in general. On the contrary, mycorrhiza application cause to increase at stem diameter and best result was obtained at 50% restricted water level. As decreasing the given water amount, leaf relative water capacity was decreased. In terms of fresh stem weight, both water levels and applications were found effective and regular growing was efficient than 100% water level. Carbohydrates were increased with lessening water. These results were affected by both water levels and mycorrhizal application. Neither water levels nor mycorrhizal application showed no effect on number of stomata. In terms of plant nutrients, while nitrogen was affected by mycorrhiza, phosphorus was affected by both water levels and applications. Decreasing water caused to increase in potassium content of leaf. As a result, in point of drought tolerance period, mycorrhizal infection gave the best result of 16 day at lowest water level. Consequently, it has been determined that mychorrhiza is more effective in stress conditions and it protects plant against the water stress. Further work need to be study to understand the mechanisms of water uptake by the mycorrhiza

The publication of health sciences theses in Turkey: A study of Ege University

This study aimed to determine the academic publication rate of health sciences graduate theses, as well as the factors that influence researchers to publish. the study took place in Ege University Institute of Health Sciences, Turkey, and used a correlated research model to analyse both qualitative and quantitative data. We obtained data from 159 graduate students selected from 437 who graduated between 1 September 2009 and 31 August 2014. From this group, 76 of the theses were published as 141 items. of these, 93 (66%) were journal articles, of which 51 (36.2%) were published in journals indexed by Science Citation Index (SCI)/SCI-Expanded/Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI). in the multiple regression analysis, we found that employment in a university increased the probability of producing publications from theses by 8.54 times (odds ratio [OR], 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.954-18.440) and that encouragement from a supervisor increased the same by 2.79 times (OR, 95% CI = 1.021-7.640). Reasons for not publishing their theses were classified into 11 items, of which thematic analysis showed that the most prominent reasons were lack of time (n= 18, 24.3%) and workload (n= 15, 20.2%). This suggests that interventions targeting these two factors may result in increased publication of theses

Evaluation of the 2020 EAN Virtual Congress: transition from a face-to-face to a virtual meeting.

BACKGROUND Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, scientific congresses are increasingly being organised as virtual congresses. In May 2020, the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) held a VC, free-of-charge. In the absence of systematic studies on this topic, the aim of this study is to evaluate the attendance and perceived quality of the 2020 EAN virtual congress (VC) compared to the 2019 EAN face-to-face congress (FFC). METHODS Analysis of demographic data of participants obtained from the online registration collected. Comparison of the two congresses based on a survey with questions on the perception of speakers' performance, quality of networking, and other aspects. RESULTS Of 43,596 registered participants, 20,694 active participants attended the VC. Compared to 2019, the number of participants tripled (6916 in 2019) and the cumulated number of participants attending the sessions was five times higher (169,334 in 2020 vs 33,024 in 2019). Out of active participants 55% were from outside Europe, 42% were board-certified neurologists (FFC: 80%), and 21% were students (FFC: 0.6%). The content of the congress was evaluated as 'above expectation' by 56% of the attendees (FFC: 41%). Out of the respondents who had been exposed to earlier EAN congresses 73% preferred the FFC congress compared to the VC (17%). CONCLUSION The VC fulfilled the main mission of organizing high quality EAN congresses despite the restrictions of the impersonal format. The geographical distribution of the participants prove the expected higher inclusivity of a VC. The large participation of students and neurologists in training opens new educational potentials for the EAN

Deferasirox in children with transfusion-dependent thalassemia or sickle cell anemia: A large cohort real-life experience from Turkey (REACH-THEM)

Objectives: To evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of deferasirox therapy in a large observational cohort of children with transfusion-dependent thalassemia (TDT) and sickle cell anemia (SCA) in Turkey. Methods: This was a multicenter, prospective cohort study including TDT and SCA patients aged 2-18 years with iron overload (≥100 mL/kg of pRBC or a serum ferritin [SF] level >1000 μg/L) receiving deferasirox. Patients were followed for up to 3 years according to standard practice. Results: A total of 439 patients were evaluated (415 [94.5%] TDT, 143 [32.6%] between 2 and 6 years). Serum ferritin levels consistently and significantly decreased across 3 years of deferasirox therapy from a median of 1775.5 to 1250.5 μg/L (P < 0.001). Serum ferritin decreases were noted in TDT (1804.9 to 1241 μg/L), SCA (1655.5 to 1260 μg/L), and across age groups of 2-6 years (1971.5 to 1499 μg/L), 7-12 years (1688.5 to 1159.8 μg/L), and 13-18 years (1496.5 to 1107 μg/L). Serum ferritin decreases were also noted for all deferasirox dose groups but only significant in patients with doses ≥30 mg/kg/d (n = 120, −579.6 median reduction, P < 0.001). Only 9 (2%) patients had adverse events suspected to be related to deferasirox. Serum creatinine slightly increased but remained within the normal range. Conclusions: Deferasirox has long-term efficacy and safety in children with TDT and SCA, although higher doses (≥30 mg/kg/d) may be required to achieve iron balance. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Lt