Ispitivanje utjecaja sociodemografskih karakteristika na profesionalni stres i zadovoljstvo u zdravstvenih radnika u Turskoj tijekom pandemije bolesti COVID-19

The aim of this study was to determine the sociodemographic characteristics that affect job stress and job satisfaction in 454 healthcare workers (physicians, nurses, midwives, technicians, and other healthcare personnel) working with COVID-19 patients in primary healthcare institutions in Turkey with a cross-sectional, web-based survey between 9 and 30 August 2021. The survey included a personal information form, a standard job stress scale, and the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire. The levels of job stress and job satisfaction did not differ between male and female respondents. Singles reported lower job stress and higher job satisfaction than the married respondents. Job stress did not differ between departments, but respondents on the front line who worked in a COVID-19 intensive care unit (ICU) (at any point and/or at the time of the study) or the emergency department reported lower job satisfaction than those working in other departments. Similarly, while stress did not differ by educational status, satisfaction of respondents with bachelor’s or master’s degree was lower than that of the rest. Our findings also suggest that working in a COVID-19 ICU and age are significant predictors of higher stress, whereas lower education, working in a COVID-19 ICU, and being married are good predictors of lower satisfaction. Further research should include other sociodemographic variables that may affect stress and satisfaction at work, and similar studies should follow up to see what was left in the wake of the pandemic.Cilj je ovoga presječnog ispitivanja bio utvrditi sociodemografske karakteristike koje utječu na profesionalni stres i zadovoljstvo u 454 zaposlenika (liječnika, medicinskih sestara, bolničara, primalja, tehničara i drugih) u ustanovama primarne zdravstvene skrbi u Turskoj tijekom pandemije bolesti COVID-19. Ispitanici su od 9. do 30. kolovoza 2021. odgovarali na online upitnik, koji se sastojao od osobnih podataka, standardne ljestvice za ocjenu profesionalnoga stresa i od Minnesotskoga upitnika o zadovoljstvu. Razine profesionalnoga stresa i zadovoljstva nisu se razlikovale među spolovima. Ispitanici koji nisu u braku iskazali su niži stres i višu razinu zadovoljstva od onih u braku. U pogledu profesionalnoga stresa nije uočena razlika između odjela, ali su ispitanici na prvoj crti izloženosti, tj. oni koji su ikad radili ili rade s pacijentima oboljelima od bolesti COVID-19 na odjelu intenzivne njege (u trenutku ispunjavanja upitnika) odnosno na odjelu hitne pomoći, iskazali slabije zadovoljstvo poslom od ispitanika koji su radili na drugim odjelima. Isto tako nije bilo razlika u razinama stresa između ispitanika prema obrazovnom statusu, ali su ispitanici s najvišim obrazovanjem (bakalaureat, magisterij i više) iskazali slabije zadovoljstvo poslom od ostalih. Kad je o pretkazateljima stresa riječ, najznačajniji su rad na COVID-odjelu intenzivne njege i dob koji su, uz brak, također najznačajniji pretkazatelji nezadovoljstva poslom. Buduća bi istraživanja trebala obuhvatiti i druge sociodemografske varijable koje mogu utjecati na profesionalni stres i zadovoljstvo, a valjalo bi i nastaviti pratiti te parametre kako bi se vidjele promjene nakon proglašenja prestanka pandemije

The Relationship Between APACHE II Score and Immunological Parameters in Intensive Care Patients

INTRODUCTION: In this study, the aim was to investigate the relationship between immunological parameters, specifically the fibrinogen/albumin ratio, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, platelet/lymphocyte ratio, and the widely used acute physiology and chronic health assessment (APACHE) II scoring system in critically ill patients in the intensive care unit. METHODS: The retrospective analysis included 166 patients admitted between January 2023 and July 2023, evaluating their 28-day mortality. The patients were categorised into groups: Group M (mortality), with 53 patients and Group S (survival) with 113 patients. The immunological parameters of the patients between the groups were analyzed statistically. RESULTS: APACHE II score, fibrinogen, lactate, and fibrinogen/albumin ratio were identified as independent parameters associated with mortality. The ROC analysis determined the optimal cutoff points for predicting mortality for APACHE II score, fibrinogen, lactate, and fibrinogen/albumin ratio. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: This study revealed a significant correlation between APACHE II score and immunological parameters, including fibrinogen, lactate, and fibrinogen/albumin ratio. These findings can be used to predict mortality

The effect of occupational health and safety course given to the health professionals of the future dn occupational health and safety perceptions

Çalışanların sağlıklı ve güvenli davranışlar sergileyebilmeleri için iş sağlığı ve güvenliği eğitimi ile kazandıkları bilgi ve becerileri işyeri ortamında uygulamaları gerekmektedir. Alınan eğitim çalışanların davranışlarını değiştirebilir ve bu durum sağlıklı ve güvenli çalışma ortamları oluşturabilir. Nitelikli ara elemanları yetiştiren meslek yüksekokullarında eğitim alan geleceğin sağlık profesyonelleri, okulda gördükleri dersleri işyerlerinde de uygulamalı olarak gördükleri için iş sağlığı ve güvenliği konusunda yeterlilik sahibi olmalıdırlar. Bu çalışmada Doğu Karadeniz Bölgesinde eğitim gören geleceğin sağlık profesyonellerinin iş sağlığı ve güvenliği yeterlilik algılarının, okul hayatında aldıkları iş sağlığı ve güvenliği derslerinden ve uygulama öncesi aldıkları iş sağlığı ve güvenliği eğitiminden ne şekilde etkilendiğinin tespiti amaçlanmıştır. Çalışmanın örneklemini, basit örnekleme yöntemiyle saptanan Bayburt, Rize ve Gümüşhane illerinde eğitim gören 521 geleceğin sağlık profesyoneli oluşturmaktadır. Veri toplama aracı olarak Kocaay (2020) tarafından geliştirilen “İş Sağlığı ve Güvenliği Yeterlilik Algısı Ölçeği” kullanılmıştır. Verilerin normal dağılım göstermesi nedeniyle de parametrik testler kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın bulgularına göre iş sağlığı ve güvenliği dersi ile uygulama öncesi iş sağlığı ve güvenliği eğitimi alan öğrencilerin iş sağlığı ve güvenliği yeterlilik algılarının, almayanlardan anlamlı şekilde yüksek olduğu görülmüştür. Sağlıklı ve güvenli iş yerleri ve ortamlar sağlamak, iş kazası ve meslek hastalıklarını önlemek ve öğrencilerde İSG bilinci oluşturmak için geleceğin sağlık profesyonellerin yetiştiği sağlık hizmetleri meslek yüksekokullarında eğitim müfredatının içerisine İSG eğitiminin zorunlu olarak konulmalıdır.In order for employees to exhibit healthy and safe behaviors, they need to apply the knowledge and skills they have gained through occupational health and safety training in the workplace environment. The training received can change the behavior of the employees and this can create healthy and safe working environments. Health professionals of the future, who receive education in vocational schools that train qualified intermediate staff, should be competent in occupational health and safety, as they see the lessons they take at school practically in their workplaces. In this study, it is aimed to determine how the occupational health and safety proficiency perceptions of future health professionals studying in the Eastern Black Sea Region are affected by the occupational health and safety courses they take in school life and the occupational health and safety training they receive before the practice. The sample of the study consists of 521 future health professionals, who were educated in the provinces of Bayburt, Rize and Gumushane, determined by the simple sampling method. The "Occupational Health and Safety Sufficiency Perception Scale" developed by Kocaay (2020) was used as a data collection tool. Parametric tests were used because the data showed a normal distribution. According to the findings of the study, it was observed that the occupational health and safety competence perceptions of the students who took the occupational health and safety course and who received the occupational health and safety training before the application were significantly higher than those who did not. In order to provide healthy and safe workplaces and environments, to prevent work accidents and occupational diseases, and to create OHS awareness in students, OHS education should be included in the education curriculum of health services vocational schools where future health professionals are traine

A study on the relationship between sociodemographic characteristics and job stress and satisfaction among healthcare workers in Turkey during the COVID-19 pandemic

The aim of this study was to determine the sociodemographic characteristics that affect job stress and job satisfaction in 454 healthcare workers (physicians, nurses, midwives, technicians, and other healthcare personnel) working with COVID-19 patients in primary healthcare institutions in Turkey with a cross-sectional, web-based survey between 9 and 30 August 2021. The survey included a personal information form, a standard job stress scale, and the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire. The levels of job stress and job satisfaction did not differ between male and female respondents. Singles reported lower job stress and higher job satisfaction than the married respondents. Job stress did not differ between departments, but respondents on the front line who worked in a COVID-19 intensive care unit (ICU) (at any point and/or at the time of the study) or the emergency department reported lower job satisfaction than those working in other departments. Similarly, while stress did not differ by educational status, satisfaction of respondents with bachelor’s or master’s degree was lower than that of the rest. Our findings also suggest that working in a COVID-19 ICU and age are significant predictors of higher stress, whereas lower education, working in a COVID-19 ICU, and being married are good predictors of lower satisfaction. Further research should include other sociodemographic variables that may affect stress and satisfaction at work, and similar studies should follow up to see what was left in the wake of the pandemic

Molten salt assisted self assembly (MASA): synthesis of mesoporous metal titanate (CoTiO3, MnTiO3, and Li4Ti5O12) thin films and monoliths

Mesoporous metal titanates are very important class of materials for clean energy applications, specifically transition metal titanates and lithium titanates. The molten salt assisted self-assembly (MASA) process offers a new synthetic route to produce mesoporous metal titanate thin films. The process is conducted as follows: first a clear solution that contains two solvents (namely the hydrated salt (Co(NO3)2·6H2O or Mn(NO3)2·6H2O, or LiNO3·xH2O, and ethanol), two surfactants (cethyltrimethylammonium bromide, CTAB, and 10-lauryl ether, C12EO10), an acid and titanium source (titanium tetrabutoxide, TTB) is prepared and then spin or spray coated over a substrate to form a thin or thick lyotropic liquid crystalline (LLC) film, respectively. Finally, the films are converted into transparent spongy mesoporous metal titanates by a fast calcination step. Three mesoporous metal titanates (namely, CoTiO3, MnTiO3, and Li4Ti5O12) have been successfully synthesized and structurally/thermally characterized using microscopy, spectroscopy, diffraction, and thermal techniques. The mesoporous cobalt and manganese titanates are stable up to 500 °C and collapse at around 550 °C into nanocrystalline Co3O4-TiO2 and Mn2O3-TiO2; however, lithium titanate is stable up to 550 °C and crystalline even at 350 °C. The crystallinity and pore size of these titanates can be adjusted by simply controlling the annealing and/or calcination temperatures

Pediatricians' attitudes in management of acute otitis media and ear pain in Turkey

Objectives: Acute otitis media (AOM) is predominantly a disease of childhood and one of the common reasons for prescribing antibiotics. Ear pain is the main symptom of AOM, with the result that parents frequently seek immediate medical assistance for their children. Antibiotic therapy for AOM does not provide symptomatic relief in the first 24 hours, and analgesics are commonly recommended for relieving the pain associated with AOM. The aims of the present study were to assess pediatricians' attitudes toward AOM and ear pain management in Turkey

Pediatricians' attitudes in management of acute otitis media and ear pain in Turkey

WOS: 000428492100004PubMed ID: 29501295Objectives: Acute otitis media (AOM) is predominantly a disease of childhood and one of the common reasons for prescribing antibiotics. Ear pain is the main symptom of AOM, with the result that parents frequently seek immediate medical assistance for their children. Antibiotic therapy for AOM does not provide symptomatic relief in the first 24 hours, and analgesics are commonly recommended for relieving the pain associated with AOM. The aims of the present study were to assess pediatricians' attitudes toward AOM and ear pain management in Turkey. Methods: This multicenter descriptive questionnaire study was conducted in 20 centers from different geographic locations in Turkey, with 977 pediatricians, between June 2015 and December 2016. The questionnaire comprised 20 questions focusing on the pediatricians' sociodemographic variables, experiences, and treatment related to AOM and ear pain. Results: Of the pediatricians, 58.2% were residents, 36.5% were specialists, and 4.3% were lecturers. Most participants were working in a university hospital (54.8%) or education and research hospital (32.2%). In general daily practice, the AOM diagnosis rates were between 6% and 20% in outpatient clinics, and 52.3% of the participants stated the patients complained about ear pain in pediatric clinics. The watchful waiting (WW) rate, as opposed to immediate antibiotic treatment, was 39.8% for all the pediatricians. The pediatric residents used the WW strategy less than the specialists and lecturers did (p = 0.004). The rates of the WW strategy were higher in outpatient clinics where AOM was commonly diagnosed (p < 0.001). The most common antibiotic prescribed for AOM was amoxicillin clavulanate (76.7%). The mean recommended treatment period for AOM was 9.3 +/- 2.2 days. The choices for systemic ear pain treatment were acetaminophen (26.8%), ibuprofen (29.4%), and alternating between ibuprofen and acetaminophen (43.9%). Moreover, 34.6% of the participants recommended topical agents for otalgia. Topical agents were more commonly recommended by the pediatric residents than specialists or lecturers (p < 0.001). Finally, 58.3% of pediatricians had experiences of the parents' usage of a variety of herbal and folk remedies, such as breast milk or olive oil, for their children's ear pain. Conclusion: Amoxicillin clavulanate was the most frequently prescribed antibiotic for AOM. WW was approved by the pediatricians, and having more AOM patients was a significant factor in the physicians' choice of WW; nevertheless, the WW rate was poor. Implementation of educational intervention strategies will help pediatricians in improving their compliance with evidence-based guidelines for AOM treatment. Otalgia is taken seriously by parents and pediatricians, and otalgia treatment seems to be well accepted in Turkey for providing symptomatic relief and enhancing the patients' quality of life

Vaccination status of COVID-19 patients followed up in the ICU in a country with heterologous vaccination policy: A multicenter national study in Turkey

Objective: Vaccination against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-2) prevents the development of serious diseases has been shown in many studies. However, the effect of vaccination on outcomes in COVID-19 patients requiring intensive care is not clear. Methods: This is a retrospective multicenter study conducted in 17 intensive care unit (ICU) in Turkey between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2021. Patients aged 18 years and older who were diagnosed with COVID-19 and followed in ICU were included in the study. Patients who have never been vaccinated and patients who have been vaccinated with a single dose were considered unvaccinated. Logistic regression models were fit for the two outcomes (28-day mortality and in-hospital mortality). Results: A total of 2968 patients were included final analysis. The most of patients followed in the ICU during the study period were unvaccinated (58.5%). Vaccinated patients were older, had higher Charlson comorbidity index (CCI), and had higher APACHE-2 scores than unvaccinated patients. Risk for 28-day mortality and in-hospital mortality was similar in across the year both vaccinated and unvaccinated patients. However, risk for in-hospital mortality and 28-day mortality was higher in the unvaccinated patients in quarter 4 adjusted for gender and CCI (OR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.06–1.99 and OR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.03–1.96, respectively) compared to the vaccinated group. Conclusion: Despite effective vaccination, fully vaccinated patients may be admitted to ICU because of disease severity. Unvaccinated patients were younger and had fewer comorbid conditions. Unvaccinated patients have an increased risk of 28-day mortality when adjusted for gender and CCI