Does the unification of health financing affect the distribution pattern of out‐of‐pocket health expenses in Turkey?

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/149529/1/ijsw12389_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/149529/2/ijsw12389.pd

Assessment of nutritional status: Triceps and subscapular skin-fold thickness in Turkish children and adolescent

Objectives: To determine the mean and percentile values and constitute the percentile curves of the triceps and subscapular skin-fold thickness (SFT) for obtaining a measure to be used in evaluating nutritional status of children and adolescents for age and gender to determine the threat of adiposity in Turkish children. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was carried out between October 2006 and May 2007 with 6917 students selected among those with pre-defined socio-economic criteria and attending primary schools in Van city center. Based on these data, the subjects were distributed to age groups in 6-month intervals, beginning from the age of 7 up to the age of 17. Results: Analysis of mean values of the thickness of triceps and subscapular SFT according to age in boy subjects demonstrated that these values generally increased with age up to thirteen years of age where peak values were observed, and the thickness decreased between 14 and 15 years of age, increasing again thereafter. A comparison of our data with the data reported from other countries revealed lower than median values of triceps and subscapular SFT in our study for both girls and boys regardless of the age group. Conclusions: Subcutaneous fat accumulation is lower in Turkish children compared to those in other countries and no risk of obesity is imminent, at least in the region where this study was carried out

A case of congenital hypothyroidism presented with dysmyelinization findings

The central nervous system is one of the most crucial targeted systems of hyphotiroidism where tissues undergo various broad developmental processes such as neuronal and glial cellular differentiation, migration and myelinization. However brain images are mainly normal. In this article we present findings related to a 1-year-old girl who has been referred to our outpatient clinic with complaints of slowing of movement and lack of interest. She was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. Her brain magnetic resonance image obtained during diagnosis displayed dysmyelinization. It showed improvement after Na-L thyroxin therapy during follow up

Stroke and dilated cardiomyopathy associated with celiac disease

Celiac disease (CD) is manifested by a variety of clinical signs and symptoms that may begin either in childhood or adult life. Neurological symptoms without signs of malabsorption have been observed for a long time in CD. In this report, an 8-year-old girl with CD presented with rarely seen dilated cardiomyopathy and stroke. The girl was admitted with left side weakness. Her medical history indicated abdominal distention, chronic diarrhea, failure to thrive, and geophagia. On physical examination, short stature, pale skin and a grade 2 of 6 systolic murmur were detected. Muscle strength was 0/5 on the left side, and 5/5 on the right side. Coagulation examinations were normal. Tests for collagen tissue diseases were negative. Factor V Leiden and prothrombin GA20210 mutations were negative. Tandem mass spectrophotometry and blood carnitine profiles were normal. Brain magnetic resonance imaging and cerebral angiography showed an infarction area at the basal ganglia level. Examinations of serologic markers and intestinal biopsy revealed CD. We emphasize that in differential diagnosis of ischemic stroke, CD should be kept in mind

Normosmic idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism due to a novel homozygous nonsense c.C969A (p.Y323X) mutation in the KISS1R gene in three unrelated families

ObjectiveThe spectrum of genetic alterations in cases of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism continue to expand. However, KISS1R mutations remain rare. The aim of this study was to understand the molecular basis of normosmic idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism

Utilization of health-care services by young children: The aftermath of the Turkish Health Transformation Program

The Turkish Health Transformation Program, initiated in 2003, has identified achieving universal access to health care as 1 of its main tenets. To date, substantial progress has been made toward universal health coverage. Service utilization statistics display an upward trend. In this study, we use official and nationally representative microdata collected by the Turkish Health Research Surveys to examine young children's (ages 0-5) utilization of health services. Children in this age group deserve special attention because adverse health conditions in early childhood are known to have long-time consequences. Policy makers regularly monitor statistics such as infant mortality rate and under-5 mortality rate. We conduct logistic regression analyses to explain the probabilities of being taken to a health institution, to a dentist, and being included in the newborn screening program. We use a rich set of explanatory variables that represent the socioeconomic status (SES) of the child's household. Contrary to our expectations and to the goals of universal health coverage is SES indicators such as the insurance ownership of the parent matter for utilization. Decomposition analyses confirm these findings and reveal that the increase in utilization should have been higher than observed. Children from low SES households should be given special attention and that research efforts should focus on identifying the barriers that still hinder children's utilization of health-care services