Working conditions and anxiety levels of employees who have to work during the COVID-19 pandemic

This study aims to evaluate the anxiety levels of employees by determining the working conditions and protective practices in the workplace of individuals who had to work during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: The cross-sectional study was carried out with 801 employees from different sectors who continued to work during the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: The mean age of the employees was 33.1±10.3 years, and 63.4%were male while 46.1%were workers. The GAD-7 anxiety level mean score of the participants was determined as 6.6±5.1. Per this, 25.2%of the participants showed a high tendency to anxiety and 38.5%showed a moderate tendency. A statistically significant difference was found between anxiety level and gender, sector and profession. Besides, there was a statistically significant difference between the perception of workplace risk, the way of transportation to the workplace, the social distance in the workplace, measures taken for COVID-19 in the workplace, and anxiety levels (p<0.05). In the multiple regression analysis, age, gender, work sector, COVID-19 anxiety levels, infection status, knowledge level and life satisfaction levels were determined as effective predictors on common anxiety disorder and explained 23.2%of the developed model variance (R2=0.232, p?0.001). CONCLUSION: During the pandemic, it was determined that the anxiety susceptibility levels of the employees were very high and their protective practices against COVID-19 in the workplace were insufficient. © 2021 - IOS Press. All rights reserved

The role of the family in attributing meaning to living with HIV and its stigma in Turkey

Stigma attached to HIV/AIDS remains a global problem, with severe negative consequences for people living with HIV (PLHIV). Family support is fundamental for PLHIV’s psychological and physical well-being. HIV-related stigma is high in Turkey, where HIV/AIDS prevalence is low and the epidemic is not considered a priority. Based on qualitative data generated with HIV-positive women and men, this article explores the process of stigmatization, as experienced and perceived by PLHIV in Turkey, focusing on the institution of the family. Results indicated that enacted stigma from family members is lower than anticipated. While most participants’ narratives showed patterns of support rather than rejection from families, the strong expectations around the cultural value attributed to “the family” are found to be the main facilitators of internalized stigma. The article critically discusses the meaning and implications of family support, addressing the role of patriarchal values attributed to womanhood, manhood, and sexuality in Turkey

Evaluation of the chronic disease management and depression levels of people over 65 years of age during the COVID-19 pandemic period

Purpose: The present study aimed to determine the depression risk and the management of chronic diseases of individuals over 65 years old under the mandatory mass coronavirus disease 2019 quarantine. Design and Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted with 185 Turkish elders with chronic diseases. Findings: The majority of the elderly reported that their medication, diet, and exercise programs were not affected, but the regular health controls were negatively affected. Of the participants, 51.9% of them carried the risk of depression. Implications for Nursing Practice: Urgent action plans for elders need to be developed taking into account psychosocial needs for them to pass the pandemic process with minimal damage. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLCThe authors?would like to thank?all the elders who participated at the study. They would also like to thank all the students of Tekirda? Nam?k Kemal University Health School for their contributions, who supported elderly people to answer the survey by reaching the elderly and reading the online survey during the data collection process

Superoxide dismutase activity and the effect of N-methly-D-aspartate antagonists on lipid peroxidation in the early phase of cold injury

Free radicals, lipid peroxidation and excitatory amino acids have been implicated in the secondary mechanisms of traumatic brain injury. We used the cold injury model in rats to assess the endogenous activity of the protective enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the lipid peroxidation level in the contused tissue at an early phase of injury. Furthermore, we treated the rats with two different N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonists, namely MK-801 and CPP, and evaluated their effect on lipid peroxidation in the contused tissue. Rats were divided into four groups: sham, control, treatment 1 and treatment 2 groups (n = 16 for each group). Thirty and 60 min after craniectomy or injury, tissue samples were removed. SOD activity didn't change in this period. However, lipid peroxidation in terms of malondialdehyde (MDA) amount showed a significant increase at 60 min. Fifteen minutes after injury, MK-801 (1 mg/kg), CPP (10 mg/kg) or saline (1 ml) were applied intraperitoneally in treatment 1, treatment 2 and the control groups, Treatment with MK-801 attenuated MDA levels, whereas treatment with CPP did not. The protective effect of MK-801 achieved statistical significance. These results demonstrate that SOD activity does not change in the Parry period of cold injury. Moreover, these results show that lipid peroxidation increases after 60 min of cold injury, and treatment with MK-801 15 min after injury can prevent this elevation

The protective role of melatonin in experimental hypoxic brain damage

Background: It is known that oxygen-derived free radicals play an important role in the pathogenesis of brain injury. Melatonin is a powerful scavenger of the oxygen free radicals. In this study, the protective effect of melatonin against the damage inflicted by reactive oxygen species during brain hypoxia was investigated in newborn rats using biochemical parameters

Endothelial Dysfunction in Hyper and Hypo-Thyroidism

Objective: To investigate endothelin-1 (ET-1) and several other endothelial function parameters in hyper and hypo-thyroidism. Patients and methods: Thirty-five hyperthyroid, 11 hypothyroid and 35 euthyroid patients were evaluated for von Willebrand factor activity (vWf), plasma fibronectin and ET-1. Non-parametric tests were used for statistical analysis. Results: Significantly elevated plasma levels of endothelin-1 and fibronectin (30.08 ± 11.21 pmol/L; 37.9 ± 6.5 mg/dl) were measured in hyperthyroid patients compared to controls (22.91 ± 7.51 pmol/L; 32 ± 7.5 mg/dl), (p = 0.011; p = 0.001, respectively) but only fibronectin compared to hypothyroids (25.55 ± 12.65 pmol/L; 29.28 ± 9.9 mg/dl) (p = 0. 271; p = 0.006, respectively). Positive correlations were found between ET-1 and free-triiodothyronine (r = 0.320; p = 0.009) and free-thyroxine (r = 0.271; p = 0.029); and between ET-1 and heart rate (r = 0.278, p = 0.027) in the whole sample. Positive correlation was also observed between vWf and free-triiodothyronine (r = 0.283; p = 0.017). Conclusion: The role of shear stress and/or direct effects of thyroid hormones were thought to be the possible causes of elevated levels of ET-1 and fibronectin in hyperthyroidism

Change from health center to family physician period in the Turkish health system: A qualitative study

Introduction Health care reforms in Turkey have been implemented resolutely in the last 12 years. The shift from health center (HC) to a family physician (FP) approach is 1 of the basic interventions of these reforms. The goal of the current study is to evaluate opinions of patients, health care workers, and managers, using qualitative methods. Methods In-depth interviews were conducted with patients who received health care services in both the FP and the HC periods, and with health care workers and managers in health care facilities that served in both periods. The interviews were recorded after obtaining permission, and then transcribed. Both health care staff that worked in the 2 periods and the patients that received health care services in the 2 periods reported that FP system was superior to HC system in attention showed by the family physicians, being followed by the same physician, and having confidence in physicians. Results The current FP period is superior to HC in facilities such as patient records, computer, internet, and phone. The strengths of HC period include home visits, environmental health studies, and family planning services. According to health care workers who worked in the 2 periods, HC was superior to FP in team spirit, public service delivery, and surveillance of communicable diseases. Conclusion Public service delivery and environmental health studies and primary care practice in rural areas must be scrutinized in the context of the FP approach