Knowledge and attitudes towards complementary and alternative medicine among medical students in Turkey

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to examine knowledge and attitudes towards Complementary and Alternative Medicine among medical students in Turkey, and find out whether they want to be trained in Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out between October and December 2010 among medical students. Data were collected from a total of seven medical schools. FINDINGS: The study included 943 medical students. The most well known methods among the students were herbal treatment (81.2 %), acupuncture (80.8 %), hypnosis (78.8 %), body-based practices including massage (77 %) and meditation (65.2 %), respectively. Acupuncture, aromatherapy, herbal treatment and meditation were better known among female participants compared to males (p < 0.05). Females and first year students, generally had more positive attitudes. A larger proportion of female students compared to male students reported that a doctor should be knowledgeable about CAM (p = 0.001), and this knowledge would be helpful in their future professional lives (p = 0.015). Positive attitudes towards and willingness to receive training declined as the number of years spent in the faculty of medicine increased. CONCLUSIONS: Majority of the medical students were familiar with the CAM methods widely used in Turkey, while most of them had positive attitudes towards CAM as well as willingness to receive training on the subject, and they were likely to recommend CAM methods to their patients in their future professional lives. With its gradual scientific development and increasing popularity, there appears a need for a coordinated policy in integrating CAM into the medical curriculum, by taking expectations of and feedback from medical students into consideration in setting educational standards

Knowledge and attitudes of university students toward pandemic influenza: a cross-sectional study from Turkey

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>During an influenza pandemic, higher education institutions with large populations of young adults can become serious outbreak centers. Since outbreak management is essential to disease control, we aimed to examine university students' knowledge of and attitudes toward the pandemic influenza A/H1N1 and vaccination and other preventive measures.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A cross-sectional study was conducted among 402 first year university students at Yeditepe University in Istanbul, Turkey between 1^stand 30^thof November 2009. Data regarding socio-demographic characteristics of the students, perceptions, level of knowledge and attitudes toward influenza pandemic and prevention measures were collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire was distributed by the students affiliated with SANITAS, a university club of students in health related sciences.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>25.1% (101/402) of the study group perceived their personal risk of influenza as "high", while 40.5% (163/402) perceived it as "moderate", 20.6% (107/402) viewed it as "low" and 7.7% (31/402) indicated that it was "unknown". The risk perception of males was significantly lower than that of females (p = 0.004) and the risk perception among the students of health sciences was significantly lower than that of students of other sciences (p = 0.037). Within the study group, 72.1% (290/402) indicated that their main information source regarding H1N1 was the mass media. Health sciences students tended to rely more on the internet as an information source than other students (p = 0.015). The vast majority (92.8%; 373/402) of those interviewed indicated that they would not be vaccinated. The major concerns regarding vaccination had to do with the safety and side effects of the vaccine. Most of the participants (343/402, 85.3%) were carrying out one of prevention measures and the vast majority believed that hand washing, face mask and quarantina were effective measures for prevention.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The participants had enough knowledge about H1N1 pandemic about the disease although there were still gaps and confusions in some areas. In the future, when planning management strategies regarding pandemics or outbreaks in higher education institutions, new strategies should be developed to promote positive health behaviour among university students compatible with the international guidelines. Main information source is mass media, so it seems that new policies must be developed to attract attention of students to use different and more scientific-based information sources.</p

Comparison of Health-Related Quality of Life of Patients on Hemodialysis and Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) status of patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) on hemodialysis (HD) and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) treatment, and to define in which way their perception of quality of life (QOL) is affected by socio-demographic characteristics, disease-related variables and laboratory findings. Material and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 22 consecutive patients on CAPD treatment at a Training and Research Hospital (42%) and 30 consecutive patients on HD treatment at a private healthcare center (57%)-who met the eligilibity criteria- were evaluated in a period of three months between November 2004 and January 2005. The patients answered to two questionnaires with a face to face interview method. The first questionnaire was composed of questions regarding socio-demographic and disease-related variables. The second questionnaire was the Turkish version of The Medical Outcomes Study Short- Form 36 (SF-36) Health Status Survey, which was used to assess the general HRQOL. Data regarding laboratory findings and complications of chronic renal failure were collected from the patients' medical records. Results: CAPD patients had better physical functioning (p=0.003) and physical role limitation (p=0.001) scores in certain SF-36 sub-domains compared to HD patients. There was a moderate positive correlation between albumin levels and physical function, while thrombocyte counts were negatively correlated with vitality and social function in HD patients. In the CAPD group, calcium and hematocrit levels were positively correlated with vitality. There was a negative correlation between phosphorus levels and mental health status and a negative correlation between potassium levels and general health status of CAPD patients. Conclusion: In our study we observed higher quality of life scores in the CAPD group compared to the HD group especially in the area of physical function which may be explained by portability, easy application and mobility of these patients, which are some of the advantages compared to HD patients. Since QOL scores are affected by the modality of dialysis in ESRD patients, besides clinical parameters QOL status of these patients should also be considered in choosing the treatment modality and follow-up process

Comparison of Lipid Profiles with AP0A1 MspI Polymorphism in Obese Children with Hyperlipidemia

Background: Obesity is a multifactorial, chronic disorder leading. to adverse metabolic effects on plasma lipid levels. Apolipoprotein AI (Apo AI) is the major structural component of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and is involved in the esterification of cholesterol as a cofactor of lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) and thus plays a major role in cholesterol efflux from peripheral cells. The APOA1 gene is associated with changes in lipid metabolism. A common gene polymorphism described in the APOA1 promoter region consists of the exchange of guanine (G) for adenine (A) at a position -75 bp upstream of the transcription origin. The relationship between lipid levels in obese children and the APOA1 MspI polymorphisms, was examined. Materials and Methods: Three separate groups were included, the patient group of obese children with hyperlipidemia; the obese control group (control group I) consisted of obese children without hyperlipidemia: and the healthy control group (control group II) contained healthy children with neither hyperlipidemia nor obesity. The related gene segments were amplified by polymerase chain reaction and determined different patterns were determined using denaturating gradient gel electrophoresis and positive results were confirmed automatic sequence analysis. All the results were analyzed by Proseq and BioEdit computer programmes. Results: The A allele was found to be more frequent in control group I compared to the patient group (p=0.035). Very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), LDL and triglyceride (TG), levels were statistically higher in the patients carrying the GA genotype than in control group I. and body mass index (BMI), VLDL and TG levels were statistically higher than in control group II (p0.05). Additionally, according to the -75 GA genotypes, those in control group I with the GA genotype had elevated total cholesterol levels compared to those with the GG genotype (p<0.010). In conclusion, carrying the A. allele could confer a higher risk of hyperlipidemia in obese children