Investigation of Depressive Symptoms and Related Variables with Depressive Symptoms in Alcohol and Substance Abusers

WOS: 000418009100007Objective: It is aimed to evaluate the bonding and personality traits which are thought to affect the level of depressive symptoms in alcohol and substance abusers. Methods: The study sample consists of 289 patients diagnosed with alcohol and substance dependence, that have been followed up at inpatient or outpatient units of Ege University, The Institute on Drug Abuse, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science and Ege University, Department of Psychiatry Alcohol/Drug Dependency Unit. In the study, sociodemographic data form, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory (ECRI) were applied by means of face to face interviews. Results: The mean age of the patients in the study was 32.5 +/- 11.0 years. It was found that 76.8% of the patients had high levels of depressive symptoms (BDI>17). It was determined that there was a significant difference between the level of avoidant attachment scores and depressive symptoms scores of the patients. In the evaluation of TCI scores according to BDI cut-off scores, it was found that depressive patients (BDI>17) have significant differences on the harm avoidance, cooperate and self-transcendence scores than those non-depressive patients (BDI<17). Conclusion: Our study showed that certain personality and bonding characteristics of the patient affected the depressive symptoms levels

Effects of Emotional Support-Focused Nursing Interventions on the Psychosocial Adjustment of Breast Cancer Patients

WOS: 000269713600029PubMed ID: 19256761The purpose was to examine the effect of emotional support-focused nursing interventions on the psychosocial adjustment of breast cancer patients. The research was conducted in the Radiation Oncology Department of Ege University Medical Faculty Hospital and at Tulay Aktas Oncology Hospital in Turkey. There were 30 newly diagnosed breast cancer patients included in the sample. Emotional support-focused nursing interventions were administered in seven sessions individually with each patient. A total of 210 hours of meetings with the patients were conducted. Data were collected by administering a pre-test and post-test in two phases with the patients using a Descriptive Information Form and the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale - Self Report (PAIS-SR). The patients mean age was 44.5 (SD=6.38) years and the mean duration of illness was 6.46 (SD=1.99) months. In the comparison of the PAIS-SR pretest and post-test mean scores it was determined that there was a significant increase in patients adaptation to health care orientation (p=0.001), domestic environment (p.05). According to these findings emotional support-focused nursing interventions had a part in increasing patients psychosocial adjustment

Breast Cancer Screening Behavior in Turkish Women: Relationships with Health Beliefs and Self-esteem, Body Perception and Hopelessness

WOS: 000269713900009PubMed ID: 19469624The purpose was to examine breast cancer screening behavior in Turkish women, the reasons for not doing screening and the relationship between health beliefs and levels of self-esteem, body perception, and hopelessness. This research was conducted as a descriptive, correlational study in an area covered by three neighborhood primary health care clinics in Bornova, Izmir. The data were collected between April and November 2006 from 382 women over 40 years of age who were selected using a stratified random sampling method and a descriptive information form, Champion's Health Belief Model Scale (CHBMS), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), the Body Cathexis Scale (BCS) and the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS). The breast cancer screening methods used by women participating in the research were, respectively, mammography (34%), clinical breast examination (14.1%), breast self-examination (BSE) (59.4%). The reasons why women did not do breast cancer screening methods were determined to be: not having any symptoms, neglect, not sensing the need, and not knowing how BSE is done. In the examination of the women's CHBMS subscale score means and RSES, BCS and BHS score mean a statistically significant relationships were determined between Benefits-BSE, Barriers-BSE, Confidence, Health motivation, Benefits-mammography and barriers-mammography subscale score means and RSES, BCS and BHS mean scores (p<0.01). It was found out that women with high level of self-esteem, high level of hope for the future and with a positive body perception have more positive health beliefs on breast cancer screening

RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN EARLY DIAGNOSIS ATTITUDES IN CERVICAL CANCER OF WOMEN AND LEVELS OF SELF-ESTEEM, BODY PERCEPTION AND HOPELESSNESS

WOS: 000297782400009Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between early diagnosis attitudes and levels of self-esteem, body perception and hopelessness in women with cervical cancer Material and Method: This research was conducted as a descriptive, cross-sectional study in an area covered by three neighborhood primary health care clinics in Bornova, Izmir The data were collected from 390 women over the 18 years of age who were selected using a stratified random sampling method. A Descriptive Information Form, The Scale of Attitudes Toward Early Diagnosis of Cervical Cancer (SAEDCC), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), Body Cathexis Scale (BCS) Ye Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) were used for data collection. Results: 56.4% of women did not,go to the gynecologic examination. The level of doing regularly pap test of women was 5.4%. The reasons why women did not want to be tested for pap smear were determined to be: not having any symptoms, neglect, not knowing pap smear and embarrassment. There were significant relations between perceived barrier and perceived benefit score means and RSES, BCS, BHS score means of the women. Conclusion: The rate of women who has been regularly tested for smear was low It was found that women with high level of self-esteem, high level of hope and with a positive body perception have more positive health attitudes towards early diagnosis of cervical cancer

EVALUATION OF SLEEP PATTERN CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ELDERLY WITHOUT A COGNITIVE DISORDER LIVING IN A NURSING HOME

WOS: 000271410000006Introduction: The aim of this research was to examine the sleep pattern characteristics of elderly individuals who live in a nursing home and who do not have a cognitive disorder. Materials and Methods: This research was conducted at Izmir Zubeyde Hanim Gurcesme Nursing Home among 132 elderly individuals. Data were collected by a Descriptive Information Form and the Sleep Pattern Characteristics Questionnaire. Results: The sleep related problems frequently experienced by the elderly were "waking up frequently after falling asleep" (58.3%), "feeling sleepy/not well rested after waking up" (56.1%), "dozing off after waking up" (56%), "having difficulty going back to sleep after waking up" (49.3%), and "having difficulty falling asleep" (47.8%). It was determined that there were statistically significant differences in the elderly individuals' sleep pattern characteristics according to their gender (t=4.643, p<0.01), physical health perception (F=9.621, p<0.01), emotional health perception (F=9.045, p<0.01), status of using medications for physical complaints (t=2.776, p<0.05), sleep quality perception (F=63.540, p<0.01), medication use for staying in nursing home by choice (t=-2.468, p<0.05). Conclusion: Elderly individuals living in a nursing home were found to have difficulty in falling asleep, staying asleep and dozin

The investigation of patients with epilepsy in terms of alexithymia, sleep quality and mental symptoms

WOS: 000291214300005Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships among alexithymia, sleep quality and mental symptoms in patients with epilepsy. Methods: This study was conducted with 96 patients admitted to the Epilepsy Unit of Celal Bayar University Medical Faculty Hospital as a descriptive cross-sectional study. Data were collected from Socio-demographic Data Form, The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) and Symptom Check List (SCL-90-R). In the analysis of data, Student's t-test, ANOVA and Pearson Correlation analysis were used. Results: The level of sleep quality of 49% of patients was poor. 41.8% of the patients was alexithymic. It was found that alexithymic patients had poor sleep quality by taking higher scores from PSQI (t=1.99, p=0.040). Alexithymic patients SCL-90-R (general symptom level) was higher than non-alexithymic patients. A positive correlation (p=0.000, r=0.560) was determined between PSQI and SCL-90-R (general symptom level) scores of patients with epilepsy. Conclusion: As a result, the level of alexithymia in patients' sleep quality was worse. Moreover deterioration in mental status of patients was found to lead to deterioration of sleep quality. (Anatolian Journal of Psychiatry 2011; 12:114-120