Organizational Loneliness of School Administrators

This study explored the loneliness experienced by school administrators, the causes and results of this loneliness, and the ways the administrators cope with loneliness through their experiences. The study employed the phenomenology design, one of the qualitative research designs. The study group consisted of 14 elementary and middle school administrators working in Zonguldak Karadeniz Ereğli. Criteria sampling and snowball sampling techniques were used while determining the study group. The study data were collected with a semi-structured interview form. The school administrators were asked about their loneliness, the reasons and results of their loneliness, and their ways to cope with it. School administrators stated that they mostly experienced loneliness in situations of power hierarchy and during the execution of work. They also stated that their loneliness was caused by organizational communication problems and the personal demands of their colleagues. In addition, school administrators expressed that organizational loneliness caused disruption of work and ineffectiveness at work the most. Finally, they also expressed that they try to overcome loneliness through organizational communication and individual socialization. Comprehensive and social measures should be taken in consideration as well as individual and organizational measures in order to eliminate school administrators’ loneliness

Determination of healthy lifestyle behaviors and related factors in university students: An observational study

It is important for students to acquire and maintain healthy lifestyle behaviors during university education. This study investigates healthy lifestyle behaviors and related factors in university students. A total of 869 associate degree students participated in the study. Data were collected with the Data Registration Form created by the researchers and the Health Promotion Lifestyle Profile-II (HPLP-II). The mean HPLP-II total score of the study group was 127.9±19.9. Students who stay with their families, whose economic status and general health perceptions are good/very good, and who do not smoke had higher health responsibility scores (p&lt;0.05). The mean physical activity scores of students who were male, whose parents had higher education, and who had a good/very good general health perception were higher (p&lt;0.05). The nutrition scores of the students who were studying in the second grade, who were staying with their families, who were non-smokers, who were overweight and obese, and who had a good/very good general health perception were found to be higher (p&lt;0.05). Those with good/very good general health perception had higher interpersonal relations and personal development scores, and female students had higher interpersonal relations scores (p&lt;0.05). The stress management scores of the second-grade students with good/very good general health perception were higher (p&lt;0.05). It is important to implement lifestyle interventions to improve the health of university students. Considering socio-demographic factors in health promotion programs to be implemented may help develop healthy lifestyle behaviors.</p

Türkiye’de Covid-19 Pandemisi Sırasında Yaşlı Bireylerin Yalnızlığı ve İlişkili Faktörler

Bu çalışmada COVID-19 pandemisi sırasında evde yaşayan 65 yaş ve üstü bireylerdeki yalnızlık algısı ve bunu etkileyen faktörlerin incelenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Gereç ve Yöntem: Kesitsel tipte yapılan bu araştırmanın verileri Türkiye’nin Sakarya İlinde yaşayan, tabakalı örnekleme yöntemi ile belirlenen 1093 yaşlı bireyden toplanmıştır. Verilerin toplanmasında Tanımlayıcı Veri Kayıt Formu ve Yaşlılar İçin Yalnızlık Ölçeği kullanılmıştır. Bulgular: Çalışmamızda evli olmayanların, kentsel alanda yaşayanların, eğitim düzeyi düşük olanların, geliri giderine eşit veya az olanların, sosyal güvencesi olmayanların, eşi ile yaşayanların kronik hastalığı olanların COVID-19 tanısı alanların, genel sağlık algısı çok iyi/iyi olanlar ile hobisi olanların toplam yalnızlık düzeyleri karşılaştırıldıkları gruplara oranla anlamlı olarak daha yüksek olduğu bulunmuştur. Sonuç: Araştırma sonucunda, yalnızlığın yaşlılar için önemli bir risk faktörü olduğu belirlenmiş, katılımcıların medeni durumu, ikamet ettiği yer, eğitim, çalışma ve gelir durumu, birlikte yaşadığı kişiler, genel sağlık algısı, hobi varlığının yalnızlık duygusunda etkili olduğu saptanmıştır.</p

Evaluation of the Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis Related Peritonitis Attacks

Peritonitis is a common clinical problem that occurs in patients with end stage renal disease treated by peritoneal dialysis. The aims of this study were to assess demographic aspects, rates of peritonitis, causative organisms, clinical outcomes and treatment approach for continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) -related peritonitis of patients undergoing CAPD. Seventy cases of peritonitis occurred in 55 patients treated in Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Department of Ankara Training and Research Hospital between May 2003 and April 2004 were enrolled into this study. Cloudiness of the peritoneal dialysis fluid and/or abdominal pain were considered suggestive of peritonitis and were confirmed by cell count and culture. The overall incidence of peritonitis was 2.46 ± 2.52 episodes/patient-year. Age, gender, education and profession of the patients have not been found as a risk factor in peritonitis attacks. The most common presentations of peritonitis included abdominal pain, cloudiness of the peritoneal dialysis fluid, nausea and vomiting. Peritoneal dialysate fluid white blood cell count was 1773 ± 1224/mm3 in 70 episodes. Cultures were positive in 51 (%72.9) peritonitis episodes; coagulase-negative staphylococci was the most common organism (%22.8), followed by Staphylococcus aureus (%21.4), 19 episodes (%27.2) had negative culture results. At the end of the study, 61 episodes of peritonitis in 55 patients were treated with intraperitoneal cefazolin and gentamicin protocol. Seven of the patients did not respond to initial therapy and the therapy was converted to intravenous protocol. Nine episodes were treated with IV antibiotics on admission for medical reasons (systemic infection and/or concurrent exit-side or tunnel infection). There were two deaths. Two catheters were removed and the patients were transferred to haemodialysis programme. Despite all technical improvements during recent decades, peritonitis and exit-side infections are still the major complication of CAPD. For the optimizing complication rates in individual centers, causative organisms and their antimicrobial susceptibilities must be known