Family planning in rural Adana, Turkey

PubMedID: 17456247This study of family planning in rural Adana, Turkey, collected data from 519 women aged between 16 and 55. Questionnaires were distributed in different districts during February 2006. The results showed that 81·3% of women used a contraceptive method. The IUD was the most widely used modern contraceptive method. There is a decrease in the average number of births per woman as the educational level of women increases. © 2007 Cambridge University Press

The smoking prevalence and the determinants of smoking behaviour among students in Cukurova University, Southern Turkey

WOS: 000246793700010PubMed ID: 17691237Objectives: To determine the smoking prevalence and its determinants in students at Cukurova University, Southern Turkey. Design: The sample was selected from the first and final year students of all faculties in Cukurova University. The students who were present on the day of the survey were all included in the study. The students filled in an anonymous questionnaire detailing their sociodemographic characteristics and smoking behaviour A random sample of 2200 students in Cukurova University was enrolled in the study representing a total of 8309 students for this random cross-sectional study. The response rate was 90.9% (n = 2131). A self-administered questionnaire was completed by all students. Outcome measures were smoking prevalence, family and peer smoking, grade, gender and place of living that may be related to smoking. Logistic regression was used to examine the determinants of smoking behaviour. Results: Smoking increased between the ages of 13 and 17 years (26.6% and 43.7%, respectively). The smoking behaviour of best friends was the most Powerful determinant of smoking, and this was consistent across the age groups. Bestfriends' attitudes towards smoking and family members' smoking behaviour were also important determinants of smoking. Conclusions: Smoking prevalence among students in Cukurova University, in Southern Turkey, is high. Effective smoking prevention programmes should take into account the dominant influence of peers on the onset and maintenance of smoking behaviour School-related items had a less important role in predicting smoking behaviour than expected

The smoking prevalence and the determinants of smoking behaviour among students Cukurova University, Southern Turkey

PubMedID: 17691237Objectives: To determine the smoking prevalence and its determinants in students at Cukurova University Southern Turkey. Design: The sample was selected from the first and final year students of all faculties in Cukurova University. The students who were present on the day of the survey were all included in the study. The students filled in an anonymous questionnaire detailing their sociodemographic characteristics and smoking behaviour. A random sample of 2200 students in Cukurova University was enrolled in the study representing a total of 8309 students for this random cross-sectional study. The response rate was 90.9% (n = 2131). A self-administered questionnaire was completed by all students. Outcome measures were smoking prevalence, family and peer smoking, grade, gender and place of living that may be related to smoking. Logistic regression was used to examine the determinants of smoking behaviour. Results: Smoking increased between the ages of 13 and 17 years (26.6% and 43.7%, respectively). The smoking behaviour of best friends was the most powerful determinant of smoking, and this was consistent across the age groups. Best friends' attitudes towards smoking and family members' smoking behaviour were also important determinants of smoking. Conclusions: Smoking prevalence among students in Cukurova University, in Southern Turkey, is high. Effective smoking prevention programmes should take into account the dominant influence of peers on the onset and maintenance of smoking behaviour. School-related items had a less important role in predicting smoking behaviour than expected

Modeling the economic impact of pandemic influenza: A case study in Turkey

PubMedID: 20433052Influenza pandemics have occurred intermittently throughout the 20th century and killed millions of people worldwide. It is expected that influenza pandemics will continue to occur in the near future. Huge number of deaths and cases is the most troublesome aspect of the influenza pandemics, but the other important trouble is the economic impact of the influenza pandemics to the countries. In this study, we try to detect the cost of a possible influenza pandemic under different scenarios and attack rates. We include the vaccination and antiviral treatment cost for direct cost and we add the work absenteeism cost to the calculations for indirect cost of influenza pandemics. As a case study, we calculate the economic impact of pandemic influenza for Turkey under three different scenarios and three different attack rates. Our optimistic estimation shows that the economic impact of pandemic influenza will be between 1.364 billion dollars and 2.687 billions dollars to Turkish economy depending on the vaccination strategies. © Springer Science + Business Media, LLC 2008

Health-related quality of life in patients with conversion disorder with seizures

Objective. The concept of Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) is important for both the prevention and progress of psychiatric diseases. In the literature, we are aware that there are a few studies on HRQOL among patients with conversion disorder with seizure. Our aim is to measure the HRQOL in Turkey among patients with conversion disorder with seizure and to compare the quality of life of this study group to a healthy control group and to different types of epileptic patient groups. Methods. A total of 330 subjects was included in this study; 102 patients were included in the conversion disorder group, 121 patients were included in the epileptic group and 93 subjects were included in the healthy control group. WHOQOL-100 scale and Trait Anxiety Inventory (TAI) were administered to these groups. Results. HRQOL for the patients with conversion disorder was worse than the control group except for the environment and social relations domains. The generalized epilepsy patients had better physical and psychological health, compared with the patients with conversion disorder. Compared with the partial epilepsy group, HRQOL for the patients with conversion disorder was better in psychological, environmental, social relationship domains. Conclusion. Considering these disorders, patients with conversion disorder need long-term psychiatric treatment. Carrying out this study in our country will be an advantage for the cross-cultural studies which will be undertaken out in the future. © 2008 Taylor & Francis

Psychiatric morbidity in the population immigrated from the South-eastern part of Turkey: A randomised controlled study

WOS: 000165731700508

Prevalence of obsessive-compulsive disorder in Turkish university students and assessment of associated factors

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Many students who begin university at risky periods for OCD development cannot meet the new challenges successfully. They often seek help and apply to the university health center for psychiatric distress. We aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) at students of the Cukurova University in this cross sectional study.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This study was performed in the Cukurova University Faculty of Education with a population of 5500 students; the representative sample size for detecting the OCD prevalence was calculated to be 800. After collecting sociodemographic data, we questioned the students for associated factors of OCD. The General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12) and Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI, Section K) were used for psychiatric evaluation. Logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the linkage between OCD and associated factors.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 804 university students were included in this study. The GHQ-12-positive students (241 students, 29.9%) were interviewed using Section K of the CIDI (222 students, 27.6%). OCD was diagnosed in 33 (4.2%) students. The Logistic regression analysis of the data showed significant associations between OCD and male gender (p:0.036), living on government dormitory (p: 0.003), living on students' house/parental house (p:0.006), having private room in the parental house (p:0.055) and verbal abuse in the family (p:0.006).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study demonstrates a higher prevalence of OCD among a group of university students compared to other prevalence studies of OCD in Turkish society. Furthermore, our findings also suggest relationships between OCD and sociodemographic factors, as well as other environmental stress factors.</p

Cost-Effectiveness Of Increasing Influenza Vaccination Coverage In Adults With Type 2 Diabetes In Turkey

Objective In Turkey, the prevalence of diabetes is high but the influenza vaccination coverage rate (VCR) is low (9.1% in 2014), despite vaccination being recommended and reimbursed. This study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of increasing the influenza VCR of adults with type 2 diabetes in Turkey to 20%. Methods A decision-analytic model was adapted to Turkey using data derived from published sources. Direct medical costs and indirect costs due to productivity loss were included in the societal perspective. The time horizon was set at 1 year to reflect the seasonality of influenza. Results Increasing the VCR for adults with type 2 diabetes to 20% is predicted to avert an additional 19,777 influenza cases, 2376 hospitalizations, and 236 deaths. Associated influenza costs avoided were estimated at more than 8.3 million Turkish Lira (TRY), while the cost of vaccination would be more than TRY 8.4 million. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was estimated at TRY 64/quality-adjusted life years, which is below the per capita gross domestic product of TRY 21,511 and therefore very cost-effective according to World Health Organization guidelines. Factors most influencing the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio were the excess hospitalization rate, inpatient cost, vaccine effectiveness against hospitalization, and influenza attack rate. Increasing the VCR to >20% was also estimated to be very cost-effective. Conclusions Increasing the VCR for adults with type 2 diabetes in Turkey to ≥20% would be very cost-effective.PubMedWoSScopu