Youth Suicides in the Second Wave of the Pandemic in Turkiye

Objective: It is widely recognized that the COVID-19 pandemic and associated social isolation have significant short- and long-term effects on mental health worldwide. Previous studies have yielded mixed results regarding the short-term impact on mental health during the first wave of the pandemic. This study aims to investigate the influence of the second wave of the pandemic on suicide rates among children and adolescents. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study recorded cases of self-harm among children and adolescents aged 6 to 18 years, who were admitted to our center's pediatric emergency department between November 1, 2020, and January 31, 2021. These cases were compared with those admitted during the same months one year prior, considering similar age groups and diagnoses. Results: A total of 53 cases were included in our study, with 21 cases occurring before the pandemic and 32 cases during the second wave. While the total number of admissions decreased during the second wave of the pandemic, there was an increase in suicide attempts. Suicide attempts were more prevalent among females, often linked to family or peer-related issues and impulsivity. Conclusions: The findings of our study highlight the evident long-term adverse effects on mental health during the second wave of the pandemic. To effectively address these consequences in the future, it is crucial to comprehend the devastating long-term impact of the pandemic on mental health

The skills of defibrillation practice and certified life-support training in the healthcare providers in Turkey.

Aim of the study Successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation and early defibrillation are critical in survival after in- or out-of-hospital cardiopulmonary arrest. The scope of this multi-centre study is to (a) assess skills of paediatric healthcare providers (HCPs) concerning two domains: (1) recognising rhythm abnormalities and (2) the use of defibrillator devices, and (b) to evaluate the impact of certified basic-life-support (BLS) and advanced-life-support (ALS) training to offer solutions for quality of improvement in several paediatric emergency cares and intensive care settings of Turkey. Methods This cross-sectional and multi-centre survey study included several paediatric emergency care and intensive care settings from different regions of Turkey. Results A total of 716 HCPs participated in the study (physicians: 69.4%, healthcare staff: 30.6%). The median age was 29 (27-33) years. Certified BLS-ALS training was received in 61% (n = 303/497) of the physicians and 45.2% (n = 99/219) of the non-physician healthcare staff (P < .001). The length of professional experience had favourable outcome towards an increased self-confidence in the physicians (P < .01, P < .001). Both physicians and non-physician healthcare staff improved their theoretical knowledge in the practice of synchronised cardioversion defibrillation (P < .001, P < .001). Non-certified healthcare providers were less likely to manage the initial doses of synchronised cardioversion and defibrillation: the correct responses remained at 32.5% and 9.2% for synchronised cardioversion and 44.8% and 16.7% for defibrillation in the physicians and healthcare staff, respectively. The indications for defibrillation were correctly answered in the physicians who had acquired a certificate of BLS-ALS training (P = .047, P = .003). Conclusions The professional experience is significant in the correct use of a defibrillator and related procedures. Given the importance of early defibrillation in survival, the importance and proper use of defibrillators should be emphasised in Certified BLS-ALS programmes. Certified BLS-ALS programmes increase the level of knowledge and self-confidence towards synchronised cardioversion-defibrillation procedures