Developing students’ hand hygiene behaviors in a primary school from Turkey: A school-based health education study

Background: Hand hygiene is a cheap, simple, and an effective method that is necessarily implemented in crowded areas such as schools where infectious diseases can spread easily. Objective: To improve hand hygiene of students from grade 6 to 8 in a primary school from Canakkale, Turkey. Materials and Methods: This research was conducted in the educational year of 2012–2013 in a primary school, Kepez, Canakkale, Turkey. The subjects consisted of 185 primary school students from grade 6 to 8. Of these, 161 (participation rate = 87%) students participated. It was an educational study devoted to improve skills about hand hygiene. This study was carried out in three steps. First, a self-answered questionnaire and a standard checklist were used before hand hygiene training. Second, after 1 week from this first step, students were trained for improving hand-washing skills. Immediately afterward the training course, researchers observed each student for the assessment of their hand-washing habits and then filled the skill checklist. The last evaluation was made in the third step after 3 months from the training course. Students’ hand-washing skill scores before and after the training were compared. Statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS software, version 19.0. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: Of 161 participants, 50.1% were boys and 49.0% were girls with the mean age of 12.6 ± 0.9 (min 11; max 14) years. Of these participants, 32.3% were from grade 6, 32.3% from grade 7, and 35.4% from grade 8; 98.1% students were living in Kepez and 1.9% were living in village. A statistically significant difference was detected between the first practice, which was made before training, and the second and third practices, which were made after training, in terms of handwashing skill development (p o 0.001). After the training, hand-washing skill scores showed a significant increase than before-training skill scores in both female and male students (p o 0.001). Conclusion: In this study, hand-washing skill training was found to be effective. In addition, students were found to be successful on implementing hand-washing skills in the last practice that was done after 3 months from the training course. However, it should be considered that newly acquired behaviors must be followed once in 6 months or in a year with continuity for these behaviors to be permanent and long standing

Co-Existance of Isaba1/Bla(Oxa-51/23) Is Increasing in Carbapenem Rersistant Acinetobacter Baumannii Isolates in Turkey

WOS: 000411949500017Introduction: Carbapenem resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) strains are challenging topics for hospitals. We determined the antibiotic susceptibilities and genetic resistance mechanisms of 135 A. baumannii isolates from Giresun State Hospital, Turkey between January 2013 and September 2014. Material and methods: Antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standarts Institute guidelines. beta-lactamase coding genes were investigated by simplex/multiplex PCR. Results: High rates of multi drug resistance (51.11%) and extensively drug-resistance (48.14%) were remarkable. Colistin was seemed to be the only active compound against all clinical strains. Isolates were found 100% positive for bla(OXA-51) and 95.55% positive for bla(OXA-23). Of all the isolates, 97.05% were found to be blaTEM (n=131) positive concomitant with whether bla(OXA-51) or bla(OXA23) or both them. All strains were negative for the rest of the beta-lactamase coding genes. ISAb1 element was positive in the 98.51% (n=133) of the isolates and 100% of them were located upstream of bla(OXA-51/23). Conclusion: To our knowledge this study revealed the highest co-existence of bla(OXA-51/23) and also demonstrated the increase of co-existence of both bla(OXA-51/23) and ISAba1/bla(OXA-51/23) over time in Turkey. The increasing combination of these genes and element may lead more resistance against to carbapenems among A. baumannii isolates

Pregnancy in cancer patients and survivors; experience of a university hospital in Turkey

The aim of this study was to assess the obstetrical and neonatal outcomes of pregnancies in cancer patients and survivors. A retrospective analysis of 68 pregnancies with a history of cancer and 31 newly diagnosed pregnant cancer patients were included in the study. The mean birth weight and the mean gestational age at delivery were significantly lower in the pregnant cancer patients (p < .001). The incidences of delivery less than 34 weeks were 8.8% and 29.1% in the cancer survivors and cancer diagnosed during pregnancy groups respectively (p < .01). In 23 (76.4%) pregnant cancer patients, a single or a combination of treatment modalities was initiated. There were four (12.9%) maternal deaths in pregnant cancer patients. There were no early neonatal death and any congenital anomaly detected in the newborns. Pregnancy in cancer patients and cancer survivors has completely different clinical outcome. Pregnancy in cancer patients has increased the risk of pregnancy complication

Neurological Level in Spinal Cord Injury: Comparison Between ASIA Standards and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Objective: The aim of the present study was to compare the findings of neurological examination performed according to the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Standards with Motor Evoked Potentials (MEPs) obtained from paravertebral muscles of complete traumatic spinal cord injured (SCI) patients by using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

Antenatal Diagnosis of Fetal Retinoid Syndrome at 20 Weeks of Gestation: A Case Report

Introduction: Isotretinoin, a synthetic derivative of vitamin A, is one of the most potent human teratogens, and is mainly utilized for the treatment of severe recalcitrant nodular acne. Retinoic acid embryopathy is well defined in the literature. Case Report: The mother was referred for a fetal posterior fossa abnormality, first detected at 20 weeks of gestation. The mother used isotretinoin until 18 weeks gestation. Ultrasound examination revealed hypertelorism, cerebellar hypoplasia, vermian agenesis, truncus arteriosus, anotia, thymic aplasia, corpus callosum hypoplasia. An intrauterine diagnosis of fetal retinoid syndrome was confirmed by fetopsy after termination of pregnancy. Conclusion: The typical findings of fetal retinoid syndrome can be visualized with ultrasound in early second trimester

The Effect of Working Conditions to the Health Status in Taxi and Bus Drivers in Canakkale, Turkey; Community Based StudyTaksi

WOS: 000215600200025Aim: The growing taxi and bus driver workforce is at risk for poor health status, obesity, hypertension, metabolic syndrome and with increased risk for cardiovascular disease. We aimed to determine the relationship between working conditions and health status in taxi and bus drivers. Material and Method: This study is a descriptive study. The population of the study was taxi and bus drivers in central of Canakkale. There were total 250 taxi and bus drivers who registered in The Chamber of Canakkale Drivers and Vehicle. We reached the 70 taxi drivers and 93 bus drivers. The participants were visited at their workplace. We performed the questionnaire that include the socio-demografic features, habits, the working conditions. We evaluated the blood pressure, waist-hip measurements and capillary blood glucose at any time. Results: Total of the 163 men drivers were enrolled the study. Nine (12.9%) taxi drivers and 6 (6.5%) bus drivers were hipertensive, and 1 taxi driver and 2 bus drivers with random capillary blood glucose levels higher than 200 mg. The prevalence of hypertension was 9.2%, diabetes mellitus was 1.8, obesity was 49.4%. Discussion: Drivers have many risk factors for CVD like stress and immobility. In our study, the socio-demografic and working conditions are limited for explaining the risk for hipertension, diabetes mellitus and obesity in drivers in Canakkale. These study have to be done in metropolitan cities. In this aspect, the drivers can be evaluated in their own living spaces and working conditions

Female sexual dysfunction in androgenetic alopecia: Case-control study

INTRODUCTION: We sought to evaluate the association of female sexual dysfunction (FSD) with androgenetic alopecia (AGA) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in premenopausal women. METHODS: From December 2013 to June 2015, we performed a case-control, prospective study of 115 patients with AGA and 97 age-matched control patients without AGA from among premenopausal women who visited dermatology clinics of the two reference hospitals. Comprehensive history, anthropometric measurements, and questionnaire administration were performed for each of the total of 212 women. The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) was used to assess the key dimensions of female sexual function. AGA was assessed and graded by an experienced dermatologist according to Ludwig’s classification. The MetS assessment was made according to the NCEP-ATP III criteria. RESULTS: In univariate analysis, age, weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, body mass index (BMI), AGA, MetS, cardiovascular event, marital status, hypertension, high fasting plasma glucose, high triglyceride, large waist, total testosterone, and free testosterone were associated with presence of FSD. In logistic regression analysis, age (odds ratio [OR] 1.21, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.13–1.30; p<0.001), AGA (OR 3.42, 95% CI 1.31–8.94; p=0.017), MetS (OR 5.39, 95% CI 1.34–21.62; p=0.012), and free testosterone (OR 0.18, 95% CI 0.09–0.37; p<0.001) were independently associated with FSD. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that age, AGA, MetS, and free testosterone may have strong impact on sexual function in premenopausal women. Further studies with population-based and longitudinal design should be conducted to confirm this finding

Pattern of startle reflex to somatosensory stimuli changes after spinal cord injury

Introduction: Spinal cord injury (SCI) may cause functional changes at various levels in central and peripheral nervous systems. One of these changes is increased excitability above the lesion such as enhanced auditory startle responses (ASR). Startle response may also be obtained after somatosensory stimulus (startle reflex to somatosensory stimuli, SSS). In this study, we investigated changes of both ASR and SSS in SCI