Percepcija epilepsije u Turskoj u svjetlu dvaju gradova

The aim of this study was to investigate the perception of epilepsy in Turkey, from west to east, in Kutahya and Yuksekova, two cities of different sociocultural and ethnic status. This was a retrospective comparison study which evaluated the results of two prior studies investigating stigmatization of patients diagnosed with epilepsy and their first-degree relatives in two different cities of Turkey, Kutahya and Yuksekova. The Survey of Epileptic Patient Relatives on the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavior Regarding the Disorder was used and included questions on descriptive characteristics, familiarity with epilepsy, attitudes toward epilepsy, and understanding of epilepsy. Data collected by use of the SPSS 15.0 software were analyzed with χ2-test. In Yuksekova group, 88.5% of first-degree relatives of people with epilepsy felt primarily fear when they heard the diagnosis of epilepsy in their relatives; in Kutahya group, the respective rate was 19.1% (p<0.05). The number of participants who objected their child marrying someone with epilepsy was significantly higher in Yuksekova group (p<0.05); however, if married, the Yuksekova group significantly stated that they should have a baby, revealing the importance of children as an indicator of power and dignity in the eastern region of Turkey (p<0.05). Although understanding of epilepsy was favorable, educating the community about epilepsy and personal contacts are the major strategies against epileptic stigmatization.Cilj istraživanja bio je ispitati percepciju epilepsije u Turskoj, od zapada do istoka, u gradovima Kutahya i Yuksekova različitog sociokulturalnog i etničkog statusa. Istraživanje je provedeno kao retrospektivna, usporedbena studija u kojoj su se procjenjivali rezultati dviju prethodnih studija koje su ispitivale stigmatizaciju bolesnika s dijagnosticiranom epilepsijom i njihovih srodnika prvog stupnja u dva različita turska grada, Kutahya i Yuksekova. Primijenjeno je anketiranje rodbine epileptičnih bolesnika o znanju, stavovima i ponašanju u odnosu na bolest, a obuhvaćena su pitanja o deskriptivnim značajkama, poznavanju epilepsije, stavovima prema epilepsiji i razumijevanju epilepsije. Podaci prikupljeni uz pomoć statističkog programa SPSS 15.0 analizirani su primjenom χ2-testa. U skupini Yuksekova 88,5% srodnika prvog stupnja osoba s epilepsijom osjetilo je prvenstveno strah kad su čuli za dijagnozu epilepsije postavljenu kod njihovih rođaka, dok je u skupini Kutahya taj postotak bio 19,1% (p<0,05). Broj sudionika koji su svom djetetu zamjerali sklapanje braka s nekim tko boluje od epilepsije bio je značajno viši u skupini Yuksekova (p<0,05). No kad je takav brak već sklopljen, značajan broj sudionika skupine Yuksekova ustvrdio je kako bi oni trebali imati djecu, što ukazuje na važnost djece u istočnom dijelu Turske kao pokazatelja snage i dostojanstva (p<0,05). Iako se razumijevanje epilepsije pokazalo povoljnim, izobrazba lokalne zajednice o epilepsiji i osobni kontakti glavne su strategije protiv stigmatiziranja osoba s epilepsijom

Učestalost epilepsije među studentima Sveučilišta Canakkale Onsekiz Mart, Turska

The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of epilepsy among students of the Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University. This cross sectional epidemiological study was performed on 4762 of 19,988 Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University students in the academic year 2007-2008. Participants that answered “epilepsy” to the question “Do you have any disease diagnosed by a doctor?” in a questionnaire including 4 subgroups were identified. Data were transferred to the Epi-Info Version 6.0 statistics program and controlled data were analyzed in the SPSS 15.0 statistics program. There were 53.1% of female and 46.9% of male students, mean age 20.4±2.1 (range 17-43) years. Twelve (0.25%) students had epilepsy diagnosis, eight (66.7%) female and four (33.3%) male, mean age 20.8±1.8 years. In our study, epilepsy was detected in 0.25% of students (n=12). Age specific prevalence studies related to epilepsy epidemiology are extremely rare, especially in university students with average intelligence. Thus, we considered that it would be epidemiologically significant to share the results of our cross sectional study with all those involved in epilepsy epidemiology and management.Cilj istraživanja bio je ispitati učestalost epilepsije među studentima Sveučilišta Canakkale Onsekiz Mart, Turska. Ova presječna epidemiološka studija provedena je na 4762 od 19.988 studenata ovoga Sveučilišta u školskoj godini 2007.-2008. Identificirani su sudionici koji su na pitanje “Imate li kakvu bolest koju vam je dijagnosticirao liječnik?” odgovorili “epilepsija” u anketnom upitniku s 4 podskupine pitanja. Podaci su preneseni u statistički program Epi-Info verzija 6.0, a provjereni podaci su potom analizirani pomoću statističkog programa SPSS 15.0. Bilo je 53,1% studentica i 46,9% studenata srednje dobi 20,4±2,1(17-43) godina. Dijagnozu epilepsije je imalo 12 (0,25%) ispitanika, osam (66,7%) studentica i četvorica (33,3%) studenata srednje dobi 20,8±1,8 godina. U ovoj studiji epilepsija je utvrđena u 12 (0,25%) ispitanika. Epidemiološke studije učestalosti epilepsije u određenim dobnim skupinama vrlo su rijetke, poglavito među studentima kao populaciji s prosječnom inteligencijom. Stoga smatramo da je važno rezultate ove naše presječne studije podijeliti sa svima koji se bave epidemiologijom i liječenjem epilepsije

EVALUATING PESTICIDE USE AND SAFETY PRACTICES AMONG FARMWORKERS IN GALLIPOLI PENINSULA, TURKEY

WOS: 000349508400019PubMed ID: 26513916Unsafe pesticide use among farmworkers is a major public health problem in Turkey. This study aimed to investigate pesticide use and safety practices of farmers in a village of Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey This cross sectional study was conducted with 117 farmers. The questionnaire included questions on demographic data, knowledge, attitudes, and safety practices concerning pesticides. The mean age of participants was 42.8 years, and 38.5% was female participants. Of the total 177 respondents, 77.8% reported that they prepared the chemical mixture at a public fountain, whereas 22.2% prepared it in their houses. Almost half (44.4%) reported that they experienced at least one health problem after pesticide application in the previous one year. Total scores for pesticide safety practices of the subjects, who declared that they experienced at least one health problem after the application in the previous one year, were statistically significantly lower (p<0.001). Their responses about safe use of pesticides and storage conditions were very striking. Our findings indicated that there is a need to increase health promotion activities through training, and the local administrations should promote safe use of pesticides by farm workers

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