Arzu Yıldırım

Loneliness in elderly individuals, level of dependence in activities of daily living (ADL) and influential factors

This study has been carried out to investigate the level of loneliness, determine the level of dependence in the ADL and influential factors in the elderly people. This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in 5 Family Healthcare Centers (FHC) located in central Erzincan, Turkey between March and June 2010. The data of the research was collected using a questionnaire that determined the descriptive and UCLA Loneliness Scale (UCLA-LS). Mean score of the UCLA-LS was determined as 51.59 ± 4.44. It was determined that 2% of the elderly ADL were completely dependent, 14.5% were semi-dependent. Factors such as being old, a widow/divorced, having a lower level of education and/or income, living alone, having a chronic disease, poor self-perceived health, lack of visits by relatives or acquaintances, dissatisfaction with the place of living, and being fully dependent while performing daily activities were determined as factors which increased the level of loneliness. Furthermore, factors such as being old, a female, a widow/divorced, living together with a daughter/son, having a chronic disease and poor self-perceived health were found to be influential in dependency. Elderly people who are alone and dependent in fulfilling their ADL should be monitored more closely.

Healthy lifestyle behaviour in university students and influential factors in eastern Turkey.

This research was carried out to determine the healthy lifestyle behaviour of university students receiving education in central Erzincan. The population of this descriptive and cross-sectional research included a total of 4506 students receiving education at Erzincan University in the city centre, and the sampling included 981 students selected by a simple random sampling method from these schools. Data were collected between April and May 2008 by using an identification form and the Health Promotion Life-Style Profile (HPLP) Scale. Healthy lifestyle behaviour point averages of students were detected to be at medium level (118.41±20.90). It was established that students grade, educational level of parents, economic status of the family and the student, the place where the student stays and smoking status of the student resulted in a significant difference in HPLP Scale total score average and the mean score of the majority of subscales.

Effect of anxiety and depression on self-care agency and quality of life in hospitalized patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a questionnaire survey.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affects the lives of individuals in a number of ways; it causes an increase in the need for help and support and a decline in self-care agency and quality of life. This research has been conducted in patients with COPD hospitalized in the Pulmonary Department of Erzincan State Hospital in the eastern Turkey to examine the effect of anxiety and depression on self-care agency and quality of life (n = 135). The results showed that 69.6% and 85.6% of the patients were at risk for anxiety and depression, respectively, and that the mean scores of self-care agency and quality of life decreased as the mean scores of anxiety and depression increased. It was also established that the mean score of the quality of life increased as the mean score of self-care agency went up. It could be concluded that the majority of the patients are at risk for anxiety and depression and that presence of anxiety or depression has a negative effect on the self-care agency and the quality of life. The recognition and treatment of depression and anxiety in patients with COPD provide significant improvements in self-care agency and quality of life of patients.

Effect of Psychosocial Skills Training on Disease Symptoms, Insight, Internalized Stigmatization, and Social Functioning in Patients with Schizophrenia.

Purpose: This study was performed for the purpose of determining the effect of psychosocial skills training (PSST) on disease symptoms, insight, internalized stigmatization, and social functioning in patients with schizophrenia. Design: One group pretest–posttest model. Method: The study was carried out with 25 outpatients who were diagnosed with schizophrenia. The PSST was given to three groups of eight to nine patients once a week in 24 sessions, each lasting 90‐120 minutes for a period of 6 months. Findings: The program had significant results in schizophrenic patients in improving the level of symptoms, increasing the level of functioning, and coping with stigmatization. Conclusion: The PSST program, adjuvant to pharmacological treatments, can be considered as a significant modality in daily practice due to its effect on improving symptoms, insight, and level of functioning and decreasing internalized stigmatization. Clinical Relevances: PSST in patients with schizophrenia can contribute to the use of evidence‐based education strategies in psychiatric nursing practice to improve coping skills with the disease.

Stress Copıng Levels and Mental States of Polıce Vocatıonal School of Hıgher Educatıon Students

SUMMARY AIM: This study was planned and carried out with the objective of determining stress coping levels and mental state of students attending Police Vocational Schools of Higher Education, in addition to factors effecting these. MATERIAL and METHOD: This desciptive and cross-sectional study consisted of 300 male students enrolled in the 2005-2006 academic year, at Police Vocational School of Higher Education, located in central Erzincan, Turkey. In this study, instead of random sampling, 281 (93.7%) students who were present at the school at the time of the study and accepted to partipate in it were included. Data for this study was collected using a desciptive form created by the researchers, Rosenbaum’s Learned Resourcefulness Scale (RLRS) and The Symptom Check List-90-R (SCL-90-R). During the data analysis, frequency distributions, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis and analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA) were used; and for analysis of independent groups, t-test was used. RESULTS: Among the students, it was determined that 54.8% were 1. grade, 90.7% had their parents living together, 43.5% had a father and 60.5% had a mother who graduated from elementary school, fathers of 23.5% of students were retired, 93.6% of them had mothers who were home makers. In addition, it was found out that 78.6% of students chose their profession willingly, the average family income of 71.5% of students were at medium levels, 82.9% always believed in themselves and 63.3% of students did not smoke. Based on the results obtained, it was observed that second grade students, those with mothers who are highly educated and those who trusted themselved all the time had significantly high stress coping levels; students who chose their own profession, believed in themselves and did not smoke had significantly low levels of mental symptom indications. CONCLUSION: In this study, the students were determined to posess averge levels of stress coping skills and they were found to be under low levels of risk in terms of showing phsychological symptoms. Programs to protect the mental health of students should be developed and implemented.