Ayden Çoban

Effect of foot massage to decrease physiological lower leg oedema in late pregnancy: A randomized controlled trial in Turkey

This study aims to evaluate the effect of foot massage for decreasing physiological lower leg oedema in late pregnancy. Eighty pregnant women were randomly divided into two groups; study group had a 20 min foot massage daily for 5 days whereas the control group did not receive any intervention beyond standard prenatal care. The research was conducted between March and August 2007 in Manisa Province Health Ministry Central Primary Health Care Clinic 1, in Manisa, Western Turkey. Compared with the control group, women in the experimental group had a significantly smaller lower leg circumference (right and left, ankle, instep and metatarsal-phalanges joint) after 5 days of massage. The results obtained from our research show that foot massage was found to have a positive effect on decreasing normal physiological lower leg oedema in late pregnancy.

Status of postpartum depression in Turkey: A meta-analysis

ABSTRACT We determined the prevalence of postpartum depression (PPD) and related risk factors in Turkey based on relevant research. This study is a systematic review and meta-analysis and was conducted by performing a scan of the Turkish and English literature over the period of January–February 2016. Most of the research included in this systematic compilation made use of the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale. The scans executed indicated that 4,740 women out of 18,780 were at risk for PPD. In the computations made based on these data, it was found that the consolidated prevalence of PPD was 24% (21%–27% at a confidence interval of 95%) and that this rate varied between 9% and 51%. The study revealed 54 risk factors related to PPD. Those most commonly reported were mental problems/depression prior to pregnancy, unplanned/unwanted pregnancy, low income/socioeconomic level, bad marital relationship/problems with spouse/dissatisfaction with married life, and being a housewife. In this study, we showed that the prevalence rate of PPD is significantly high, that it varies within a wide range, that the prevalence of depression decreased with the increase of the time passed after childbirth, and that it is related to numerous and different factors.

Knowledge and Practices About the Subject Emergency Contraception of the Pharmacists and Their Helpers in the Pharmacies in Manisa

AIM: The study was carried out as descriptive to determine the knowledge and practices about the subject emergency contraception of the pharmacists and their helpers in the pharmacies in central Manisa. METHOD: The universe of the research was formed by the 113 pharmacies registered to Manisa chamber of pharmacists in the year 2008 and all the pharmacies were included in the study. 47 pharmacists and 88 helpers agreed to join the study. The research which was planned to be descriptive March-to-June 2008. A questionnaire was produced by researchers and filled in during face-to face interviews with the pharmacists and their helpers. RESULTS: The pharmacists and their helpers stated that combined pills (46.8% and 44.5%) and condoms (41.5% and 42.7%) the most requested family planning methods their pharmacy. It was determined that 48.9% of the pharmacists, 33% of the pharmacist’s helpers gave information to customers about their use of family planning methods, 38.3% of the pharmacists, 23.9 % of the pharmacist’s helpers gave information what to do in case of failure to use/ where to apply to. 91.5% of the pharmacists, 95.5% of the pharmacist’s helpers stated that they had emergency contraception (EC) purpose pills in their pharmacies. It was determined that 61.7% of the pharmacists, 28.4% of the pharmacist’s helpers had the knowledge about EC, 61.7% of the pharmacists, 52.3% of the pharmacist’s helpers could consider the EC methods true, 68.1% of the pharmacists, 70.5% of the pharmacist’s helpers gave the correct answers to the question of when the EC – purpose pills would be used. 68.1% of the pharmacists, 45.5% of the pharmacist’s helpers stated that EC methods might have adverse effects, 14.9% of the pharmacists, 25% of the pharmacist’s helpers stated that EC methods were protect agains to STD or not information about it, 12.8% of the pharmacists, 9.1% of the pharmacist’s helpers stated that these pills might be effective after the pregnancy occurred. It was determined that 53.2% of the pharmacists, 48.9% of the pharmacist’s helpers got information about EC before. CONCLUSION: It was found out that the pharmacists and their helpers did not make enough counseling about the use of family planning methods, the knowledge level of the pharmacists and their helpers about emergency contraception was quite low, and they had some misinformation. It was also concluded that the pre-graduation education given to the pharmacists shout be upgraded with respect to adulth education principles so that they can act as EC consultants and wide-scale in-service aducation programmes which would also pharmacist’s helpers, should be organized and participationin these programmes should be further ancouraged.