Duygu İşlek

Research capacity and training needs for non-communicable diseases in the public health arena in Turkey

BackgroundThe aim of this study is to define the research capacity and training needs for professionals working on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the public health arena in Turkey.MethodsThis study was part of a comparative cross-national research capacity-building project taking place across Turkey and the Mediterranean Middle East (RESCAP-Med, funded by the EU). Identification of research capacity and training needs took place in three stages. The first stage involved mapping health institutions engaged in NCD research, based on a comprehensive literature review. The second stage entailed in-depth interviews with key informants (KIs) with an overview of research capacity in public health and the training needs of their staff. The third stage required interviewing junior researchers, identified by KIs in stage two, to evaluate their perceptions of their own training needs. The approach we have taken was based upon a method devised by Hennessy&Hicks. In total, 55 junior researchers identified by 10 KIs were invited to participate, of whom 46 researchers agreed to take part (84%). The specific disciplines in public health identified in advance by RESCAP-MED for training were: advanced epidemiology, health economics, environmental health, medical sociology-anthropology, and health policy.ResultsThe initial literature review showed considerable research on NCDs, but concentrated in a few areas of NCD research. The main problems listed by KIs were inadequate opportunities for specialization due to heavy teaching workloads, the lack of incentives to pursue research, a lack of financial resources even when interest existed, and insufficient institutional mechanisms for dialogue between policy makers and researchers over national research priorities. Among junior researchers, there was widespread competence in basic epidemiological skills, but an awareness of gaps in knowledge of more advanced epidemiological skills, and the opportunities to acquire these skills were lacking. Self-assessed competencies in each of the four other disciplines considered revealed greater training needs, especially regarding familiarity with the qualitative research skills for medical anthropology/sociology.ConclusionsIn Turkey there are considerable strengths to build upon. But a combination of institutional disincentives for research, and the lack of opportunities for the rising generation of researchers to acquire advanced training skills.

Out-of-pocket health expenditures in patients with bipolar disorder, anxiety, schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders: findings from a study in a psychiatry outpatient clinic in Turkey

PurposeThe aim of this study is to explore the amount of OOP health expenditures and their determinants in patients with bipolar disorder, anxiety, schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders in a psychiatry outpatient clinic of Turkey.MethodsThe study group was 191 patients who attended to the Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic in June 2014. All patients were previously diagnosed with either ‘bipolar disorder’, ‘anxiety disorder’ or ‘schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders’. The dependent variable was OOP expenditures for prescription, medical tests and examinations. Independent variables were age, gender, education, occupation, existence of social and/or private health insurance, equivalent household income and the financial resources. Student’s t test, Mann–Whitney U test, ANOVA and logistic regression methods were applied with SPSS 15.0 for analysis.ResultsOOP expenditures per admission were higher in patients with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders (

Association between seroprevalence of measles and various social determinants in the year following a measles outbreak in Turkey

8.4) than those with anxiety disorders (

PP14 Out-of-pocket health expenditures for psychiatry patients in a university hospital in turkey

4.8) (p = 0.02). OOP expenditures were higher in patients paying with debit (

PP65 Prevalence and social determinants of mental illness in a district population in turkey

9.8) than paying with monthly income (

OP02 Modelling the effect of potential interventions for prevention of stroke and cardiovascular deaths among Turkish population for year 2012–2022

6.2) (p = 0.04). OOP expenditures were higher in patients without social health insurance (

MANİSA İLİNDE KABAKULAK SEROPREVALANSI VE BAZI SOSYAL BELİRLEYİCİLERLE İLİŞKİSİ, 2014

45.8) than others (

SON BEŞ YILDA MANİSA’YA İL İÇİ VE DIŞARIDAN OLAN GÖÇ VE ÖZELLİKLERİ

4.8) (p = 0.003). There was not a difference in OOP expenditures with respect to equivalent household income level, occupational class or education level of the patients (respectively p: 0.90, p: 0.09, p: 0.52).ConclusionsPatients who were diagnosed with ‘schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders’ were disadvantaged in paying significantly higher amounts for their treatment. A substantial group of these patients compulsorily payed with debit. Considering this financial burden, diagnosis of the patient should be prioritized in health insurance coverage.