Erdal Beşer

Intestinal parasites prevalence and related factors in school children, a western city sample-Turkey

BackgroundIntestinal parasitic infections are amongst the most common infections worldwide. Epidemiological research carried out in different countries has shown that the social and economical situation of the individuals is an important cause in the prevalence of intestinal parasites. Previous studies in Turkey revealed a high prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection. The objectives of the current study were to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections in Aydin among 7–14 years old school children and to identify associated socio-demographic and environmental factors, behavioral habits and also related complaints.MethodsMultistage sampling was used in the selection of the study sample. A questionnaire, cellulose adhesive and a stool specimen examination were done.ResultsA total of 456 stool specimens were collected. 145 students (31.8%) were infected with one or more intestinal parasites. 29 (6.4%) of the students were infected more than one parasite, 26 (5.7%) with two parasites and 3 (0.7%) with three parasites. The three most common were E. vermicularis, G. intestinalis and E. coli. Intestinal parasite prevalence was higher in rural area, in children with less than primary school educated mother, in children who use hands for washing anal area after defecation, and in children who use toilet paper sometimes or never. The relation between child health and mother education is well known. Children were traditionally taught to wash anal area by hand. Toiler paper usage was not common and might be due to low income or just a behavioral habit also. Most of the complaints of the study population were not significantly related with the intestinal parasitic infection.ConclusionsIntestinal parasitic infection is an important public health problem in Aydin, Turkey. Rural residence, mother education less than primary school, sometimes or never usage of toilet paper, and washing anal area by hands after defecation were the significant associations. Interventions including health education on personal hygiene to the students and to the parents, especially to mothers are required. The ratio of uneducated women should be declined with specific programs. A multisectoral approach is needed.

Body Mass Index and Age at Natural Menopause

A population of 1.076 women aged between 40 and 54 years has been studied using the method of cluster-stratified and random sampling. The median age at menopause was 46.24 +/- 0.13 (mean +/- SEM) years. Obese women reach menopause on an average of 1.7 years earlier than women with chronic energy deficiency (p < 0.01). Other potential correlative measures, education, marital status, number of children, and urban/rural residence were found to have an effect on the age at menopause.

A retrospective analysis of adolescent pregnancies

Pregnancy in adolescence has been and continues to be a problem in public health. A retrospective study of 562 mothers, 18 years of age and below, was carried out. This study has shown a high incidence of preeclampsia (9.9%), low birth weight infants (17.2%), and preterm delivery (9.3%). It is imperative to institute a medical and educational survive with comprehensive prenatal care for adolescent mothers in order to improve the outcome of their pregnancies.

A population-based study on awareness of stroke in Turkey

Stroke is the second most common cause of mortality and a major cause of long‐term disability of adults in most countries. This study was performed to determine the level of knowledge and awareness regarding risk factors and warning signs of stroke in a selected sample. This cross‐sectional study was carried out in Aydin between November and December 2005, utilizing a study sample of 920 people registered at urban health centers. The questionnaire, prepared by the investigators, was administered by 20 trained students utilizing face‐to‐face interviews at participants’ homes. Two‐thirds of the participants knew the organ effected by stroke. The participants reported that stroke was a consequence of occlusion (28.0%) or bleeding (18.0%) in brain arteries. Paralysis/weakness of one side of the body (37.1%), speech impairment (26.8%) and numbness of one side of the body (14.2%) were reported as three major stroke warning signs. Sixty‐four percent of the participants knew at least one of these risk factors. Their primary sources of information were family and friends. Our study showed the great need for increasing awareness of risk factors and warning signs for stroke, perhaps utilizing community based education programs and the mass media.

The opinions of adults about the ban on cigarette sales to minors

BackgroundSelling of tobacco products to minors has been banned since 1996 by the tobacco control law in Turkey. However, it is also important for the public to support practices that prevent the access of tobacco products to minors. In addition, every individual has the responsibility of carrying out society based programs that restrict access to tobacco products especially to children and the youths. Social sensitivity is considered an important factor in the prevention of tobacco use. This study aims to learn about the opinions and attitudes of adults with regards to minors access to tobacco products.MethodsThe study was a descriptive study conducted in nine city centers in Turkey. The total number of participants reached was 3241. The questionnaire was developed by the research team and consisted of 22 questions concerning knowledge and behaviors of adults on restriction of tobacco sales to minors and their observations with regards tobacco sales to minors. Data was collected through face to face interview. Pearson chi-square test was used for the bivariate analysis whereas logistic regression was investigate the relationship between “the participant’s response against tobacco sales to minors” and the following explanatory variables; “age”, “educational status”, “income level”, “working status”, “minors access to cigarettes”, “smoking ratio in high school” and “sales of tobacco to minors”.ResultsMore than half of the participants (60.5%) belonged to the age group 25–44 years, 61.3% graduated from high school or university. Most of the participants were smoker (39.2%) or ex-smoker (19.1%), and 41.7% of the participants was non-smoker. A greater proportion of the participants (76.2%) believed that smoking prevalence was greater than 40% among high school students. One in four (27.8%) adults did not know that tobacco control law bans sell of tobacco products to minors in Turkey. More than half of the participants (57.1%) ever witnessed tobacco sales to minors and 63.6% of them did not act when confronted with the event. Almost all (96.8%) of the respondents thought that access of minors to tobacco products was not difficult. The results of logistic regression of participant’s response against tobacco sales to minor and related factors for current smokers showed that respondents who believed smoking ratio in high school was 4–5 adolescent out of 10 (aOR: 1.59; 95% CI: 1.09–2.34) were more likely to give a warning or informing the police or other people as compared to respondents whose perception on the smoking ratio among high school students was 6–7 adolescents out of 10. The results of logistic regression of non-smokers’ response against tobacco sales to minor were who are from higher educational level, higher economic status, working status and who believed smoking ratio in high school was 4–5 adolescent out of 10 and 2–3 adolescent out of 10 were more likely to give a warning or informing the police or other people as compared to the others.ConclusionsAlthough laws prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to the under age group is very important with regards to accessibility of minors to tobacco products, most of the study participants believed that minors can still easily access tobacco products, and more than half of the participants did not act when confronted with the event. The education, information and monitoring program most especially as it concerns salesman, should be reviewed and strengthened to obey the rules on sales of tobacco products to minors. Education program should be carried out to increase the knowledge and awareness of the community for sale of tobacco to minors. Social sensitivity is important for the prevention of tobacco use and every individual have a responsibility in carrying out this society based program, most especially as it related to prevention of tobacco usage among children and youths.

Social and Psychiatric Results of Migration among Women in a Western City in Turkey

Meandros Med Dent J Ad dress for Cor res pon den ce/Ya zış ma Ad re si: Ferhat Yıldız MD, Adnan Menderes University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Public Health, Aydın, Turkey Phone: +90 532 482 50 15 E-mail: ferhat.yildiz@adu.edu.tr Received/Geliş Ta rihi : 07.07.2017 Accepted/Ka bul Ta ri hi : 22.12.2017 Anah tar Ke li me ler Göç, sığınmacılar, kadın sağlığı, akıl sağlığı

Validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire

Health literacy is a public health priority which refers to individuals knowledge, motivation and competence to access, understand, appraise and apply health information to prevent disease and promote health in daily life. This study aimed to adapt European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q47) into Turkish and to investigate its psychometric properties. The questionnaire was translated into Turkish by using both group translation and expert opinion methods. Forward translation-back translation method was used for language validity and the final Turkish version (HLS-TR) was formed. HLS-EU-Q47 and Health Awareness Scale (HAS) were administered to 505 respondents. The scale reliability was examined using Crohnbachs alpha coefficient and the construct validity was assessed by principal axis factoring procedure. The convergent validity was obtained by Pearson correlation coefficients between HLS-TR and HAS scores and discriminant validity was examined comparing the scores of participants who were stratified according to ages, educational status, gender, general health status and social status. Cronbachs alpha coefficient for the whole scale was 0.95. Principal axis factoring extracted nine factors which eigenvalues were >1 and explained 50.01% of total variance. Factor matrix displayed that all items gave greater load in factor 1, showing that health literacy measured with one factor. Positive and significant correlation was found between HLS-TR and HAS. Significant relations were found between HLS-TR scores and selected determinants of health. This study revealed that the HLS-TR was a valid and reliable measuring instrument with appropriate psychometric characteristics.

Knowledge of Hepatitis B Virus Infection and Infection Control Practices Among Faculty of Dentistry Workers, in Aydın -

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: Hepatitis B infection which is a life-threatening infection, is a major global health problem. Occupational exposure may be an important route of transmission. The aim of this study was to evaluate Knowledge of Hepatitis B Virus Infection and infection control practices among Faculty of Dentistry Staff, in Aydin province. MATERIAL METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, hepatitis B vaccination status of the participants; knowledge levels, history of work accidents, general infection control practices were questioned. Knowledge levels were assessed with 63 propositions, each correct answer calculated as 1 point to calculate total knowledge score and then subgroup scores such as general information, information level scores for transmission routes, prevention approaches and risk groups, were calculated. RESULTS: 54.4 % of participants told that they had received education about HBV infection, 67.5% told they had been vaccinated with Hepatitis B vaccine. 46.3% of those who stated that they had been vaccinated told that they checked antibody levels after vaccination. 27.8 % of participants stated that they had periodic inspection checks and 18.8 % stated that they had an occupational accident in terms of infection risk in the previous year. The mean total knowledge score over 63 propositions was 42.3±13.3. Total knowledge score were found lower in participants who were younger or dental students, who did not receive education about general infection control precautions and hepatitis B infection, who did not vaccinated with HBV, who did not have a history of contact with HBV-infected patients, who did not had an occupational accident in the previous year and who had less than a year of occupational experience. CONCLUSION: In conclusion oral and dental health workers’ knowledge about hepatitis B infection and infection control practices were not at desired level. It is important to give educational activities regarding causes of infections and standard infection control precautions as earlier as possible in order to prevent horizontal transmission between patients and health workers.

Awreness Research on Household Cleaning Substances-Aydın -

Objective: To determine the knowledge levels of participants at the age of above 20 about the risks of household cleaning substances and investigate of the storage conditions of them in the houses of the participants. Materials and Method: This is a cross-sectional research which involves 603 participants as head of the household from each of houses region of eight health center of Aydin, October 2007-January 2008. The questionnaire was given to the participants by a face-to-face technique. The storage conditions of household cleaning substances were also investigated and filled a control list for each houses. Results: There were at least one household cleaning substance of 97.7% of the houses. The most of them were storaged in the bathroom (88.6%). In the houses, cleaners were founded attainable level for the childrens at the age of under the six as at the varying percents between 86-100 % according to storage part of the houses. Conclusion: Child-specific health and environment control/investigation lists for practical using during periodical visiting of the health staffs should be developed. Specific training programs can be prepared and performed to increase knowledge and awareness level of the community.