Esin Ceber

Assessment of cervical cancer risk in women between 15 and 49 years of age: case of Izmir.

BACKGROUND The aim of the study was to determine risk factors for cervical cancer for women in Izmir. METHODS This cross-sectional, descriptive field covered a population of 4319 women of reproductive age (15-49) (household registration in the Mukhtars office-2007). A total of 1,637 women were included in the sample given a four-part questionnaire through face-to-face interview by visiting the women in their homes in order to determine socio-demographic factors, obstetric history, genital hygiene and the use of family planning methods. In addition, during the data collection process, the women were given group training in order to raise awareness of cervical cancer. The number and percentage distributions of the data were calculated. RESULTS While the average age of the women was 31.9±9.77 (Min: 15.00-Max: 49.00), education level of 43.4% of them was elementary school only. It was determined that 70.3% of the women experienced at least one pregnancy, 71.0% had vaginal delivery and 75.9% used a contraceptive method. In the study it was determined that among the cervical cancer related risks vaginal delivery, vaginal lavage and having three or more pregnancies had the highest rates, while having sexual intercourse before 16 years of age and having more than one sexual partner constituted lower rates. The rate of the women who stated not having a smear in the last three years was 82.4%. CONCLUSIONS Considering the case in terms of having Pap smear test, womens awareness on the risk factors and early diagnosis of cervical cancer was found to be low. Due to this reason, awareness of women has to be raised through education.

Nutrition, Lifestyle, and Breast Cancer Risk Among Turkish Women

Abstract: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women, with more than 1 million cases occurring worldwide annually. Cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality in Turkey; deaths due to breast cancer constitute 24.1% of all carcinoma cases reported among women. We conducted a case-control study of Turkish women with and without breast cancer to investigate the relationships of selected lifestyle and nutritional risk factors with breast cancer risk. Factors were chosen based upon published associations with breast cancer. Subjects were women in Izmir, Turkey. Cases were 123 women with breast cancer registered with the Department of Oncology, Ege University Hospital, in February through July 2004. The control group included 120 randomly selected women without a breast cancer diagnosis, registered with the Evka-4 Health Care Center and having similar sociodemographic characteristics. Inclusion criteria for participation consisted of 40 yr of age and over and willingness to participate. ϰ2 tests and t-tests were used to determine statistical differences between cases and controls based on selected variables. Logistic regression was used to find the association between selected risk factors and breast cancer occurrence. Cases had smoked for more years, their age of first pregnancy was higher, and breast cancer occurrence was more common in first-degree relatives such as mothers and sisters of cases compared with controls. Cases were found to have consumed higher amounts of vegetable oil in contrast to controls. These findings are consistent with similar studies conducted in both developed and developing countries.

Sociodemographic aspects of consanguineous marriage in an urban slum of a metropolitan area in İzmir, Turkey.

Background: Consanguineous marriage is a common practice in Turkey. Sociodemographic and cultural factors associated with it are still unclear. Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between sociodemographic and fertility factors and consanguineous marriages in an urban slum of a metropolitan area in Turkey. Methods: This community-based case-control study was conducted in Bayrakli Municipality health centres. Of the 1243 married women, 85 consanguineously married were included in the case group. A control group in non-consanguineous marriages consisted of 85 women matched to cases according to age and neighbourhood. Information about the subjects’ sociodemographic features, fertility history and opinions about consanguineous marriage was collected. Results: Factors that were associated with consanguinity included; having a low level of education (OR = 2.7, CI = 1.1–6.7), a brief duration time in Izmir after migration (OR = 4.7, CI = 1.9–11.6) and consanguineous parents (OR = 3.8, CI = 1.5–9.7). Despite the increased numbers in fertility features and higher perinatal mortality for first cousin marriages, there was no significant difference in the mean numbers of pregnancies, births, stillbirths and living children. Conclusion: Time after migration and educational background of women were the main factors associated with consanguineous marriages. Public health interventions to reduce consanguineous marriage in urban areas should target socioeconomically disadvantaged populations in cities.

Social Perceptions of Breast Cancer by Women Still Undergoing or Having Completed Therapy: a Qualitative Study.

BACKGROUND Diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer is a crisis situation which effects womens lives physically, socially and spiritually. Investigating womens perceptions of this disease is crucially important for treatment decisions. We therefore determined social perceptions and interpretations of women diagnosed with breast cancer during therapy and in the post-treatment period. MATERIALS AND METHODS In the study, focus group and in-depth interviews were made with women still undergoing or having completed breast cancer treatment. Some 25 women were included in the research. Content analysis was used in the analysis of the qualitative data obtained after the focus group and in-depth interviews. RESULTS Some of the women demonstrated positive perceptions towards accepting the disease, whereas others had emotions such as rebellion and anger. The loss of a breast is important with different interpretations. CONCLUSIONS Womens acceptance or rebellion against the disease varies within their social interpretations after the treatment, as at the stage of diagnosis/treatment. All stages of breast cancer negatively affect the social life of the affected individual as much as her body. Nurses assume crucial roles in coping with these negative effects. Thus, it is necessary to know, and sociologically interpret, what is indicated by the information on what the negative effects concerning the disease are and how they are interpreted.