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Prevalence and risk factors of Internet addiction in high school students

AIM In this study, the prevalence and risk factors of Internet addiction in high school students was investigated. MATERIAL AND METHOD This cross-sectional study was performed in the Mersin Province in 2012. The study sample consisted of students attending high school in the central district of Mersin. The data were summarized by descriptive statistics and compared by a binary logistic regression. RESULTS Our study population included 1156 students, among whom 609 (52.7%) were male. The mean age of the students was 16.1 ± 0.9 years. Seventy-nine percent of the students had a computer at home, and 64.0% had a home Internet connection. In this study, 175 (15.1%) students were defined as Internet addicts. Whereas the addiction rate was 9.3% in girls, it was 20.4% in boys (P < 0.001). In this study, Internet addiction was found to have an independent relationship with gender, grade level, having a hobby, duration of daily computer use, depression and negative self-perception. CONCLUSION According to our study results, the prevalence of Internet addiction was high among high school students. We recommend preventing Internet addiction among adolescents by building a healthy living environment around them, controlling the computer and Internet use, promoting book reading and providing treatment to those with a psychological problem.

Lead and cadmium exposure in children living around a coal-mining area in Yatagan, Turkey

The study was designed to determine asymptomatic lead poisoning prevalence and cadmium exposure of preschool children living in a coal-mining area in Yatağan, Mugla, Turkey. The research was conducted between May and June 2002. The study included 236 children (53.4% female and 46.6% male) who were identified among the healthy children between the ages of 6 months and 6 years, using a systematic sampling method, from the records of the local medical centre of Yatağan. Assessments of the levels of blood lead and cadmium were performed by an atomic absorption spectrophotometer, in the Department of Biophysics, Cerrahpaşa Medical Faculty. The mean age of females and males were 49±18 and 43±19 months, respectively. The mean blood lead level was 33.8±15.6 μg/dL in females and 38.8±16.0 μg/dL in males. The mean blood lead level of the males was significantly higher than the females (P<0.05). Correlation analysis showed a statistically significant negative correlation between blood lead level and age in both sex groups (r=-0.367, P< 0.001). The blood lead level was found to be > 10 μg/dL in 95.7% and > 20 μg/dL in 87.6% of all children. The mean blood cadmium level of all children was 1.31±0.72 mg/dL. The blood cadmium level was found to be >0.5 μg/dL, which is considered to be toxic, in 85% of all children. The difference in blood cadmium levels between sexes was not significant. A statistically significant negative correlation was found between blood cadmium level and age of all children (r=-0.382, P<0.001). Although it is not possible to understand from this study what proportion of the biological lead and cadmium burden results from mining waste and what proportion comes from other sources, such as paint and gasoline residue deposited in soil and air, these results do indicate that asymptomatic lead poisoning and cadmium exposure are significant problems in children living in the Yatağan area. In conclusion, environmental lead measurements (house dust, soil, drinking water and air) must be performed, the results must be compared with the normal limits, and precautions must be taken if necessary in the Yatağan area. Future public health research efforts should focus on reducing the excessive levels of lead and cadmium in the environment.

Awareness of emergency contraception among university students in Mersin, Turkey

Aim:  The aim of this study is to determine the degree of knowledge, behavior and attitude of university students in Mersin towards emergency contraception (EC).

The sociodemographic factors related with the adolescent pregnancy

Abstract Objective The adolescent pregnancy is one of the most important problems in the 21st century. The adolescent pregnancies pose more health risks to both mothers and babies when compared with the adult pregnancies. Of all the births in the world, 11% are given by the adolescents. The aim of the study was to determine the sociodemographic factors concerning with the adolescent pregnancy. Methods This study was conducted at 18 primary health care centers in Mersin, Turkey. The adolescent group was comprised of pregnant women younger than 19 years, the adult group was comprised of pregnants aged between 20–29 years. The questionnaire was conducted with face-to-face interviews. Results Respondents included 107 pregnant adolescents and 110 pregnant adults. The median age of adolescent group and adult group was 18 and 26 years, respectively. About 61.7% of the pregnant adolescents and 94.5% of the pregnant adults were officially married. In the adolescent group, the family frequency without social security was more than that in the adult group. In the adult group, the frequency of opposing the adolescent pregnancy for their families was more than that in the adolescent group. The adolescent pregnancy among sisters and friends of the adolescent pregnants was more frequent compared with that in the adult group. Conclusions The family frequency without social security was more in the adolescent group. This situation is certain to cause more problems for the adolescents in benefiting from the health care services. We are absolutely think that efforts should be made so as to improve the society in terms of social and cultural aspects.

Patients', who applied to the anesthesia clinic, perceptions and knowledge about anesthesia in Türkiye.

Background: Pre-operative evaluation includes determining the patients physiological and psychological situation, taking information about pharmacological and therapeutic history, laboratory examinations, and identifying the anesthesia risks. The aim of this study is to learn the patients’, who planned for elective surgery, knowledge and perception about anesthesia, to determine the causes of fears, to investigate whether age, gender, education level, and history of operation affect the outcome of the survey. Methods: A questionnaire consisting of 21 questions was asked to fill by the patients who applied to the anesthesia clinic. In our study, totally 250 patients, aged between 16 and 75 were included. The questionnaire consists of two parts: The first part includes demographic data such as age, gender, education level, occupation; the second part includes the questions about anesthesia experience and knowledge. Results: Of the 250 patients studied, 59% were females and 41% were males. Of these patients, 37.6% had secondary education. As occupation, the highest percentage was belonging to the housewives (33.6%). In the second part of the questionnaire, it was showed that having an anesthesia experience and high education status statistically significantly affect the level of information about anesthesia (P=0.001; P=0.001). Conclusion: In this study, it was showed that there is an important relationship between education and past anesthesia experience and having information about anesthesia and anesthetists. But, generally it was also showed that the patients not having adequate information about anesthesia and anesthetists and to provide the public more informed about anesthesia, with hospital policies and studies of increasing education level, the individual attempts of anesthetists and continuous studies for anesthesia displaying are needed.

Assessment of Environmental Attitudes and Risk Perceptions among University Students in Mersin, Turkey

Background Environmental destruction is one of the most important problems in this century. Objective The aim of the study was to determine the environmental attitudes and perceived risks associated with environmental factors of the students. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in 7 faculties of Mersin University. The research data were collected using a questionnaire. The questionnaire included sociodemographic characteristics, the “Environmental Attitudes Scale,” and the “Environmental Risk Perception Scale.” 774 students who filled out questionnaires were evaluated. Results The sample included 55.8% females. Environmental Attitudes Scale mean scores of students were identified as 81.1 ± 11.3. The highest perceived risk was release of radioactive materials associated with nuclear power generation. The environmental attitudes and risk perception scores were higher in Health Sciences than in the other faculties. Females were more positive towards the environment and had higher risk perceptions than the men. There is a negative correlation between age and resource depletion risk and global environmental risk score. Conclusion Students had a positive attitude to the environment and had moderate-level risk perception about the environment. Environmental awareness of students, especially those studying in the Social Sciences, should be increased. The environmental education curriculum should be revised throughout all the courses.

Occupational Risk Factors among Primary Health Care Workers in Mersin, Turkey

ABS TRACT Objective: The current study aims to identify the occupational health risks faced by primary health care workers in Mersin city center. Material and Methods: Data were collected between June-July 2009. The target population of this cross-sectional study was 807 health workers serving in the primary health care centers in Mersin city center and related villages. No sampling was carried out; this study aimed to reach all of the health care centers and health care workers in the city center and surroundings. The consent of the ethics committee and the consent of the participants were obtained after informing them about the study. Six hundred sixty six (82.5%) of the workers were reached and agreed to participate in this survey. The workers filled out the forms by themselves. The health risks faced by the health workers within the past year were accepted as the dependent variables. It was compared with independent variables such as the workplace risks, location of the workplace in the urban or suburban regions, occupation group, and sex. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data while Chi-square test was employed to compare categorical variables. Results: 40.7% of the health care workers were working as midwifes and 73.0% were females; 87.2% of them had experienced at least one health risk within the past year. The most frequent health risks faced by the health workers were physical-ergonomic (78.8%), biological (56.8%), psychological (54.4%) and chemical (18.0%) risks. Ninety one percent of them believed that their life was not in safe in the workplace. The rate of physical-ergonomic risks were higher in doctors, in midwifes, and in non-married participants, the biological risks were higher in female health care workers, doctors, in non-married workers; the psychological risks were in non-married participants while the chemical risks were higher for those working in suburban areas. All of the risks were at a higher level among those participants who thought that their workplace was not safe. It was also understood that experiencing psychological risks decreased despite the increase in work period. Conclusion: Primary health care workers face many health risks in the workplace.

Kronik kan transfüzyonu alan beta-talasemi major ve orak hücreli anemi hastalarında görülen komplikasyonlar

Ozet Amac. Mersin Devlet Hastanesi tarafindan izlenen hemoglobinopatili hastalarda gelisen komplikasyonlarin sikliklarini ve olasi risk faktorlerini belirlemektir. Yontem. Hastalarin dosyalarindan sosyo-demografik ozellikleri, tanisi, tani yasi, transfuzyona baslama yasi, yilda aldiklari transfuzyon sayisi ve unitesi bilgileri elde edildi. Gelisen komplikasyonlar, HBsAg, anti-HBs, anti-HCV, anti-HIV tetkik sonuclari kaydedildi. Bulgular. Calismaya 46 hasta alindi. Yas ortalamalari 18.4±10.9 yildi. beta-talasemi major hastalari tani yasi, transfuzyona baslama yasi, yilda aldiklari transfuzyon sayisi ve unitesi sayisi acisindan orak hucreli anemi ve talasemi intermedia hastalarindan farkliydi. Kirk dort hastada en az bir komplikasyon gelismisti. Hastalarin 2’sinde HBsAg, 2’sinde anti HCV pozitifligi saptandi. HBsAg pozitif olan hastalarin yillik transfuzyon unitesi ortalamasi HBsAg negatif olanlara gore yuksekti. Karaciger komplikasyonlari ilk 25 yasta daha sik gorulurken, endokrin komplikasyonlar 0-15 yasta hic gorulmedi. Hastalarin cinsiyetleri ile gorulen komplikasyonlar arasinda iliski saptanmadi. Sonuclar. Talasemi major hastalarinda, orak hucreli anemi ve talasemi intermedia hastalarina gore demir birikimi nedeniyle gelisen karaciger, kalp ve endokrin komplikasyonlar daha sik gorulmektedir. Hastaligin mortalite ve morbiditesini azaltmak bakimindan erken donemde komplikasyonlarin varligini belirlemek, duzenli olarak izlemlerini yapmak gerekmektedir. Anahtar sozcukler: Beta-talasemi major, orak hucreli anemi, kan transfuzyonu Abstract Aim. To determine the frequency of complications and possible risk factors observed in patients with hemoglobinopaties in Mersin State Hospital. Methods. The data on socio-demographic properties, diagnoses, age of diagnosis and first transfusion, the duration of transfusion and amount of transfusion per year were obtained from patients’ files. The complications, HbsAg, anti-HBs, anti-HCV, anti-HIV results were recorded. Results. Forty six patients were enclosed study. The average age was 18.4±10.9 years. The data from beta-thalassemia major patients concerning age, age of first transfusion, the amount of transfusion and the duration transfusion per year were different from patients with sickle cell anemia and thalassemia intermedia. At least one complication was observed in 44 patients. HbsAg and anti-HCV positivity were observed in 2 patients each. HbsAg positive patients needed more transfusion units than patients with negative HbsAg. While liver complications were observed during the first 25 years of life, endocrine ones were not present in the first 15 years. There is no relationship between sex and complications with patients. Conclusions. Thalassemia major patients had more frequent liver, heart and endocrine complications associated with iron deposition when compared to sickle cell anemia and thalassemia intermedia patients. To minimize mortality and morbidity, early detection of complications and regular follow-up of patients are necessary. Key words: Beta-thalassemia major, sickle cell anemia, blood transfusion