Hilal Özcebe

Effects of peer education on reproductive health knowledge for adolescents living in rural areas of Turkey

Adolescents in developing countries are not as informed as their peers in the developed countries regarding reproductive health issues. Adolescents usually get such information from their peers. Peer group education is primarily observed in urban areas throughout the world often in the school settings. Adolescents in the rural areas who are at high risk of marriage at an early age and early parenthood far removed from such information resources. Thus this study was planned to evaluate the awareness of adolescents living in rural areas regarding reproductive health and the effectiveness of peer group education. (excerpt)

Children and firearms in Turkish homes.

BACKGROUND Unintentional firearm injuries are an important cause of preventable deaths and disabilities among children. Keeping firearms at home and letting children to see or touch them increases the risk of injury. METHODS This cross-sectional study was conducted to estimate the extent of the firearm problem in an Anatolian province in Turkey. A random sample of families were approached and were asked to answer a series of questions completed by research assistants. RESULTS In 974 randomly selected households, there were 2129 children aged less than 18 years, 11.1% of the fathers have a job in the firearms industry or in the security sector, and 12.3% of the households kept a firearm at home. Only 25.6% of the firearms were kept in a safe place, and 29.3% of the firearms and ammunition were kept separately. Overall, 70.9% of the children whose parents have firearms saw the firearm and 27.2% had handled it. CONCLUSIONS Results of this study pointed to the urgent need for preventive measures for the physical separation of guns from children. The establishment of effective firearms safety programmes requires an understanding of the culture and routine behaviours of the target population.

Determinants of pre-lacteal feeding practices in urban and rural Nigeria; a population-based cross-sectional study using the 2013 Nigeria demographic and health survey data

Background Prelacteal feeding (PLF) is a barrier to exclusive breast feeding. Objective To determine factors associated with PLF in rural and urban Nigeria. Methods We utilized data from the 2013 Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to test for association between PLF and related factors. Results Prevalence of PLF in urban Nigeria was 49.8%, while in rural Nigeria it was 66.4%. Sugar or glucose water was given more in urban Nigeria (9.7% vs 2.9%), plain water was given more in rural Nigeria (59.9% vs 40.8%). The multivariate analysis revealed that urban and rural Nigeria shared similarities with respect to factors like mothers education, place of delivery, and size of child at birth being significant predictors of PLF. Mode of delivery and type of birth were significant predictors of PLF only in urban Nigeria, whereas, mothers age at birth was a significant predictor of PLF only in rural Nigeria. Zones also showed variations in the odds of PLF according to place of residence. Conclusion Interventions aimed at decreasing PLF rate should be through a tailored approach, and should target at risk sub-groups based on place of residence.

An Evaluation of Injuries in Children Aged 7-14 Years in Turkey

Objective: This study aimed to reveal the distribution of some socio-demographic characteristics of children aged 7-14 years in Turkey and their record of having an accident/getting injured as well as receiving treatment. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional epidemiological study evaluated the data of children in the age group of 7-14 years in the Turkey Health Survey, as collected by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TURKSTAT) in 2014. results: Among a total of 3.921 children in the age group of 7-14 years in the study, 50.8% were male; the treatment costs of 74.1% were covered by the social security institution; the average monthly income of the household 1080 Turkish Liras or less for 38.2% while 49.2% had not completed education yet. The study found that 14.3% of the children had an accident/got injured at least once and 57.6% of these children received treatment. According to the results of the logistic regression, being male (p<0.001), a decrease in the number of people in the household (p<0.05), the presence of a person considering their health as poor in the household (p<0.05) and the presence of a person with a chronic disease in the household (p<0.001) increased the possibility of having an accident/getting injured among the children in the age group of 7-14 years. conclusion: The most common injuries were injuries due to falls among children aged 7-14 years in Turkey. Further, the study concluded that the likelihood of having an accident/getting injured increases with a decrease in the number of people and the presence of an individual considering their health as poor or with a chronic disease in the household.

Assessing the validity and reliability of family factors on physical activity: A case study in Turkey.

Background Childhood obesity rates have been rising rapidly in developing countries. A better understanding of the risk factors and social context is necessary to inform public health interventions and policies. This paper describes the validation of several measurement scales for use in Turkey, which relate to child and parent perceptions of physical activity (PA) and enablers and barriers of physical activity in the home environment. Method The aim of this study was to assess the validity and reliability of several measurement scales in Turkey using a population sample across three socio-economic strata in the Turkish capital, Ankara. Surveys were conducted in Grade 4 children (mean age = 9.7 years for boys; 9.9 years for girls), and their parents, across 6 randomly selected schools, stratified by SES (n = 641 students, 483 parents). Construct validity of the scales was evaluated through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Internal consistency of scales and test-retest reliability were assessed by Cronbach’s alpha and intra-class correlation. Results The scales as a whole were found to have acceptable-to-good model fit statistics (PA Barriers: RMSEA = 0.076, SRMR = 0.0577, AGFI = 0.901; PA Outcome Expectancies: RMSEA = 0.054, SRMR = 0.0545, AGFI = 0.916, and PA Home Environment: RMSEA = 0.038, SRMR = 0.0233, AGFI = 0.976). The PA Barriers subscales showed good internal consistency and poor to fair test-retest reliability (personal α = 0.79, ICC = 0.29, environmental α = 0.73, ICC = 0.59). The PA Outcome Expectancies subscales showed good internal consistency and test-retest reliability (negative α = 0.77, ICC = 0.56; positive α = 0.74, ICC = 0.49). Only the PA Home Environment subscale on support for PA was validated in the final confirmatory model; it showed moderate internal consistency and test-retest reliability (α = 0.61, ICC = 0.48). Discussion This study is the first to validate measures of perceptions of physical activity and the physical activity home environment in Turkey. Our results support the originally hypothesized two-factor structures for Physical Activity Barriers and Physical Activity Outcome Expectancies. However, we found the one-factor rather than two-factor structure for Physical Activity Home Environment had the best model fit. This study provides general support for the use of these scales in Turkey in terms of validity, but test-retest reliability warrants further research.

Tobacco Epidemic Keeps Spreading Among Turkish Youth

Identity development begins with adolescence and continues until the age of 25 (2). This process of change is exploited by the tobacco industry (3). According to a research conducted by a tobacco company, 31% of smokers start smoking after the age of 18 and only 5% of them start after the age of 24 (4). Currently, in the place of every person who dies every day because of tobacco consumption, one of two adolescents or young adults becomes a smoker (5, 6). Researches show that starting tobacco smoking at an early age increases the possibility of severe addiction, making the period of smoking longer and quitting difficult. Starting tobacco smoking at an early age causes more severe health problems (3, 7-10). It is reported that in the United States, majority of adult smokers start smoking before the age of 18, and occasional smoking becomes a daily routine before the age of 26 (11). Researches performed in Europe demonstrate that tobacco consumption starts at adolescence and increases during the years of high school. Moreover, in recent years, different tobacco products have been used among young people (12-14). Original Investigation

The Family Point of View for Corporal Punishment in Turkey: A Comparative Study

Objective: The child-parent relationship is associated with parenting behavior. The international variation in corporal punishment (CP) may be attributable to cultural differences in the acceptance of moral justifications. The aim of this study was to investigate the rate of corporal punishment and to determine the relationship between the parents’ point of view regarding CP and their punishment practices. Material and Methods: A referee state hospital and a referee university hospital in Ankara district were chosen to conduct face-to-face interviews with 502 parents. CP practices, perspectives, norms and attitudes were asked. A sample was not chosen for the study and parents accepting to be involved were administered the questionnaire. The power of the study was calculated as 0.76. Chi-square tests and means were calculated using SPSS 21.0 and a p value of 0.05 was accepted as statistically significant. Results: The rates of CP practice were 52.2% at the university and 55.1% at the government hospital. Lack of information, the education level and the cultural status of the family were related to CP practices (p<0.001). The psychological condition, traditions and customs, together with cigarette, alcohol and substance use at the family level were other factors related to CP practices. conclusion: Parental use of CP was at high levels in those attending either hospital. The CP practice differences between the sample groups were related to family characteristics.

Understanding The Three Dimensional Perspective to Prevent Risky Health Behaviours of Adolescents: Family, School and Family Physician -

Background: Determination of the prevalence of risky health behaviors (RHB) of adolescents and evaluation of the role of family, school and health sector in formation of RHB. Methods: The study was performed in high schools situated in a district in Ankara. Sample group of this research included 1467 adolescents. Data were collected by using a standardized questionnaire for adolescents. Face to face interviews were conducted with mothers, teachers and family health practitioners of some adolescents. Frequencies, ANOVA and independent t test; linear regression analysis were used when appropriate. Ethical consent was taken from Hacettepe University. Results: Mean age of adolescents were 17,15±0,45. 567 and 567 of them had risky health behaviors. The mean score of RHB scale score(t: -0,992, p: 0.321) and the mean scores of subgroups of physical activity (t: 2.261, p: 0.024), nutrition (t:0.48, p: 0.962), hygiene (t: -0.418, p: 0.676), physchosocial t:-2.772, p:0,006) and substance abuse (t:-1,273, p:0,203) of governmental high school adolescents were statistically higher than anatolian high school adolescents (p

Exposure to anti- and pro-tobacco advertising, promotions or sponsorships: Turkey, 2008.

Introduction: In 2008, Turkey became one of 26 countries with a complete ban on all forms of direct and indirect tobacco marketing. We assessed the level of exposure to anti- and pro-cigarette advertising and to cigarette promotions and sponsorships among various demographic groups in Turkey. Methods: We used the data from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS), conducted in November 2008 in Turkey. The data consist of answers to GATS questions by 9030 respondents from a nationally representative, multistage probability sample of adults 15 years of age or older. To find differences in exposure to the advertising by sex, age, education level and smoking status, we analyzed responses to GATS questions about cigarette advertisements and anti-cigarette smoking information in various forms and through various advertising channels, during the 30 days before the survey, using bivariate analysis. Results: Overall, 13.3% of respondents aged 15 years or older noticed some type of cigarette marketing during the 30 days before the survey: 7.1% saw advertisements, 5.3% saw promotions and 3.3% saw sports sponsorships. Men were more likely than women to have seen cigarette promotions (7.8% versus 3.0%) and sports sponsorships (5.3% versus 1.4%). Respondents aged 15–24 years were more likely than those aged 25 years or older to have seen cigarette advertisements (10.2% versus 6.2%), promotions (8.7% versus 4.4%) and sponsorships (6.6% versus 2.3%), respectively. Respondents were most likely to have seen cigarette advertisements on television (3.4%) or in shops (2.7%). In addition, 2.8% of respondents reported seeing a clothing item with a brand name or logo, 2.5% reported that they received free samples of cigarettes and 0.3% received gifts along with the purchase of cigarettes. Almost 9 of 10 survey respondents (88.8%) reported having noticed some anti-cigarette information during the 30 days before the survey. Most anti-cigarette information was seen on television (85.5%). The anti-cigarette information was seen by slightly more cigarette smokers (91.6%) than nonsmokers (87.6%). Persons with less than a primary education were less likely to notice anti-cigarette information than those with a higher level of education, in all examined media channels. Conclusions: Our findings showed a low prevalence of noticing cigarette marketing, which indicates high compliance with the Turkish law banning such marketing. GATS data provide an in-depth understanding of the level of exposure to pro- and anti-cigarette information in 2008 and they are of practical assistance to those who implement policies to reduce the demand for tobacco. The challenge now is to maintain rigorous enforcement. To do so requires ongoing surveillance to produce data on the effectiveness of the enforcement efforts.

The Perception of Violence of University Student and Factors Affecting to Perception of Violence/Şiddet algısı: Üniversite öğrencilerinde şiddet algısını etkileyen faktörlerin İncelenmesi

Amac: Bu arastirmada Hacettepe Universitenin uc fakultesinin 1. ve 2. sinif ogrencilerinin siddet algisini ve siddet algisina etki eden aile ve kisi ozelliklerini ve bireye ait risk faktorlerini belirlemek amaclanmistir. Yontem: Toplam 904 ogrenciye ulasilmistir. Katilimcilardan aydinlatilmis onam formu eklenmis anketi doldurmalari istenmistir. Ankette katilimcilara 16 adet siddet iceren davranis tanimi sorulmus ve farkindaliklari degerlendirilmistir. Şiddet olarak tanimlanan her bir davranis icin 1 puan verilmistir. Toplam puan 0 ile 16 arasinda degismektedir. Yuksek puan alan kisiler daha duyarli olarak kabul edilmistir. Bulgular: Kadin katilimcilarin siddet tanimlamalarindan aldiklari puan ortalamalari erkek katilimcilardan yuksek bulunmustur. Kadinlarin cinsel ve fiziksel siddet acisindan farkindaliklarinin erkeklerden daha fazla oldugu saptanmistir. Ailenin ogrenim durumunun ve calisma durumunun genclerin siddet algilarini etkileyen faktorler oldugu saptanmistir. Sonuc: Şiddeti ve sonuclarini azaltmak icin bulunulacak mudahalelerde ozellikle erkeklerin siddet farkindaliklarini artiracak calismalar yapmak uygun olacaktir