Ilknur Aydin Avci

FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH BREAST SELF-EXAMINATION PRACTICES AND BELIEFS IN FEMALE WORKERS AT A MUSLIM COMMUNITY

The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to identify knowledge levels and performance frequency of breast self-examination (BSE) and to examine variables related to breast cancer screening behaviors in a sample of Turkish women. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 103 Muslim female workers at a hazelnut factory in Ordu city, Turkey, using an adapted version of Champions revised Health Belief Model Scale. Results showed that 26.2% of the women reported knowledge of BSE and 4.3% reported that they perform BSE. Higher health motivation, higher perceived self-efficacy of BSE, marital status, and familial breast cancer history were significantly associated with BSE performance. Higher levels of health motivation and higher perceived self-efficacy of BSE were also significantly associated with knowledge of BSE.

Comparison of two different educational methods on teachers’ knowledge, beliefs and behaviors regarding breast cancer screening

AIM This research has been carried out to compare the effects of different educational initiatives on the beliefs and behaviors related to the practice of early diagnosis of breast cancer. Ninety-three female primary school teachers who were working in Ordu during the time of the research agreed to join the research; 51 of them comprised the model group and 42 the video group. METHODS The teachers both in video and model groups were equaled from the point of view of their age, having had previous breast problems, a history of breast cancer in the family, or knowing how to do breast self examination (BSE). Questionnaires were used to collect data. These included the Champions Health Belief Model Scales of Breast Cancer Screening and the control list regarding how to do BSE. The collected data were evaluated by computer using the following tests: descriptive statistics, chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U, Independent Samples t-test, Paired t-test, and McNemar test. RESULTS Following the education given to the video group, susceptibility, perceived self-efficacy of BSE, and perceived benefits of mammography increased relative to prior to education. In addition the teachers in the video group also improved in their knowledge of BSE. Regarding the education given to the model group, susceptibility, perceived self-efficacy of BSE, and perceived benefits of mammography increased relative to before the education. The teachers in the model group also improved in their knowledge and ability to perform BSE. As a result, it was determined that there is no difference between the beliefs of both groups. CONCLUSION This study showed that both video and model methods of education were effective in changing health beliefs regarding breast cancer screening and on the same level increasing knowledge and practice of BSE.

Turkish Female Academician Self-Esteem and Health Beliefs for Breast Cancer Screening

PURPOSE This study aimed to analyse female academician health beliefs for breast cancer screening and levels of self-esteem. MATERIALS AND METHODS This cross-sectional study was conducted between October 2010 and March 2011, covering female academicians working in all faculties and vocational schools at Ondokuz Mayis University, except for the ones in the field of health (n=141). Data was collected using a questionnaire developed by researchers in the light of the related literature, the Champions Health Belief Model Scale for Breast Cancer, and the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory. Descriptive statistics, the t-test, Mann-Whitney U and correlation analysis were used to analyze the data with the SPSS 13.0 statistical package. RESULTS 53.8% of the participants were single, 58.6% did not have children, 80.7% had regular menstrual cycles, 28.3% was taking birth control pills, 17.9% were undergoing hormone therapy, 11% suffered breast problems, 8.3% had relatives with breast cancer, 78,6% knew about breast self-examination (BSE), 68.3% was performing BSE, 16.2% were performing BSE monthly, 17.9% had had mammograms, and 30.3% had undergone breast examinations conductedby physicians. The women who had breast physical examinations done by physicians had higher susceptibility, self-efficacy and health motivation, and fewer barriers to mammography than those who did not have breast physical examinations. CONCLUSIONS There was a relationship between the female academician self-esteem and their perceived seriousness of breast cancer, perceived barriers to BSE and health motivation. Our Turksih female academicians had medium levels of self-esteem.

Hemşirelerin iletişim becerileri: Samsun ili örneği

Hemangiomas are the most common tumors of infancy. Most of them require no treatment, but treatment is needed if dramatic aesthetic, and/or functional impairment as visual or airway obstruction or ulceration arises. We reported a 6-month-old infant presented with a 6-week history of a rapidly growing cutaneus hemangioma on the right eyelid and caused visual impairment. The patient was successfully treated with the use of oral propranolol therapy. We suggest that propranolol can be considered as a first line treatment in a patient with infantil hemangioma.Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine levator palpebralis superior muscle histologically in patients with congenital blepharoptosis and to investigate the relationship between these findings and age, sex and degree of blefaroptosis in this patient group. Materials and methods: Levator muscle of 13 patients with congenital ptosis, who had applied to Dicle University Medical Faculty Ophthalmology Clinic and had undergone levator palpebralis superior muscle resection between january 2009-january 2010, has been examined histopathologically in Histology and Embriology Deparment. During preoperative period, ptosis amount, levator function (LF), tear functions, Bell\s phenomenon and jaw-winking phenomenon were evaluated. All patients underwent resection of levator palpebralis superior muscle. Received postoperative levator muscle was examined by light microscopy. Results: The average age of 9 (69.2%) male and 4 (30.8%) female cases were 10.61 p 4.77 (4- 19) years. In histological examination, the quality and quantity of the levator muscle fibrils have been assessed. There was no relationship detected between histological features of levator palpebralis superior muscle and patient\s age and gender (p>0.05). Patients with weak levator palpebralis superior muscle were detected to have fatty degeneration histologically. The higher the levator palpebralis superior muscle function revealed decreased fatty degeneration and increased skeletal muscle fibrils. Conclusion: More ultrastructural studies in larger populations are needed to support the relationship between structure and function of levator palpebralis superior muscle in patients with congenital blepharoptosis.Amac: Lateral epikondilit (tenisci dirsegi) en fazla tani konulan dirsek yan agri nedenidir. Bu calismanin amaci tenisci dirsegi tedavisinde tek doz kortikosteroid enjeksiyonu ile otolog trombositten zengin plazma (TZP) enjeksiyonunun etkilerini karsilastirmaktir. Gerec ve yontem: Dirsek yan kisminda agri sikâyeti sonucu klinigimize muracaat edip, lateral epikondilit tanisi konan 15 hastanin (6 erkek ve 9 kadin) 15 dirsegi calisma kapsamina alindi. Olgularin 1. grubuna tek doz 0,5 ml Bethametasone ve 0.5 ml Prilokain karisimi, 2. grup olgulara 1ml otolog TZP lokal olarak uygulandi. Bulgular: Verhaar skorlama sistemine gore alinan sonuclara gore ilk takiplerde lokal steroid enjeksiyonu yapilan hasta grubunda sonuclarin daha iyi oldugu fakat sonraki takiplerde iyi sonuclarin goruldugu vaka sayisinda azalma oldugu goruldu. TZP grubunda ise ilk takiplerde sonuclarin kotu oldugu fakat sonraki takiplerde daha iyi sonuclarin alindigi goruldu. Sonuc: Otolog TZP enjeksiyonun lateral epikondilitte iyi yonde etkinliginin zamanla artigi soylenebilir, fakat bunun daha iyi anlasilmasi icin olgu sayisi ve takip suresi artirilmis yeni calismalarin yapilmasi gereklidir.

The problems encountered by midwives during breast self-examination training

UNLABELLED The second leading cause of cancer death in Turkey, breast cancer accounts for 24% of female cancers, with a crude incidence rate of 7.2 per 100,000 women in 1999. It was determined that breast self-examination (BSE) is carried out effectively if it is taught by a physician or a midwife/nurse. MATERIALS AND METHODS This descriptive study was performed in 16 health centers found in the city center of Samsun between 01.09.2006 and 30.12.2006. A total of 124 midwives work in the health centers found in the city center of Samsun. It tried to cover the total population rather than sampling part of it. However, 11 midwives, where there was error detected in their data coding paper, and who did not accept to join the study, were excluded from the study. A total of 103 midwives (response rate=83.06%) were included in the study group. The data were collected using a questionnaire form and a problem definition list prepared according to the literature. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used to evaluate the data. RESULTS While 90.3% of the midwives stated that they performed BSE, it was seen that 82.6% of the midwives performed BSE irregularly. While 97.1% of the midwives considered BSE as important, 78.6% of them stated that they had had on-the-job training about BSE. About 82.5% of the midwives stated that they educated women about BSE and 75.7% of them said that they did not feel as sufficient themselves for BSE training. The midwives stated that the most frequent problems encountered were that the women were not willing to apply BSE (43.7%), the women were not able to distinguish the masses from normal breast tissue (48.5%), the women did not feel confident in detecting the masses (49.5%) and the women were not willing to think about cancer (41.7%). CONCLUSION This study shows that multiple reasons are affecting womens BSE practices, which midwives should address when delivering their training sessions.

Breast and Cervical Cancer Knowledge and Awareness among University Students

BACKGROUND Breast and cervical cancers are the most common types of cancer in women worldwide. Previous studies in Asia have shown that related knowledge and awareness is low among female university students. The goal of this study was to assess breast and cervical cancer knowledge, practices, and awareness among female university students in Samsun,Turkey. MATERIALS AND METHODS This research was a cross-sectional survey of female university students using a self-administered. questionnaire to investigate participant awareness and knowledge of breast and cervical cancer. A total of 301 female university students participated. Descriptive statistics and chi square tests were used for data analysis. RESULTS The mean age of the participants in this study was 22.0 ± 5.91 years. Regarding family history, 89.7 % of the students had no known familial history of breast cancer. Students (65.4%) had knowledge about breast self examination and 52.2 % of them had performed breast self examinationm while 55.1% of them had knowledge about prevention of cervical cancer. CONCLUSIONS Although the results are preliminary, the study points to an insufficient knowledge of university students in Samsun about breast and cervical cancer.

Huzurevinde yasayan yaslılarda özbakım gücü ve yasam doyumu arasındaki ilişki

Osteoporoz ve romatizmal hastaliklar gozun tum tabakalarini etkileyen bulgular ile karsimiza cikmaktadir. Eriskin ve Juvenil Romatoid Artrit, Sjogren Sendromu, Ankilozan Spondilit siklikla goz bulgulari ile beraberlik gosteren romatizmal hastaliklardir. Goz bulgulari siklikla sistemik hastaligin semptomlarina onculuk etmektedirler. Bu hastaliklarda en sik olarak uveit, iridosiklit, vitritis, keratit, sklerit, anterior iskemik optik noropati ve retinal vaskulit gibi okuler inflamasyon bulgulari gorulmektedir. Okuler inflamasyon hastaligin kendisinden kaynaklanabilecegi gibi bu hastaliklarin tedavisinde kullanilan ilaclara bagli olarak da karsimiza cikabilmektedir. Bu calismada osteoporoz ve en sik goz bulgusu izlenen romatizmal hastaliklarin okuler bulgulari literatur esliginde arastirildi.Mirizzi syndrome is an unusual complication of gallstone disease and occurs in approximately 1% of these patients. Some cases can not be identified preoperatively, despite modern imaging techniques. Today, treatment of Mirizzi syndrome is surgical. If Mirizzi syndrome is present, the risk of bile duct injury increases, particularly during laparoscopic surgery. Therefore, preoperative or intraoperative diagnosis is important. Here, we presented a 29 year-old woman with obstructive jaundice who diagnosed as cholelithiasis and choledocholithiasis. Preoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiography relieved the common bile duct stone but cound not diagnosed the Mirizzi syndrome preoperatively. During laparoscopy, the diagnosis of Mirizzi syndrome was suspected early and the procedure was converted to open cholecystectomy and T-tube to common bile duct. There was no bile duct injury and postoperative course was uneventful.Lenfomalarda akciger tutulumu primer ve sekonder olmak uzere iki sekilde gorulmektedir. Lenfoma hucreleri, akcigerin degisik bolgelerini, yogun bicimde infiltre edebilmektedir. 57 yasinda erkek hastanin 6 aydir devam eden gogus agrisi, boyunda sislik, halsizlik, oksuruk ve balgam yakinmalari mevcuttu. Hasta, hepatosplenomegali, son bir ayda kilo kaybi, ates ve boynunun sol yaninda buyuyen agrili sislik nedeniyle klinigimize yatirildi. Fizik muayenede, boyunda agrili lenfadenopati saptandi. Solunum sistemi muayenesinde sagda solunum seslerinin siddetinde azalma, yer yer krepitan raller mevcuttu. PA akciger grafisinde sag parahiler bolgede non homojen yaygin infiltrasyon saptandi. Toraks tomografisinde ise sag akcigerde santralde hava bronkogrami izlenen konsolide alan, periferde noduler ve retikulonoduler, sol akciger alt lop posterobazal segmentte ve sol akciger ust lop apikoposterior segmentte birkac adet noduler lezyon, paratrakeal lenf bezi ve lokalize alveoler diffuz infiltrasyonlar saptandi. Servikal lenf nodunu histolojik incelenmesinde yuksek grade buyuk hucreli Non-Hodgkin lenfoma tanisi kondu. Hasta 6 siklus CEOP kuru aldi. Kemoterapi tamamlandiktan sonra yapilan incelemelerde daha once varolan akciger lezyonlarinin tumunun kayboldugu goruldu. Bu vaka sistemik non-Hodgkin lenfoma seyri sirasinda akcigeri tutulumu gelisen ve tek basina kemoterapi ile uzun sureli remisyona giren bir nadir olgudur.In this study, we are presenting the results of cytogenetic analysis and molecular cytogenetic analysis (FISH) of the couple and their family, who were referred to our genetic diagnostic laboratory and had bad obstetrics history. We found a normal karyotype (46,XY) in male, and A de novo complex chromosome rearrangement found in a phenotypically normal female was characterized by G-bands, FISH with probes. Her chromosome structure was 46,XX,der(18;22)(18pterrp11.1::22p11.1rqter) del(18)(:p11.1rqter). To determine the parental origin of translocation, we examined the individuals of the family, and we found that the translocation was de novo. We concluded that this carrier family might be due to the unbalanced distribution of translocation, during gamete formation and prenatal diagnosis recommended for their future pregnancies.

The Validity and Reliability of Health Belief Scale for Testicular Cancer Self-Examination:

This study aimed to create a measurement tool for the determination of university students’ health beliefs about testicular cancer (TC) and self-examination. This is a methodological and cross-sectional study. The study sample included 425 university students. Consents and approvals were obtained from the relevant institutions and the ethics committee prior to the research. The data were collected using an interview form that included questions about descriptive characteristics, family history of TC, and knowledge, beliefs, and practice of self-examination. The health belief model including 41 questions about self-examination and the interview form were administered to the students in their classrooms at a suitable time. Principal components analysis and varimax rotation were used for the examination of the structures of the factors. Accordingly, factor patterns, self-values, and the variance percentages they explained were evaluated. The average age of the participants is 22.2 ± 2.3 (min = 17; max = 40). Of them, 98.8% of the participants are single (n = 420). Of them, 56.2% have heard about TC before, and 18.4% said they were informed about TC. Factor loading of the items in the first factor was 0.64 to 0.89, while it was 0.48 to 0.75 for the items in the second factor, 0.50 to 0.87 for the items in the third factor, 0.37 to 0.68 for the items in the fourth factor, 0.51 to 0.68 for the items in the fifth factor, and 0.65 to 0.79 for the items in the sixth factor. The health belief model scale may be used in TC screenings for males to measure susceptibility, seriousness, health motivation, barriers, benefits, and self-efficacy.

The effect of music therapy on depression and physiological parameters in elderly people living in a Turkish nursing home: a randomized-controlled trial

ABSTRACT Objective: This study was carried out in an effort to determine the effect of music therapy on depression and physiological parameters in elderly people who were living in a nursing home. Method: The study was a randomized controlled trial. The study sample consisted of 64 elderly people who complied with the criteria of inclusion for the study. The data were collected using the ‘Elderly Information Form’ and ‘Geriatric Depression Scale’. The music group listened to music three days in a week during 8 weeks. The depression levels were assessed at baseline (week 0) and follow-up in the eight week. Results: It was found that the difference between post-test depression scores of the two groups was found to be statistically significant (t = −2.86, p <.01). The mean scores of post-test systolic blood pressure in the music group were found to be significantly lower than those of the control group (t = −3.11, p < .05). Conclusion: It was concluded that music therapy decreased the depression level and systolic blood pressure in elderly people. The study results implies that music therapy can be an effective practice for public health and home care nurses attempting to reduce depression and control physiological parameters of elderly people.

Attitude and practice of family planning methods among Roma women living in northern Turkey

Objective This study aims to investigate the attitude and practice of family planning (FP) methods among Roma women living in northern Turkey. Methods A total of 120 Roma women living in northern Turkey participated in this descriptive study. Data were collected using a questionnaire. The scale of FP attitude was used. Results The mean age of participants was 28.9 ± 1.8. Among the participants, 37.5% (45/120) were primary school graduates, 70.8% (85/120) were unemployed, 73.4% (88/120) were in a consensual marriage and 94.2% (113/120) had children. The majority or 85.8% (103/120) of the participants stated that they used FP methods. Intrauterine device (57.4%, 69/120) and withdrawal method (22.3%, 27/120) were the most frequently used FP methods. Conclusions The rates at which Roma women use FP were high. Their attitudes towards FP tended to be negative and the methods used were primarily related to females.