Adult Population In Turkey Research Articles

Examining Lifestyle Risk Factor Clusters and Mental Health in Adults

Abstract Background Lifestyle risk factors often cluster, impacting both physical and mental health. Studies reveal bidirectional relationships between lifestyle factors and health. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between mental health problems, self-reported depression, and lifestyle risk factors in a sample of the adult population in Turkey. Methods 2022 Turkey Health Survey (THS) data were used. The sample group was made using cross-sectional data of approximately 22742 individuals in the adult population over 15 years of age. Two-stage clustering method was used to determine vital risk factor clusters. Regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between vital risk factor clusters and self-reported depression and mental health problems. Results Lifestyle risk factors were grouped into 4 clusters. It was observed that unhealthy diet, inadequate physical activity, and smoking, which are modifiable lifestyle risk factors, were together in the clusters. It was also observed that self-reported depression and mental problems were more associated with clusters with more than one lifestyle risk factor. In addition, women, married individuals, and individuals over 65 years of age were more associated with mental problems. Conclusions As a result of the findings, there was an association between people with mental problems and lifestyle risk factors such as smoking, unhealthy diet, and insufficient physical activity. These findings may help to plan and implement more effective health policies and individual interventions targeting groups with multiple lifestyle risk factors in the future. Key messages • The target group was determined to improve community mental health and to make necessary interventions. • Since inadequate physical activity, which is one of the vital risk factors, and unhealthy nutrition and smoking tend to cluster together, it was determined that these problems should be prioritised

MEDYA VE RIZA ÜRETİMİ: COVID-19 AŞISI OLMAYAN KİTLE ÜZERİNDE BİR ALAN ARAŞTIRMASI

Being in power or maintaining existing power is Lippmann's (1998) sought protection from the crowd, which he defined as the 'great mob', or bound to obtain his consent. With the first social structures, the governments' constant surveillance of the masses, the trust and consent of the masses to the government. created an important management problem. There are various means by which society can consent and be persuaded. The media is the most effective of these tools. The media ensures the production of consent by persuading the public with effective propaganda techniques. In the process of media consent production, “by shaping history around a certain ideology, it enables certain things to emerge, some things not to be seen, some questions to be asked, other questions to be ignored and issues to be framed in a certain way” (Chomsky, Aljazeera 2017). One of the examples that clearly shows that the US has shaped the US government is that when the US mainstream media's broadcasts were analyzed after the 9/11 attacks, it was found that the overwhelming majority produced news that was pro-US government (Robin, 2006). Consent production techniques of the media are also seen in the presentation form of Covid-19 vaccines. While the mainstream media revealed that their views are indisputably true and based on science, they also accused the cautious audience of compulsory vaccination of ignorance and anti-science (Gazeteduvar, 2022). This process has brought about a serious information pollution, panic atmosphere, false news and false information. According to Chomsky (2017), while the media is deliberately used as a propaganda tool by the governments, the main task of the media is propaganda. Despite the persuasion efforts of the media, the rate of those who have never been vaccinated in the adult population in Turkey is 9% on average, according to the data of the Ministry of Health. In the population with the Covid-19 vaccine, the rate of being vaccinated decreased as the doses increased. After the first dose, the rate of being vaccinated for the third dose decreased by 43% on average (Ministry of Health, 2023). Despite the intense use of agenda setting, persuasion techniques, consent production, propaganda, fear, official bans and even coercion, what is the demographic and ideological structure of the unvaccinated mass, what are the basic values that motivate the unvaccinated mass, and trust in institutions and especially in the media. The size of their situation presents itself as an important question. In the most general sense, this research aims to understand and get to know the mass that has never been vaccinated against Covid-19, despite the fact that the media influences the public, despite the news and guidance of the media about the need to be vaccinated constantly and intensively. Despite the persuasion efforts of the media, propaganda techniques, agenda setting and consent manufacturing processes, the demographic, ideological characteristics of the 9% of the population who have never been vaccinated against Covid-19 in Turkey, what they were affected by, their trust in the media, their perspective on the pandemic and their motivations for not being vaccinated should be examined. are among the questions. In this research, the structure of the population, which has never been vaccinated and is never affected by the media, has been tried to be scrutinized, despite the necessity and necessity of vaccination in the media, and even the information about the death of those who are not vaccinated despite the imposition of the legal circulars. It is important to recognize the mass that does not engage in media interaction and consent production and to understand their motivation to develop resistance to the media. During the pandemic period, accusations such as ignorant, anti-scientific and religious were said about those who did not have the Covid-19 vaccine. However, as a result of this research, it was observed that the unvaccinated population had a different profile. Those who are not vaccinated against Covid-19 are mostly middle-aged, educated, semi-religious/conservative semi-secular masses who are not vaccinated against Covid-19. An educated and conscious audience stands out. It is believed that the media does not trust the media and that the media is completely biased during the pandemic process. The main motivation of this group is beyond religious reasons, but medical reasons such as forcing the vaccine, breaking the law, the plans of the global system and not trusting the vaccine. While the main source of information for this audience is some doctors and social media, they never follow television and print media clearly. This mass did not find any institution successful during the pandemic period and was not affected by official institutions.

Determination of Multiple Cancer Risk Behaviors Among Adult Population in Turkey: A Cross-sectional Study

Background: Modifiable cancer risk behaviors are general not seen alone but in combination in individuals.
 Purpose: This study aims to investigate the factors associated with combinations of cancer risk behaviors, including tobacco use, obesity, and low physical activity that cause cancer in adults.
 Methods: A total of 720 adults were selected using the multi-stage cluster sampling method. Data were collected using the World Health Organization STEP-wise protocols.
 Results: It was found that 46.9% of the participants showed one, 46.3% two or more types of risk behavior. The percentage of married individuals was higher among those who engaged in one, two, or three risky behaviors than those who did not engage in risky behaviors. Among participants with two risk behaviors, the percentage of those who rated their health as very good was lower than those without risk behaviors; those who had friends or relatives with cancer were high. Those who engaged in three risk behaviors were less educated and had lower incomes than those who did not engage in risk behaviors.
 Conclusions: Health intervention strategies should be increased in primary health care institutions for individuals who are married, has low level of education and income and has weak perception of health.

Serotype distribution of Streptococcus pneumoniae and pneumococcal vaccine coverage in adults in Turkey between 2015 and 2018

Objective To evaluate the serotype distribution and antibiotic resistance in pneumococcal infections in adults and to provide a perspective regarding serotype coverage of both current and future pneumococcal vaccines. Patients and methods This passive surveillance study was conducted with the Streptococcus pneumoniae strains isolated from the specimens of patients with pneumonia (materials isolated from bronchoalveolar lavage), bacteraemia, meningitis, pleuritis and peritonitis between 2015 and 2018. Serogrouping and serotyping were performed by latex particle agglutination and by conventional Quellung reaction using commercial type-specific antisera, respectively. The strains were analysed for penicillin, cefotaxime, erythromycin and moxifloxacin susceptibilities by E-test. Results In the whole study group (410 samples from adults aged ≥18 years), the most frequent serotypes were 3 (14.1%), 19 F (12%) and 1 (9.3%). The vaccine coverage for PCV13, PCV15, PCV20 and PPV23 was 63.9%, 66.6%, 74.1% and 75.9%, respectively, in all isolates. Penicillin non-susceptibility in invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) was 70.8% and 57.1% in the patients aged <65 and ≥65 years, respectively. About 21.1% and 4.3% of the patients with and without IPD had cefotaxime resistance. Non-susceptibility to erythromycin and moxifloxacin was 38.2% and 1.2%, respectively. Conclusions The results revealed that novel PCV vaccines may provide improved coverage as compared with the currently available vaccine, PCV13. The significant antibiotic resistance rates imply the need to extend the serotype coverage of the vaccines. Continuing the surveillance in pneumococcal diseases is critical to explore the serotype distribution and incidence changes of IPD cases in the population and to inform policy makers to make necessary improvements in the national immunization programmes. Key messages This multicentre study demonstrated the most recent serotype distribution and antibiotic resistance in adult population in Turkey. Shifting from PCV13 to novel conjugated vaccines will significantly increase the coverage. Continuing the surveillance in pneumococcal diseases is critical to explore the serotype distribution changes and the incidence of cases with invasive pneumococcal disease in the population.

Status of COVID-19 Infection and Vaccination in People Aged 18 Years and over in a Town: A Cross-Sectional Study in Turkey

Objective. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cases of COVID-19 infection in people &gt;18 years old and to investigate attitudes against vaccination and vaccine hesitancy and the factors affecting them. Methods. The data collection form used in the study was prepared by the researchers by screening the relevant literature. People over the age of 18 who agreed to participate in the study were invited to the family health center, and a questionnaire was applied by face-to-face interview method. The application time of a survey was 5-10 minutes. A total of 229 people were reached. Percentage of reaching was 95,4%. Results. The mean age of the participants was 44 , 13 ± 14 , 18 years. 31,9% of the participants in the study had COVID-19 infections. 69,9% of those who had COVID-19 infection caught the disease in the last year, and 93,2% were followed at home. Among the people with whom the participants lived, 21,6% of those who had COVID-19 infection were hospitalized and 5,7% died. Of the participants who expressed their opinion, 32,1% think that COVID-19 vaccines have serious side effects. Postvaccine side effects developed in 32,9% of the participants who had the COVID-19 vaccine, and 11,0% had a postvaccine infection. Conclusion. The results of our study revealed that the COVID-19 vaccine was highly accepted among the adult population in Turkey during the pandemic period. However, through this study, we found concerns about the side effects of the vaccine, the lack of confidence in the vaccine ingredient, and the effectiveness of the vaccine.

PSYCHOMETRIC EVALUATION OF THE TURKISH VERSION OF THE SELF-PRESENTATION TACTICS SCALE

The current study aimed to adapt the Self-Presentation Tactics Scale (SPTS; Lee et al., 1999) into Turkish and to evaluate its psychometric properties. Accordingly, two studies were conducted. In the first one, the factor structure of SPTS was tested in a sample of 346 adults with exploratory factor analysis (EFA), which revealed a distinct structure explaining 58.14% of the variance from the 12-factor original scale. The findings showed that a nine-factor model including 50 items presented the best fit with the following factors: ingratiation, apology, exemplification, disclaimer, intimidation, excuse/justification, enhancement, self-handicapping, blasting/entitlement. In the second study, a sample of 653 college students completed SPTS and Revised Self-Monitoring Scale (RSMS). The second-order nine-factor solution was uncovered by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). In addition, internal consistency and test-retest reliability analyses showed significant correlation coefficients. The criterion-related validity was also proved with significant correlations between SPTS and RSMS. These results verify that the SPTS is a valid and reliable measure to assess self-presentation tactics for the adult population in Turkey.

Neck Circumference Is Positively Associated With Blood Pressure and Other Anthropometric Measurements Among Turkish Adults: A Preliminary Study

ObjectivesHypertension (HT) is a major non-communicable disease and responsible for 13% of deaths in Turkey. Although the associations of neck circumference (NC) and hypertension have been examined, no such studies have been conducted among Turkish population. MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted with 356 adults aged ≥18. The participants were included in a hospital in Istanbul, Turkey, between 2019 and 2020. Blood pressure, NC, other anthropometric indexes such as body weight, height, waist circumference were measured. Pearson correlation were applied to determine the association of NC with blood pressure and other antropometric measurements. ResultsThe HT prevalence was 50.3% among participants. We found that neck circumference both continuous and categorical (≥37.5 in male, ≥32.5 in female) is positively correlated with higher blood pressure, waist circumference and body mass index. ConclusionsAlmost one-third of adult population in Turkey has hypertension. NC was associated with both blood pressure and other HT related anthropometric risk factors. These results suggest that as a simple and useful anthropometric measurement NC can be used to assess HT in adults to support prevention and management of HT for public health. Funding SourcesNo funding sources (organizations, institutions, agencies) were used to carry out this research.

Kardiyovasküler Sistem Hastalıklarında Ağız ve Diş Sağlığının Önemi

Today, the importance of oral and dental health and their the impact on general health are widely accepted facts known by the majority of society. Teeth have great importance in human life, especially in terms of function, phonation, and aesthetics in order to lead a quality life. However, there is still a high proportion of dental and gingival diseases and insufficient oral hygiene in adult population in Turkey. The view that poor oral hygiene and periodontal diseases increase the risk of cardiovascular disease has been gaining popularity in recent years. The increase in the number of research studies on this subject also supports this outcome. Previous studies have demonstrated that periodontitis may be related to the progression of cardiovascular diseases. Cardiovascular diseases have been one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality especially in industrialized countries since the beginning of the twentieth century.

Development and Validation of a Culture-Sensitive Generic Health Literacy Scale in Turkish-Speaking Adults.

Background:Improving health literacy has become one of the most important public health-related goals at the global level; however, there is no clear consensus on measurement of health literacy. Despite numerous health literacy scales available in Turkish, none of the existing scales was originally developed and validated at a national level.Objective:This study aimed to develop and validate a culturally appropriate original health literacy scale (HLS) to be used as a reference for the Turkish-speaking literate adult population in Turkey and abroad.Methods:Two multidisciplinary workshops with more than 20 experts were conducted and a large item pool was developed. The first and second draft of the scale were pre-tested with 20 and 150 adults, respectively, from different age groups and socioeconomic levels in Ankara. The validity and reliability study of the revised scale (110 items plus 20 self-efficacy statements) was carried out with a household survey of 2,411 adults in 12 randomly selected provinces from 12 Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics Regions in Turkey. Explanatory and confirmatory factor analysis were performed. The fit indices were obtained. The item analysis was applied, and Cronbach's alpha statistics were obtained.Key Results:The scale was found to be both a valid and a reliable measurement tool to assess health literacy. Cronbach's alpha for two sub-dimensions (“disease prevention and health promotion” and “treatment and access to health services”) were 0.79 and 0.91, respectively. Construction validity indices were Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) = 0.043, Goodness of Fit Index (GFI) = 0.96, Normed Fit Index (NFI) = 0.95, and Adjusted Goodness of Fit Index (AGFI) = 0.95. The scale includes “self-efficacy” as an additional dimension (Cronbach's alpha = 0.83, RMSEA = 0.68, GFI = 0.94, NFI = 0.94, and AGFI) = 0.91).Conclusion:HLS is a valid and reliable measurement tool to assess health literacy of Turkish-speaking literate adults with a mixed (objective and subjective) assessment approach. [HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice. 2022;6(1):e2–e11.]Plain Language Summary:This study aimed to develop and validate a culturally sensitive original health literacy scale to be used as a reference scale for the Turkish-speaking literate adult population in Turkey and abroad. Study findings showed that HLS is both a valid and a reliable measurement tool to assess health literacy of Turkish-speaking literate adults.

Impacts of Covid-19 and Lockdown on Mental Health: Depression, Anxiety, Stress and Fear among Adult Population in Turkey

Impacts of Covid-19 and Lockdown on Mental Health: Depression, Anxiety, Stress and Fear among Adult Population in Turkey

The Prevalence of Hepatitis E Virus Infection in the Adult Turkish Population: A Systematic Review of the Literature and Prevalence Study in Blood Donors in Mersin Province.

The hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an RNA virus that causes acute hepatitis, and can become chronic in immunocompromised patients, though this is rare. The frequency of HEV infection varies, depending on factors such as geographical region, socioeconomic level, and age. Despite limited studies on the adult population in Turkey, there is no current information about HEV frequency in our country. Therefore, we aimed to scrutinize the data found from such studies, in comparison to our own results. A total of 900 volunteers who applied to donate blood to the University Hospital Blood Center and accepted the use of their data were enrolled in the study. Serum anti-HEV IgG antibody (Ab) was examined by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays method. The donors' location, occupation, and animal contact status were determined. In addition, we evaluated the full text and conference papers (in Turkish or English) of Turkey-based HEV seroprevalence studies from 1990-2020, investigating the adult population. The average age of the 900 volunteers in the study was 35.22 ± 9.60 years, of whom 889 (98.7%) were men. Anti-HEV IgG was positive in 12.8% of the serum samples. The average age of the volunteers who were seropositive was 40.40 ± 9.72 years, and 98.2% were men. No association was found between anti-HEV IgG positivity and occupation, place of residence, and contact with animals. An evaluation of the studies conducted in Turkey reveals that the average HEV infection seroprevalence is 9.52% in the healthy population, and the prevalence is increased in the region of Southeastern Anatolia. Patients with acute hepatitis and hemodialysis also had increased rates. The anti-HEV IgG seropositivity rate in healthy blood donors in Mersin province was 12.8%, and was similar to the rates reported earlier in our country. However, this rate, found in a sample of individuals from a healthy society, causes concern about what the frequency may be in sick people. Wide-ranging community screening is needed.

Usporedba metoda samoprocjene i mjerenja visine, težine i indeksa tjelesne mase u turskoj studentskoj populaciji

Accuracy and validity of self-reported height and weight, and body image satisfaction have not been evaluated particularly in young adult population in Turkey. The aim of the study was to establish the differences of self-reported height and weight, and body mass index (BMI). The study conducted on 617 university students (304 males and 313 females) aged 17-30 years from Ankara and Sivas, Turkey. Height and weight were measured and obtained by a questionnaire. From both measured and self-reported values for accuracy absolute differences were calculated. BMI was calculated from both self-reported and measured height and weight values using World Health Organization (WHO) cut-offs. The results showed that mean accuracy for the overestimated height was 1.83 cm for males (Ankara 1.59 cm and Sivas 2.05 cm), and 2.42 cm for females (Ankara 2.12 cm and Sivas 2.74 cm), and underreporting weight was 0.35 kg (Ankara 0.13 kg and Sivas 0.56 kg) and -0.95 kg (Ankara 0.33 kg and Sivas 1.07 kg), respectively. Self-reported BMIs&amp;gt;25 was 33.9% for males (Ankara 27.6% and Sivas 39.6%), and 15.7% for females (Ankara 9.9% and Sivas 16.8%), while measured BMIs&amp;gt;25 was 38.2% (Ankara 30.3% and Sivas 45.3%) and 25.9% (Ankara 21.7% and Sivas 35.5%), respectively. In conclusion, study group tended to overestimate height but underestimate weight, therefore the self-reported weight and height studies needed to evaluate more cautiously, and direct measurements or correction equations for adjustment needed for reliable results.

The prevalence of folate deficiency in the adult population in Turkey: The association with prediabetes and diabetes

The prevalence of folate deficiency in the adult population in Turkey: The association with prediabetes and diabetes

Cross-cultural adaptation of the intuitive eating scale-2: psychometric evaluation in a sample in Turkey

Intuitive eating is the ability to eat in response to physiological hunger and satiety cues rather than to external or emotional cues. The purpose of this research was to adapt the Intuitive Eating Scale-2 (IES-2; Tylka and Kroon Van Diest 2013) to Turkish in an adult sample. The factor structure of the IES-2 was evaluated in Study 1 (n = 264) with exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and in Study 2 (n = 271) with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Additionally, the correlations of the IES-2 scores with measures of self-esteem, disordered eating, obsessive thoughts, and body anxiety in social situations were assessed in Study 1 to evaluate the scale’s convergent validity. EFA results supported the four-factor structure of the original scale with the following factors: eating for physical rather than emotional reasons (EPR), unconditional permission to eat (UPE), reliance on hunger and satiety cues (RHSC), and body-food choice congruence (BFCC). Intercorrelations between the IES-2 total scores and other study constructs were in the expected direction, and ranged from medium to large. CFA results yielded acceptable fit values and supported the 4-factor model of the original scale. A second-order CFA showed that UPE had no association with the second-order latent variable, Intuitive Eating. The results suggest that the IES-2 is a valid and reliable measure of intuitive eating for the adult population in Turkey. Furthermore, it is recommended that Turkish IES-2 total scores be computed without the UPE items. The findings and clinical implications are discussed, and suggestions for future research in other cultural contexts are provided.

A cross-sectional study on oral health status of young adults in Turkish population

The purpose of the study is to bring out the oral health status and awareness of young adult population living in different regions of Anatolia. Army recruits aged 19 to 25 years were sampled and a 7 items questionnaire (3 of them was Health Insurence Study (HIS) questions) not including private questions such as name, address, etc; were presented to 2320 randomly selected recruits to bring out the prevalence and incidence of tooth loss, awareness of missing teeth, oral health and its effect on life quality, frequency of dental visits and the reasons of non-regular visits of young adult population in Turkey. For all education group and geographical region, 57.8% volunteers had no missing teeth and in the remainder had at least one missing teeth. Only 2.3% of the volunteers go to a dentist office for control (regularly). 35% of them was disregardful of their oral health and 24.2% of them answered “I don’t know that I should go regularly”. While college graduate population had 7 median value, primary school and secondary school graduates had median score of 8. There was statistically significant difference between them (p<0.05). Increasing pain complaints ensure the reduction of index score. The results illustrated, further investigations should be performed on oral health status of the young population and the effect of oral health status on an individual’s life quality is not well known by Turkish young population. J. Exp. Clin. Med., 2014; 31:165-170

Prevalence of hypersensitivity reactions against drugs among adult population in Turkey: a self-reported survey

There is currently no data available regarding hypersensitivity reactions to drugs in an adult population in Turkey. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of self-reported drug hypersensitivity reactions among adults in Turkey and related factors. A structured self-administered questionnaire was sent to the parents of 6th grade elementary students who represented different socioeconomic levels of populations in Ankara/Turkey. A total of 1,370 adults (mean age: 23.88 ± 6.48 years, female/male: 710/660) responded to the survey. The prevalence of self-reported drug hypersensitivity was 13.4% (183/1,370). The most frequently drugs involved were beta-lactams (n = 63, 34.4%), followed by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (n = 52, 28.4%), general anesthetics (n = 29, 15.8%) and radio contrast media (n = 25, 13.7%). Factors related with reported reactions were age (p < 0.0001, odds ratio: 2.27); personal history of allergic (p: 0.001, odds ratio: 7.32), nonallergic diseases (p < 0.0001, odds ratio: 39.93), and family history of drug hypersensitivity (p < 0.0001, odds ratio: 17.00). Less than half of the subjects had solicited medical assistance during the acute stages of a reaction and 9.7% of them had been referred to an allergist for further evaluation of a drug allergy. This survey showed that self-reported hypersensitivity reactions to drugs are highly prevalent among parents of elementary students and its prevalence seems to be affected by age, personal allergic and nonallergic diseases, and family history of drug hypersensitivity.

Effectiveness of ranitidine bismuth citrate and proton pump inhibitor based triple therapies of Helicobacter pylori in Turkey

Background: Helicobacter pylori infection is the main cause of gastritis, gastroduodenal ulcer disease, MALT lymphoma, and adenocarcinoma of the stomach. The reported prevalence of H. pylori in the adult population in Turkey is 67.6%–81.3%. A national meta-analysis showed that the average H. pylori eradication rate with proton pump inhibitor-based triple regimens in Turkey had decreased from 84% in 1997 to 55.3% in 2004, suggesting a need to evaluate alternative regimens.Materials and methods: The study was a prospective, single-center trial with a parallel group design. After the selection procedure, consecutive out-patients were assigned to one of six study groups using random sampling numbers. All patients received amoxicillin 1,000 mg b.i.d. and clarithromycin 500 mg b.i.d. along with ranitidine bismuth citrate 400 mg b.i.d., or omeprazole 20 mg b.i.d., or lansoprazole 30 mg b.i.d., or rabeprazole 20 mg b.i.d., or pantoprazole 40 mg b.i.d., or esomeprazole 40 mg b.i.d. for 14 days.Results: When we look at the eradication rates of the treatment groups, only two groups (ranitidine bismuth citrate and rabeprazole groups) had eradication rates greater than 80%, both at intention to treat and per protocol analyses. The other four groups (omeprazole, lansoprazole, pantoprazole, and esomeprazole groups) showed statistically significant lower eradication rates both at intention to treat (between 57.6 and 66.7%) and per protocol (between 60.3 and 72.1%) analyses when compared with ranitidine bismuth citrate and rabeprazole groups (p<.05).Conclusion: Ranitidine bismuth citrate and/or rabeprazole based triple therapies must be preferred for the first-line treatment of H. pylori infection.

Individual Differences as Predictors of Illicit Drug Use Among Turkish College Students

ABSTRACT Although the prevalence of drug use in the young adult population in Turkey is still far below the figures reported for most European Union countries and the United States, there seems to be a noteworthy increase in drug use, especially among high school and college students. The purpose of the present study was to examine the extent of drug use among college students in Turkey and to identify some of the individual-difference variables associated with drug use. Participants were 781 college students. A survey package including (a) measures of sensation seeking–risk taking, self-esteem, affectivity level, global mental health, overall life satisfaction, and the rate and nature of substance use and (b) demographic questions was administered to the participants during regularly held class meetings. A logistic regression analysis revealed that sensation seeking−risk taking, parental education level, smoking, and frequency of alcohol use predicted illicit drug experience. Implications of the findings and limitations of the study are discussed using the context of the study as a framework.

Geo-climate effects on asthma and allergic diseases in adults in Turkey: results of PARFAIT study

The aim of the study was to evaluate the role of geo-climatic factors on the prevalence of allergic diseases in the adult population in Turkey. A total of 25,843 questionnaires using data from parents of 25,843 primary schoolchildren from 14 cities were evaluated. Mean annual temperature was significantly associated with the prevalence of asthma and wheezing in both sexes [respectively; OR: 1.008 (95% CI: 1.003–1.011) and OR: 1.012 (1.006–1.018 in males), OR: 1.007 (1.003–1.012) and OR: 1.01 (1.002–1.018) in females]. In addition, it was associated with eczema in females [OR: 1.007 (1.001–1.012)]. Asthma in females was associated with mean annual humidity in the air [OR: 1.001 (1.000–1.002)]. Annual number of days with snow is associated with wheezing in both sexes [respectively, OR: 1.001 (1.000–1.002) in males and OR: 1.002 (1.000–1.003) in females]. Protective measures could come into priority in certain areas of the country. Allergic diseases may increase as a cause of climate change in the future.

Prevalence of allergic rhinitis among the adult population in Turkey

Conclusion: The prevalence of self-reported and physician-diagnosed allergic rhinitis (AR) exhibits significant variability across the seven geographical regions in Turkey. Our findings may contribute to the formulation of public health policy and development of preventive and therapeutic strategies for AR in Turkey. Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of AR in the Turkish adult population, with emphasis on descriptive parameters in seven distinct geographical regions in Turkey. Methods: The volunteers were evaluated with a custom-designed questionnaire for AR. Sample size for the study was calculated by allowing for 2% error in prevalence along with a 95% confidence interval (CI). At the end of the study, we reached 4125 volunteers. The data were analyzed with χ2, ANOVA, and Tukey (post hoc) tests. Results: A total of 4125 volunteers participated in the study; 2200 were female and 1925 were male. On the basis of self-reporting, 23.1% of the study population was considered to have AR (males 22.3%, females 23.8%). On the other hand, the prevalence of physician-diagnosed AR was 20.1% (males 19.7%, females 20.4%). The prevalence of self-reported AR was 23.8% in the urban and 18.4% in the rural areas.