Central Anatolia Region Of Turkey Research Articles

The Effect of Music to Pregnant Women on Birth Anxiety and Mental Well-Being: A randomized controlled study

The research was conducted to determine the effect of music listened to during the third trimester of pregnancy on birth anxiety and mental well-being during pregnancy. The sample of the study included 50 pregnant women in each group, 100 in total, who applied to the Gynecology and Obstetrics Polyclinic of the State Hospital in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey for routine examination and Non-Stress Test (NST), who met the inclusion criteria for the study, who were listened to music (experimental group) and the control group. . The data of the study was collected by face-to-face interview method using the Personal Information Form, Oxford Birth Anxiety Scale (OWLS) and Warwick-Edinburg Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS) between January 15, 2019 and June 15, 2019. In the research, pre-test and post-test were applied to the experimental and control groups. A pre-test was applied to the experimental group, and then they were listened to music accompanied by daydreaming for 20 minutes, 5 times on different days each week. A posttest was administered at the end of the application. The control group was administered only the pretest and the posttest five weeks later. According to the results of the research, when the pre-test and post-test scores of the pregnant women participating in the experimental group were compared, it was seen that their concerns about pain during birth, distress, prenatal uncertainty, and interventions to be performed decreased in the post-test. Feeling good, self-confidence increased, mental well-being and coping levels increased. In line with these results, it is recommended that pregnant women be listened to music, given birth preparation suggestions, and implemented together with midwives in order to reduce birth anxiety and increase mental well-being during pregnancy.

The effect of birth memory, recall level, and related factors on breastfeeding attitude of mothers in the postpartum period: a prospective study

AbstractThis study was conducted to examine the effect of birth memory, recall level, and related factors on postpartum mothers’ breastfeeding attitudes. This is a correlational prospective study. The study was conducted in the postpartum clinic of a city hospital in a province located in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey. The study included a total of 248 mothers in the early postpartum period. Data were obtained via a Personal Information Form, a Labor Monitoring Form, the Birth Memories and Recall Questionnaire (BirthMARQ), the Birth Satisfaction Scale (BSS), and the Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale (IOWA). A positive correlation was found between mothers’ level of birth memory and recall and breastfeeding attitude on postpartum day 1, month 1, and month 3. In the regression analysis, emotional memory and coherence and reliving, which are the sub-dimensions of the birth memory and recall scale affecting breastfeeding attitude, were found to be significant associated risk factors for the 1st postpartum day, consistency and reliving for the 1st month, and birth memory and recall for the 3rd month. No relationship was found between mothers’ breastfeeding attitude and birth satisfaction on postpartum day 1, month 1, and month 3. Positive birth memory and recall positively affected mothers’ breastfeeding attitude. No relationship was found between mothers’ labor satisfaction and breastfeeding attitude. Supporting women for the formation of positive birth memory and recall for the labor process may positively improve breastfeeding attitudes of mothers in the postpartum period.

The Mediating Role of Reading Attitude in the Relationship between Elementary School Students’ Reading Engagement and Reading Comprehension Skills

This study aimed to examine the effect of reading attitude and reading engagement on reading skills success, and the mediating role of reading attitude in the relationship between reading engagement and reading comprehension skills. The data of this research were collected in Spring 2021. The “Reading Success Scale,” “Reading Engagement Scale,” and “Reading Attitude Scale” were applied to 491 students from the Central Anatolia region in Turkey. The TAP and IBM SPSS 24 software were used to analyze data obtained from the scales used in the study, while the macro mediation test Process 3.5.3 developed by Hayes (2018) was used to measure the mediators in the study. A mediating role model was established in the study to evaluate the hypotheses Conclusion: Found that reading engagement affects reading comprehension significantly and positively; reading attitude does not have a significant effect on reading comprehension; reading engagement affects reading attitude significantly and positively; and that, in the absence of reading attitude, reading engagement has a positive and significant effect on reading success. Engagement to reading explains about 21% of the variation in reading attitude. The study finally recommends studying the role of different variables mediating the relationship between reading engagement and reading comprehension success.

Perceived instrumentality of early childhood education: parents’ valued future goals for their children

ABSTRACT Adopting an integrative grounded theory approach, this study aimed to uncover parents’ perceptions of instrumentality regarding early childhood education within the scope of their children’s academic skills, social-emotional development, and occupational aspirations. A total of 32 parents, each with at least one child enrolled in a preschool for no less than one year, were recruited from a large city in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey through snowball sampling. The data were collected through online semi-structured interviews and analysed using a three-step systematic framework of analysis. The results revealed that parents’ perceptions of instrumentality regarding early childhood education included diverse and meaningful categories related to their children’s academic skills, social-emotional development, and occupational aspirations. Notably, the results also demonstrated that, in comparison to academic skills and occupational aspirations, parents perceived early childhood education as more instrumental in enhancing their children’s social-emotional development. Consequently, the results of the present study enabled the emergence of a new adaptive theory of perceived instrumentality in early childhood education.

Molecular characterisation of leeches (Clitellata, Annelida) based on the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene region for Turkish fauna

ABSTRACT Leeches, classified under Hirudinea within the phylum Annelida, hold a crucial position within the aquatic ecosystem due to their substantial contribution to the intricate food web. As a result of some morphological and phylogenetic uncertainties in the classification, molecular studies have been implemented in leech taxonomy. We investigated the leech fauna in 14 wetlands in the province of Ankara in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey between 2017 and 2019. A total of 38 specimens were collected from wetlands, representing two families, four genera, and five species (Glossiphonia complanata, Glossiphonia concolor, Helobdella stagnalis, Hirudo verbana, Limnatis paluda). Morphological characters were identified following examination under a stereomicroscope, and maximum likelihood (ML), neighbour-joining (NJ) and Bayesian inference (BI) analyses were employed to resolve the phylogenetic relationships using mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI). The haplotype analysis of the obtained COI region on 15 sequences revealed 11 haplotypes.

Change in the Frequency of Diabetic Ketoacidosis in Children with Newly Diagnosed Type 1 Diabetes in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey over the Years Before and After the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic: A Single-Center Experience.

The number of admissions for severe diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in children with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes (T1D) increased during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. We aimed to investigate whether there has been a change in this situation in recent years. All children with T1D who were diagnosed in our tertiary hospital between 2019 and 2023 were included. Plasma insulin, C-peptide, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), and antibodies against thyroid peroxidase, thyroglobulin, insulin, islet cell, glutamic acid decarboxylase, tissue transglutaminase IgA, and endomysium IgA were measured. The frequency of moderate-severe acidosis at admission, which increased after pandemic period compared to the pre-pandemic period, returns to its previous levels over time but still shows a statistical difference compared to the pre-pandemic period (P = .012). Age, blood gas pH and HCO3 level, C-peptide, HbA1c, and length of stay of children at the time of admission were compared year by year (years 2019-2023). No statistical differences were observed (P = .509, P = .181, P = .069, P = .469, P = .346, P = .946), respectively. A significant difference was observed in venous glucose (P .001) and insulin (P = .001) according to years. Also, no significant difference was found about the degree of acidosis according to age (P = .334). Although the frequency of DKA in children with newly-diagnosed T1D increased in the first years of the pandemic, it has been decreasing over t.

Physico-chemical characterization of food grade natural spring salt from the Central Anatolia region of Turkey and investigation of its microplastic content

AbstractDelice salt is a natural spring salt obtained from the evaporation of spring water from the Central Anatolia region of Turkey and is a food grade salt with a geographical indication certificate. The aim of this study was to evaluate the compliance of Delice natural spring salt (Delice NSS), a commercial product, with food grade criteria by physicochemical characterizations and to investigate whether it contains microplastics. The NaCl%, moisture suspended solids and acid insoluble matter contents of Delice NSS were analyzed and determined as 98.79% (w/w), 0.301% (w/w), 0.16% (w/w) and 0.01% (w/w), respectively. Sodium, other minerals, and heavy metals were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission (ICP-OES) spectrometry. In addition, fluoride, nitrate, and sulphate ions were analyzed by ion chromatography (IC). The chemical and thermal properties of Delice NSS were characterized by FTIR, X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA). Moreover, Delice NSS was investigated whether it contains microplastics and some particles were detected under fluorescence microscopy. However, it was concluded that particles were not microplastics after TGA and FTIR analyses. The results revealed that Delice NSS does not carry a risk in terms of physicochemical properties as a foodstuff.

Evaluation of Crop Water Stress Index (CWSI) for High Tunnel Greenhouse Tomatoes under Different Irrigation Levels

An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of water stress on yield and various physiological parameters, including the crop water stress index for tomatoes in the Central Anatolian region of Turkey. For this purpose, the irrigation schedule used in this study includes 120%, 100%, 80%, and 60% (I120, I100, I80, I60) of evaporation from the gravimetrically. Water deficit was found to cause a stress effect in tomato plants, which was reflected in changes in plants’ morphological and pomological function (such as stem diameter, fruit weight, pH, titratable acidity, and total soluble solids). Irrigation levels had a significant effect on the total yield of tomatoes. The lowest water use efficiency (WUE) was obtained from the I60, while the highest WUE was found in the I100 irrigation level. The CWSI was calculated using an empirical approach from measurements of infrared canopy temperatures, ambient air temperatures, and vapor pressure deficit values for four irrigation levels. The crop water stress index (CWSI) values ranged from −0.63 to a maximum value of 0.53 in I120, from −0.27 to 0.63 in I100, from 0.06 to 0.80 in I80, and from 0.37 to 0.97 in I60. There was a significant relation between yield and CWSI. The yield was correlated with mean CWSI values, and the linear equation Total yield = −2398.9CWSI + 1240.4 can be used for yield prediction. The results revealed that the CWSI value was useful for evaluating crop water stress in tomatoes and predicting yield.

The effect of the swaddling method on stress levels in newborns administered nasal CPAP

BackgroundThis study aims to investigate the effects of the swaddling method on the stress levels in newborns receiving nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP).MethodsThe study was conducted between 1 June 2022 and 1 October 2022 with 40 newborns who underwent nCPAP in the second-level Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of a city hospital in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey. Data were collected using a descriptive form, including the characteristics of newborns, a patient follow-up chart, and the Newborn Stress Scale (NSS). The descriptive form, the patient follow-up chart, and the NSS were completed by the researcher 30 min after the nCPAP was started and the first saliva sample was taken. The patient follow-up chart and NSS were completed 30 min after applying the swaddling method and the second saliva sample was collected. The data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 25.0 package software and presented with number, percentage, mean, standard deviation, min-max, and t-test.ResultsThe study found that the mean score of the NSS after the intervention (3.52 ± 2.57) was lower than that before the intervention (10.02 ± 2.05) (p < 0.05). The mean saliva cortisol levels of the newborns after the intervention (4.99 ± 1.89) were lower than before the intervention (5.51 ± 1.65) (p < 0.05). The mean heart (135.50 ± 14.15) and respiratory rates (68.07 ± 10.16) of the newborns after the intervention were lower than those before the intervention (140.82 ± 18.11; 72.95 ± 9.06, respectively) (p < 0.05). There was no difference between the mean oxygen saturation of newborns before and after the intervention (p > 0.05).ConclusionsThe study showed that the swaddling method played a role in reducing the stress levels in newborns who underwent nCPAP. It is recommended that randomized controlled trials examining the effect of swaddling on the stress levels of newborns who underwent nCPAP be conducted.

Türkiye'deki Ocaklardan Alınan Doğal Kil Mineral Örneklerinde Ağır Metal Konsantrasyonlarının Belirlenmesi

Environmental pollution of heavy metals is increasingly becoming a problem and has become of great concern due to the adverse effects it is causing around the world. Today, various chemical, biological, and physical pollutants arising as a result of rapidpopulation growth, industrialization, and excessive mining activities have become a major problem that adversely affects people, animals, plants, organisms, and ecosystems all over the world. Sepiolite is a clay mineral containing hydrated magnesium silicate and widely used in construction, agriculture, food, fertilizer, pharmaceutical, detergent, cosmetics, paint, paper, etc. The average concentrations of Al, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Rb, Sr, Zr, Cd, Sn, Ba and Pb analyzed in sepiolite samples collected from three quarries (Polatlı, Beylikova, and Sivrihisar) located in the Central Anatolian Region of Turkey using EDXRF spectroscopy were found as 5456.5, 361.0, 42.0, 15.5, 65.2, 3831.5, 8.6, 23.7, 7.8, 11.8, 5.3, 13.7, 1183.2, 25.3, 3.7, 7.2, 131.9 and 5.3 mg/kg, respectively. The average enrichment factor values of V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Sr, Cd, Sn, Ba, and Pb indicated minimal to extremely high enrichment in sepiolite. The values of non-carcinogenic risk index and cancer risk estimated to evaluate potentially health risks caused by PTEs in sepiolite samples were within the acceptable limit and the safe range except for the Beylikova quarry.

Opinions of emergency nurses in Turkey on their work environment during the COVID-19 pandemic and its relationship with their health: A qualitative study

IntroductionCOVID-19 patients being admitted to emergency service pose a high risk of exposure and infection to emergency nurses. Therefore, one of the primary responsibilities of hospital management is to provide an appropriate work environment for nurses. AimTo analyze the opinions of emergency nurses about their work environment, and to understand how the working environment is related to their health during the COVID-19 pandemic. MethodsThe study employed a qualitative descriptive research design and purposive sampling method. It was conducted in the emergency service of a state hospital in the central Anatolia region of Turkey, which was providing COVID-19 care at the time. The data were collected through semi-structured individual interviews held between January and February 2021. Each interview was conducted only once via WhatsApp video calls. Data collection was continued to reach data saturation (n:14). The data were analyzed using Colaizzi's seven-step content analysis. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative (COREQ) Studies checklist was followed in the study. ResultsThree themes emerged in the analysis of the data obtained from a total of 14 emergency nurses: (a) “Insufficient Physical Environment”; (b) “Inadequacies in Managerial Roles and Skills”; and (c) “The Effect of the Work Environment on Nurses' Health”. It was determined that the work environment of emergency nurses was inadequate in terms of resting areas, ventilation and separation of clean and infected areas, and they stated that they had not received adequate support from their managers and encountered difficulties due to equipment shortage, particularly in the early stages of COVID-19. It was also determined that the work environment caused psychological and ergonomic health issues. ConclusionsIt is important to provide adequate managerial support and to make arrangements that resolve the physical and mental obstacles in improving the work environment of emergency nurses.

Science Identity of Turkish Students: Adaptation of the Science Identity Questionnaire and Analysis in Terms of Demographic Variables

ABSTRACT Background Science identity has an important place in revealing the effects of learning experiences. Furthermore, science identity can help to understand future career intentions related to science; therefore, it needs to be understood and assessed. Purpose The aim of this study was to adapt the Student Science Identity Questionnaire into Turkish and examine its validity and reliability. Sample In the study, data were collected from 755 high school students in the Central Anatolian Region of Turkey. Design and Methods In the first part of the study, a scale adaptation was performed. In the second part, differences between groups were analyzed using parametric tests. Results Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the structure of the instrument consisting of 24 items and four factors and showed that the model had excellent fit values. Cronbach’s alpha values of the factors that make up the instrument were between .83 and .90, composite reliability values ranged between .92 and .93, factor loads and average variance extracted values were found to be above .50. In addition, the square root of the average variance extracted values and the correlation values between the factors were examined and the validity of the measurement model was ensured. Conclusion The findings show that the Student Science Identity Questionnaire is a valid and reliable instrument in the Turkish sample. In addition, students’ science identity varies according to gender and socioeconomic status.

The Effect of Argumentation-Based Teaching on Scientific Process Skills of 7th Grade Students

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of argumentation-based teaching carried out with secondary school 7th grade students on students' scientific process skills. The sample of the study consists of 7th grade students in two different branches studying at a public school in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey in the 2018-2019 academic year. The study was carried out with the participation of 36 students, 18 in the experimental group and 18 in the control group, and lasted approximately 12 weeks. Mixed method was used as the research model in the study. In the quantitative part of the research, the semi-experimental pretest-posttest paired control group design was used, and in the qualitative part, the semi-structured interview form developed by the researcher was used. The “Scientific Process Skills Scale” was applied to the experimental and control groups as a pre-test and post-test. At the end of the process, the scores of the students from the related test were analyzed. As a result of the research, no significant difference was found between the scientific process skill levels of the experimental and control groups.

HLA Alleles, Genotype and Haplotype Analyzes from Central Anatolia Region of Turkey.

Although human leukocyte antigen (HLA) data for the Turkish population has been reported, there are no statistics on the HLA-DPB1 locus, which has recently received significant attention, particularly in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. In addition, there is no study that has reported the 2-6 loci HLA haplotype distribution, 8-digit HLA allele frequency, and genotype frequency in the Turkish population. To evaluate the low and high resolution (2-4-8 digits) HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1, -DQB1, -DPB1 allele data using the data of 6100 healthy individuals from the Central Anatolian region of Turkey. Retrospective cross-sectional study. All tests were performed using molecular HLA techniques: low-resolution DNA-based sequence-specific oligonucleotides, low/high-resolution DNA-based sequence-specific primer, and high-resolution next generation sequencing. A total of 6100 healthy donors with a minimum of 3 loci (HLA-A, -B, -DRB1) were analyzed for their HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1, -DQB1, and -DPB1 data. Pypop and HLA-net GENE[RATE] were used to analyze the data. Among the HLA class I alleles, the following were the most frequently observed alleles: for HLA-A, A*02, A*24, A*03, and A*01; for HLA-B, B*35, B*51, and B*44; and for HLA-C, C*07, C*04, and C*12. Among the HLA class II alleles, the following alelles were the most frequently observed: for HLA-DRB1, DRB1*11, DRB1*04, and DRB1*13; for HLA-DQB1, DQB1*03, DQB1*05, and DQB1*06; and for HLA- DPB1, DPB1*04, DPB1*02, and DPB1*03. The most common alleles among HLA-DPB1 in the 4-digit evaluation were DPB1*04:01, DPB1*02:01, and DPB1*04:02. Among the HLA classes I and II, the following were the most frequently observed 8-digit alleles in HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1, -DQB1 and -DPB1 were A*02:01:01:01, B*49:01:01:01, C*04:01:01:06, DRB1*07:01:01:01, DQB1*03:01:01:02, and DPB1*02:01:02:05, respectively. The most common 6 loci haplotype was A*02~B*35~C*04~DRB1*11~DQB1*03~DPB1*04 (2.71%). Our study has included the highest number of healthy individuals from Turkey till date. Furthermore, we have reported the low- and high-resolution HLA-DPB1 allele frequency, 6 loci haplotype frequency, and genotype frequency in the Turkish population for the first time. This new data may be used to map HLA in our country and provide insight for potential future studies.

Does health literacy affect attitudes towards healthy eating and health anxiety in young adults?

&lt;b&gt;Objective:&lt;/b&gt; The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between young people's health literacy, healthy eating attitudes, and health anxiety.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Material and methods:&lt;/b&gt; The data of this cross-sectional and descriptive study were collected by face-to-face interviews with students studying in the department of nursing, nutrition and dietetics and health management at the health sciences faculty of a university located in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey. The sample of the study consisted of 599 students who volunteered to participate in the study. In collecting the data of the study, Individual Descriptive Information Form, Turkish Health Literacy Scale (THLS-32), Attitudes towards Healthy Eating Scale (ASHN), Health Anxiety Inventory (Short Version) (HAI) used.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; It was determined that the total mean score of the students on the THLS-32 scale was 33.57±8.41, the mean total score of ASHN was 70.57±10.87, and the mean total score of HAI was 19.67±7.43. There was a positive relationship between students' health literacy and their attitudes towards healthy eating (r=0.258, p=0.000), a negative relationship between health anxiety (r=-0.171, p=0.000) and their attitudes towards healthy eating and health anxiety (r= -0.166, p=0.000).&lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/b&gt; It is important that this study is the first to examine health literacy, attitudes towards healthy eating, and health anxiety together. It is thought that improving the health literacy and healthy eating attitudes of students who will be health care professionals and reducing their health anxiety will provide significant benefits individually and socially.

The effects of illness perception on death anxiety and satisfaction with life in patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer.

This study was conducted to determine the effects of illness perception on death anxiety and satisfaction with life in patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer. This cross-sectional and correlational study was conducted with 125 patients with cancer who were admitted to the oncology clinic of a university hospital in the Central Anatolian Region of Turkey between March and December 2022 and who met the research criteria and accepted to participate in the study. The data were collected with "Patient descriptive information form," "Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ)," "Scale of Death Anxiety (SDA)," and "Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS)." It was found that mean BIPQ score of the patients was 39.54±12.82, the mean SDA score was 8.02±3.16, and the mean SWLS score was 14.74±5.19. BIPQ total score was found to affect SDA total score positively (β=.751) and SWLS total score negatively (β=-.591). SDA total score was found to affect SWLS total score negatively (β=-.216) (p<.05). It was found that patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer had moderate level of illness perception and life satisfaction, and high death anxiety. It was found that as illness perception of the patients increased, their death anxiety increased and satisfaction with life decreased. In addition, it was found that as the death anxiety of patients increased, their satisfaction with life decreased.

The effects of planned education given to parents on smoking in the home environment and passive exposure of children aged 0–5: A quasi-experimental pre-post intervention study from Turkey

PurposeThis study was carried out to determine the effects of planned education given to parents on smoking status at home and on children's passive smoking exposure. Design and methodsThis quasi-experimental study was conducted with the inclusion of 40 parents with at least one child between the ages of 0 and 5 and smoking in their homes, who were registered at a Family Health Center in a city center in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey, from 1 September 2019 to 30 June 2020. The data of the study were collected using Participant Screening Form, a Personal Information Form, the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence, a Smoking Behaviors and Precautions at Home Form, and a Measurement and Follow-up Form. The collected data were analyzed using the SPSS 23.0 package software. ResultsIn the follow-ups after the planned smoking cessation training given to the parents, the carbon monoxide measurements at their homes decreased significantly throughout the four follow-ups, the number of parents who presented to the smoking cessation outpatient clinic increased, and the number of smoking parents decreased (p < 0.05). ConclusionsIt was concluded that the planned education that was given to smoker parents reduced the smoking rates of the parents, lowered the carbon monoxide values measured in their home environments, and thus, it was effective in reducing the passive exposure of their children at the ages of 0 to 5 years to cigarette smoke. Practice implicationsParents who are addicted to cigarettes should be encouraged not to smoke at home, and homes should be included in closed environments where smoking is prohibited.

The mediator role of effective communication skills on the relationship between phubbing tendencies and marriage satisfaction in married individuals

The aim of this research is to examine the mediator role of communication skills on the relationship between phubbing tendencies and marital satisfaction of married individuals. The sample of the study consisted of 712 adult married individuals from some cities in the Central Anatolian region of Turkey. 347 (48.7%) of the participants were female and 365 (51.3%) were male. The average age of the participants is 37.45. Marriage Satisfaction Scale, Phubbing Scale and Effective Communication Skills Scale were used as data collection tools. Pearson Correlation Analysis and Multiple mediation analysis (SPSS PROCESS macro (version 3.5-model 4)) techniques were used in the analysis of the data. There were significant negative correlation between the sub-dimensions of communication skills (ego-developing language, effective listening, self revelation, empathy, I-language) and phubbing; they were also found to be significantly positively correlated with marital satisfaction. Analysis results showed that phubbing significantly and negatively predicted marital satisfaction, and when effective communication skills were included in the analysis, the relationship between these two variables became nonsense. This result shows that communication skills are a full mediator on the relationship between phubbing and marital satisfaction in married individuals.

The prevalence of smoking among soldiers of the gendarmerie in a provincial center and affecting factors: A cross-sectional study from Turkey*

Determining the smoking rates and nicotine dependency levels of soldiers can be a guide in smoking cessation interventions and developing a policy for smoking prevention for soldiers serving in military units. The cross-sectional study was conducted with a total of 313 soldiers stationed in gendarmerie units in a city center in the Central Anatolian Region of Turkey. Data were collected between 01.06.2021 and 31.07.2021 by face-to-face interview technique using Personal Information Form and Fagerström Nicotine Addiction Test. It was determined that 54.6% of the participants smoked, 87.1% had low-moderate nicotine addictions, and 94.9% were smokers in their friends’ circle. It was revealed that the prevalence of smoking among the participants was high, and the nicotine addiction levels of the participants working in the “Prison” unit were higher.

The Effect of Nursing Interventions for Rational Drug Use and Raising Awareness in Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Study Protocol

This article presents the protocol developed for a study investigating the effect of nursing interventions applied to older adults through home visits to raise awareness about rational drug use. This study protocol describes a randomized controlled trial with a parallel group design. Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials (SPIRIT) Statement 2013 checklist will be used in this study. Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) flowchart will be followed in the protocol. The research sample will consist of 74 older adults aged 65 and over and living in a rural area in the Central Anatolian Region of Türkiye. The older adults who meet the inclusion criteria will randomly be assigned to the intervention and control groups. Nursing interventions will last seven weeks and consist of individual training, counseling and reminders through home visits. The results will guide interventions to be planned to ensure and maintain rational drug use.