Loss Of Workforce Research Articles

The evaluation of pneumoconiosis by risk factors gender and age groups in Turkiye, in 1990-2021: incidence, prevalence, deaths, and disability-adjusted life years

Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence and prevalence of pneumoconiosis, pneumoconiosis-related disability-adjusted life years (DALY) score, deaths and risk factors by gender and year in Türkiye. Methods: In this study, the estimation data prepared by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) for Türkiye in the global burden of disease study covering the years 1990-2021 were used. Descriptive statistics are given as mean and standard deviation. Comparisons according to gender were made with Independent Samples t test. The relationships between numerical variables were analyzed by Pearson correlation coefficient (r). Results: A total of 1755 pneumoconiosis-related deaths occurred in Türkiye between 1990 and 2021. Of the deaths, 687 (39%) were due to silicosis, 489 (28%) to coal worker pneumoconiosis, 451 (26%) to asbestosis and 128 (7%) to other pneumoconiosis. Of those who died, 1619 (92%) were men. The DALY score, incidence and prevalence are also higher in men. The most common risk factor affecting men is silica exposure, while for women it is asbestos exposure. After 2016, incidence and prevalence are decreasing. Conclusion: Pneumoconiosis is more fatal in men and in the 65-80 age group. The effects of the disease vary across countries and even regions within the same country. It is important to take these differences into account in future research on pneumoconiosis. Regulation of working environments in sectors known to cause the disease will both ensure that people are less affected by an important occupational disease and prevent loss of workforce.

Evaluation of low back pain status and affecting factors in drivers in Turkey: A cross-sectional study1

BACKGROUND: Low back pain (LBP) is a common public health problem resulting in workforce loss. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the LBP status and its affecting factors among drivers in a city in southeast Turkey. METHODS: This cross-sectional questionnaire survey study was conducted among 323 drivers. The chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The mean age of the drivers was 41.7±11.5 years (min: 19, max: 70), and 83.9% were married, and all were men. LBP was found in 59.4% of drivers. It was significantly higher in drivers with poor socioeconomic status, dissatisfied with their life, having a chronic illness, physically inactive, having sleep disorders, exposed to bad road conditions, prolonged vibration, high physical- psychological workload, and a family history of LBP (p < 0.05). There was no significant association between age, education level, and BMI with LBP (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: There is limited study on this subject in Turkey. Further studies can raise awareness about this issue and create an educational plan.

Comparison of Radiofrequency Ablation and Steroid Injection in the Treatment of Plantar Fasciitis; Short and Medium Term Results

Objective: Plantar fasciitis, commonly found in orthopaedic practice, may restrict daily life activities and lead to loss of workforce. We aimed to evaluate the short- and medium-term outcomes of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and steroid injection treatments in patients with plantar fasciitis who did not benefit from conservative therapies through pain and function scores. Material and Method: Patients studied at the Hakkari State Hospital for at least six months of conservative treatment due to plantar fasciitis between 01.07.2021-01.01.2023. The patients were divided into two groups: those who received RFA and those who were given steroid injections. Demographic information of the patients, the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the American Orthopedic Foot Ankle Society (AOFAS) score were studied, and both gups were compared. Results: No significant difference was observed when comparing preop VAS and AOFAS values for both groups (p=0.469 p=0.244). No significant difference was observed when comparing the VAS and AOFAS values of the two groups for the first month (p=0.764 p=0.466 respectively). A significant difference was observed when comparing the VAS and AOFAS values in the post-6 month (p=0,001 p=0.001). Significant differences were observed between VAS and AOFAS values in patients receiving RFA in preop and 6 months (p=0.001 p=0.001). No significant difference was observed in preop and 6 month VAS and AOFAS values in steroid injections (p=0.512 p=0.844 respectively).No complications were observed in both groups during the follow-up period. Conclusion: In patients who have received conservative treatment but have not benefited, radiofrequency ablation has been found to be an effective, safe and minimally invasive method of reducing the severity of pain in the short to medium term and improving daily activities.

Real-life data over 36 weeks of guselkumab treatment in psoriasis patients: A single-center study from Turkey.

Psoriasis is an important health problem responsible for morbidity and workforce loss. In recent years, anti-IL-23 drugs have become essential in psoriasis treatment. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of guselkumab therapy, recently used in Turkey, by examining real-life data over 36 weeks. A total of 39 psoriasis patients (>18 years old) who received guselkumab treatment between December 2021 and December 2022 in the dermatology department of our hospital were included in the study. Patients" ages, sexes, body mass index (BMI), comorbidities, duration of illness, drugs used before guselkumab treatment, clinical response to guselkumab treatment, and side effects, if any, were recorded. Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) scores at baseline and Weeks 4, 12, 24, and 36 were evaluated, as well as the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) at the beginning and end of the study. The PASI scores at Weeks 4, 12, 24, and 36 and the DLQI at Week 36 decreased statistically compared with baseline (p < 0.05). The PASI score at baseline and Weeks 4, 24, and 36 did not differ between groups based on IL-17 use (p > 0.05). No significant correlation was observed between BMI, disease duration, and PASI scores at baseline and Weeks 4, 12, 24, and 36. No side effects were observed in any of the patients during treatment. This study includes real-life data on the use of guselkumab therapy for psoriasis in the Turkish population. Based on the results, guselkumab is a highly effective and safe treatment.

On the impact of surveillance test strategies: a cost–benefit modelling analysis based upon real-world data from SARS-CoV-2

ObjectivesActive regular surveillance testing of asymptomatic and symptomatic individuals can reduce infection and onward transmission rates, as demonstrated for SARS-CoV-2. Study designCost–benefit analysis based on real-world data. MethodsTwo different surveillance-testing strategies using nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) performed in 14,177 hospital employees were compared for their costs and their effectiveness in preventing secondary infections. ResultsCompared to not testing, NAAT-based testing twice a week accompanied by contact tracing or testing five times a week without tracing of contacts were more effective in preventing infections through early identification of infected individuals. While expansion of the test frequency from two to five times per week increased the initial costs, importantly, a 49.6 % higher inhibitory effect on infection growth with a 11.1-fold reduction of potentially averted infections and resulting workforce loss was observed, demonstrating a substantial cost–benefit of the 5-tests-per-week strategy. ConclusionsAdaptation of the test frequency of SARS-CoV-2 and possibly of other pathogens with epidemic potential according to the prevailing incidences and reproduction rates in high-prevalence situations may not only be beneficial in averting potential infections in hospital employees and, subsequently, on a population level but may also represent the most cost-effective method.

The Microeconomic Consequences of the Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract The Covid-19 pandemic resulted in quarantine measures, decreased consumer and investor confidence and a loss of workforce, which adversely affected the world economy. The resultant sharp decline in world stock markets and deteriorating supply chains negatively affected businesses. Since students are the employees of the future, the aim of this study was to examine the evaluations by students of the effects of Covid-19 on the micro economy, at individual, household and company levels. There were 60 participants in the study group, all of them African students at the University of Kyrenia, who were asked to evaluate the pandemic’s effects on microeconomic units in their home countries. Students who had enrolled in microeconomics courses in various disciplines were chosen because of knowing the topic better than other students. The snowball sampling method was employed in the selection of the participants. Semi-structured interviews were held one on one and the data was analysed. The findings show that individual poverty increased by at least two times, unemployment rose as a result of the pandemic, and people, families and companies faced financial hardship.

Sustaining SME agility through knowledge coupling, business process digitization, and innovation during crisis

SMEs faced a paradoxical state due to Covid-19. They must layoff to cover costs and doing so challenges their survival owing to loss of knowledgeable workforce. We empirically develop a strategy allowing SMEs to retain their innovation and agility besides downsizing. Analyses of 306 Chinese manufacturing SMEs indicate that innovation positively mediates between knowledge coupling (business process digitization) and market capitalizing agility (MCA) during downsizing. In no-downsizing sample knowledge coupling leads to innovation (MCA), also innovation leads to MCA; whereas, BPD does not contribute to innovation and MCA. This study is among the earliest empirical examinations to establish agility in Chinese SMEs through mediation of innovation and moderation of downsizing.

The Influence of Training Teachers on the Implementation of Peace Education Programme in Selected Primary Schools at Nakuru County, Kenya

Peace is a critical component for the development of human beings in the whole world, without peace there can be no development. An atmosphere of no peace is a major cause of physical and economic suffering upon individuals, families, communities, businesses, nations and regions in many countries. In 2007 Kenya experienced incidents of conflicts which led to loss of workforce, learning time and disruption of education services which negatively affected the quality of education across in the county of Nakuru formerly Rift Valley Province. Since then Kenya has put several strategies to promote peace with deep recognition that it is the only vehicle to development, it was on this basis that Kenya introduced peace education programme in the primary schools curriculum since 2008. Peace education sets out to redress this culture of violence and aggression and to inculcate values of peace, the concept of human dignity and human rights with specific reference to economic equity, political participation and ecological balance that could be employed through counseling strategies. This therefore reveals that development of peace education was timely and critical in addressing both short term and long-term societal and national issues that promote conflicts. Peace education is in tandem with the Kenya vision 2030 under the political pillar on security, peace building and conflict management. The purpose of this study therefore was to determine “the influence of training teachers on the implementation of peace education programme in selected Primary schools at Nakuru County, Kenya. The study was carried out amongst standard 8 pupils and teachers. To achieve this objective, the study adopted descriptive survey design and used probability sampling technique in the selection of the study sample. A study sample made up of 138 pupils and 45 teachers was used for the study. Primary data was collected by use of self administered questionnaires and interview schedules, while secondary data was collected from Nakuru County Education offices and libraries. Data collected was analyzed with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences and Microsoft Excel software. The results of the data analysis were presented in form of tabular summaries. Teacher training, resource availability and curriculum content emerged from the study as highly influential factors in the implementation of peace education programme in the schools. The study also revealed the key challenges hindering successful implementation of peace education programme in primary schools which included: lack of trained teachers on peace education, lack of sufficient time and lack of learning and teaching materials. The teachers and pupils’ suggestions were that the Government facilitate training of teachers on peace education and provide sufficient teaching and learning materials. Following this, the study recommended that, the Government of Kenya puts in place policies and measures that could facilitate training of teachers on peace education provide sufficient teaching and learning materials and strengthen programme supervision. The study gave further recommendation to the Kenya Government which could facilitate more uptake and adoption of peace education from primary schools up to university level as well as the entire society as a very important vehicle to foster development and national cohesion. The findings of this study are quite critical and of significant benefit to the Kenya government, communities, policy makers and the teachers in addressing some of the peace education curriculum initiatives and school best practices which will enhance peace promotion and national cohesion among Kenyan people. The implementation of this programme will enable people re-evaluate their behavior and develop commitment and endeavor to promote national values and peaceful coexistence.

New chaos-integrated improved grey wolf optimization based models for automatic detection of depression in online social media and networks

Depression is a psychological effect of the modern lifestyle on people’s thoughts. It is a serious individual and social health problem due to the risk of suicide and loss of workforce, high chronicity, recurrence rates, and prevalence. Therefore, identification, prevention, treatment of depression, and determination of relapse risk factors are of great importance. Depression has traditionally been diagnosed using standardized scales that require clinical diagnoses or patients’ subjective responses. However, these classical techniques have some limitations such as cost, uncomfortability, subjectivity, and ineffectiveness. Social media data can be simply and efficiently used for depression detection because it allows instantaneous emotional expression and quick access to various information. Some machine learning-based methods are used for detecting the depression in online social media and networks. Nevertheless, these algorithms suffer from several drawbacks, including data sparsity, dimension explosion, restricted capacity for generalization, and low performance on imbalanced data sets. Furthermore, many machine learning methods work as black-box models, and the constructed depression detection models are not interpretable and explainable. Intelligent metaheuristic optimization algorithms are widely used for different types of complex real-world problems due to their simplicity and high performance. It is aimed to remove the limitations of studies on this problem by increasing the success rate and automatically selecting the relevant features and integrating the explainability. In this study, new chaos-integrated multi-objective optimization algorithms are proposed to increase efficiency. New improved Grey Wolf Optimization algorithms have been proposed by integrating Circle, Logistic, and Iterative chaotic maps into the improved Grey Wolf Optimization algorithm. It is aimed to increase the success rate by proposing a multi-objective fitness function that can optimize the accuracy and the number of features simultaneously. The proposed algorithms are compared with different types of popular supervised machine learning algorithms and current metaheuristic algorithms that are widely and successfully used in depression detection problems. Experimental results show that the proposed models outperform machine learning methods, as evidenced by examining results with accuracy, F-measure, MCC, sensitivity, and precision measures. An accuracy value of 100% was obtained from proposed algorithms. In addition, when the confusion matrices are examined, it is seen that they exhibit a successful distribution. Although it is a new research and application area for optimization theory, promising results have been obtained from the proposed models.

Outside Workplace Characteristics and Turnover Intention: A Challenge for HR Managers

Private banking sector is one of the most effected sectors facing personnel’s turnover intention and bearing the loss of talented work force. Researchers investigated several factors which pull or push an employee inside or outside the organization. This study is intended to inquire the impact of both dimensions of Work-Family Conflicts (WFC) i.e. the work interface with family &amp; the family interface with work, along with perceived alternative job opportunities (PAJO) on turnover intention (TOI) of banking personnel. This research evaluated the influence of work family conflicts (WFC) and perceived alternative job opportunities (PAJO) on personnel’s turnover (TO) behavior. Results demonstrate that both factors; WFC and PAJO, were found significantly linked with TOI. Private banking sector is facing turnover widely so the need for research specifically in that environment is rising day by day. This research may contribute in making HR (human resource) policies and development of strategies. The results will benefit the managers and HR experts to better understand employees’ needs and intentions and control their behavior. The findings will assist them in reduction of turnover in their organizations. The discoveries will also be beneficial for future studies.

The validity and reliability of the Diabetic Foot Scale-Short Form (DFS-SF) in the Turkish population: a methodological study.

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) cause decreased quality of life due to prolonged hospital stay, loss of workforce, disabilities, psychological trauma, and increased healthcare costs. This study aims to assess the validity and reliability of the Diabetic Foot Scale-Short Form (DFS-SF) for Turkish-speaking individuals with DFUs. This was a methodological study conducted with 174 Turkish patients with DFUs from March 2020 to December 2020. Translation-back translation was performed for language equivalence and expert opinions were obtained for content validity. The scale's construct validity was tested with confirmatory factor analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and known-group validity. Cronbach's alpha was used to evaluate internal consistency. Correlation of the DFS-SF with the SF-36 was used to test criterion validity. The scale was then revised according to the TRIPOD checklist. The content validity index value was 0.93 and Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.93 to 0.97. The scale maintained its six-factor structure and the factor loadings ranged from 0.52 to 0.86. The fit indices of the model revealed good validity. The correlations (r = 0.43-0.76, p < 0.001) and known-group comparisons supported the construct validity. The Turkish version of the DFS-SF is a reliable tool for measuring the quality of life of people suffering from DFUs.

Pandemi koşullarında iş sağlığı ve güvenliği önlemleri: COVID-19 uygulaması

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) first appeared in China and spread globally in a short time. It was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020. Pandemics are a human problem. Due to the risk posed by COVID-19 on human health, all production and service workplaces around the world have slowed down their activities. These developments have caused significant labor and production losses. The most effective and practical way to prevent the transmission of the coronavirus; although there are physical distance, personal hygiene and mask applications, these do not constitute a definitive solution. Governments, organizations, employers and workers are facing important challenges to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and protect safety and health in the workplace. Unsafe workplace conditions and inappropriate working principles lead to significant health risks in the workplace. COVID-19 causes negative effects in all areas where people are present, such as health, social, economic, education, construction, manufacturing, transportation and trade. In this study, protective measures that can be taken are evaluated by reviewing the literature on the negative effects of COVID-19 on human health and therefore on workforce loss. &#x0D; In addition to additional safety measures in the prevention of COVID-19, basic occupational health and safety (OHS) control methods were evaluated in the following order: (1) elimination / substitution, (2) engineering controls, (3) organizational controls, and (4) personal protective equipment (PPE). In addition to the protection of health, due to the effective safety measures, the stress caused by COVID-19 will decrease in people, so comfort in their social lives and productivity in their work lives will be increased. Therefore, governments, employers and workers' organizations have to form a joint organization with universities and health institutions.

A Comparison of Curettage Only and Curettage with Electrocautery After Partial Matrixectomy for Ingrowing Toenail

Aim: Ingrowing toenail is a very common disease which causes workforce losses. Although different techniques have been described in surgical treatment, one of the most frequently preferred methods is partial matrixectomy. The aim of this study was to compare the two techniques of curettage only and curettage together with electrocautery(C&amp;E) used in addition to partial matrixectomy in ingrowing toenail surgery. &#x0D; Methods: Patients who were operated for ingrown nails between 2018 and 2022 were evaluated retrospectively. Two groups were formed of 43 patients applied with curettage only and 35 patients applied with C&amp;E. The groups were compared in respect of operating time, postoperative complications and clinical results. &#x0D; Results: No significant difference was determined between the groups in respect of age, gender, affected side, classification, follow-up time, surgical duration and recovery time. Recurrence rate was higher in the curettage group (p=0.020) It occurred in 9 (20.9%) cases in the curettage group, while it occurred in 1 (2.9%) case in the C&amp;E group. In the curettage group, the duration of erythema was observed to be significantly longer (p

The etiological, demographic, and seasonal characteristics of patients with dizziness and vertigo

Background/Aim: Vestibular disorders are common and can negatively affect quality of life and result in workforce losses; they can also be life-threatening diseases. As a result, studies of their etiology and treatment approaches are of particular importance. The aim of this study was to analyze the etiological, demographic, and seasonal characteristics of patients presenting to the Kastamonu Training and Research Hospital Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) clinic in Kastamonu, Turkey complaining of vertigo/dizziness. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, the files of 1033 patients who presented at the clinic with a report of vertigo/dizziness between September 2020 and September 2021 were examined. The patients’ demographic characteristics, presentation dates, and diagnoses were recorded. Results: Six hundred and fifty-one patients (63%) were female, and the mean age of the patient cohort was 50.3 years (standard deviation: 16.0 years). Six hundred and twenty-seven patients (60.7%) were identified with chronic subjective dizziness, 302 (29.2%) were identified with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, 18 (1.7%) were identified with vestibular migraine, 7 (0.7%) were identified with bilateral vestibulopathy, 41 (4.0%) were identified with unilateral vestibulopathy, 16 (1.5%) were identified with vestibular neuritis, 6 (0.6%) were identified with Meniere’s disease, 10 (1.0%) were identified with central vertigo/dizziness, 3 (0.3%) were identified with labyrinthitis and 3 (0.3%) were identified with another form of vertigo/dizziness. An increase in the number of cases was observed in the spring, and the number of patients presenting with vertigo/dizziness decreased thereafter and reached a minimum in the fall (P&lt;0.001). Conclusion: The most common vestibular disorder was chronic subjective dizziness. Vestibular disorders are more common in women and in the spring season. Although ENT specialists generally focus on pathologies of the ear, vertigo/dizziness are symptoms that may involve several etiologies. Meticulous clinical examinations should be performed; the etiological cause and clinical diagnosis in these cases will dictate additional tests to be requested and therapeutic strategies. Due to the broad diagnostic spectrum of these cases, a multidisciplinary approach is also critical.

COVID-19 and Policing: A Qualitative Study of Sheriff Departments in Rural Indiana

The main objective of this research was to explore and analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on practices in law enforcement and jails, with a specific focus on sheriff departments serving in small, rural counties in the state of Indiana. This study identified and analyzed various issues and trends pertaining to COVID-19's effect upon jail and offender management, patrol and criminal investigation, personnel and offender safety, public service and expectations, courthouse trial and case management, and community trust in sheriff departments. Semi-structured interviews were employed with current sheriffs working in four different counties in Indiana in this qualitative research. The results showed that COVID-19 has brought to the forefront two major themes: (a) precautions taken by sheriff departments against COVID-19 and (b) changes in the way the criminal justice system works. Findings were further grouped into three categories according to each sheriff’s sentiments: negative (e.g., increase in expenses, loss of workforce, and mental health), positive (e.g., decrease in the workload and decrease in jail population), and mixed (e.g., precautions against COVID-19, changing crime patterns, and trust). The study concluded that COVID-19 caused a wave of change that sent ripples through these communities, the criminal justice system, and sheriff departments in particular.

Evaluación de los niveles de factor de necrosis tumoral alfa, interferón gamma, procalcitonina y neopterina en bovinos seropositivos para Brucella

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease that affects a large number of people and animals, causing physical disability, workforce loss and significant economic losses in the livestock industry. In the current study, it was aimed to determine and compare the levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF–α), interferon gamma (IFN–γ), Procalcitonin (PCT) and Neopterin in the blood serums of cattle with brucellosis and vaccinated against brucellosis. The materials of this study consisted of a total 48 blood serums belonging to three basic groups, each consisting of 16 animals. Disease group (1st group) were divided into two subgrups each consisting of 8 animals that 21st day after abortion and seropositive 7 months pregnant, the vaccinated (2nd group) and the control (3rd group) groups were divided into two subgroups, each consisting of 8 animals that gave birth 21 days ago and 7 months pregnant. IFN–γ and PCT levels were determined by sandwich enzyme immunoassay, TNF–α and Neopterin levels were determined using competitive inhibition enzyme immunoassay method by using ELISA device. In this study, TNF–α, PCT and Neopterin levels measured in the blood serums of the Brucella seropositive (1st), conjunctival Brucella abortus S19 vaccine administered (2nd) and unvaccinated Brucella seronegative control groups were compared and no significant difference could be determined between the subgroups of the groups (P&gt;0.05). There were a significant differences between 1st, 2nd, and 3rd groups (P&lt;0.05). IFN–γ levels determined in the blood serums of 1st, 2nd and 3rd groups were compared and nosignificant differences were found between the subgroups of 2nd and 3rd groups (P&gt;0.05), but there were a significant differences between the subgroups of the 1st group (P&lt;0.05). Similarly, a significant differences were determined between 1st, 2nd and 3rd groups in terms of IFN–γ levels (P&lt;0.05). As a result, it was thought that detecting very high serum TNF–α, IFN–γ, neopterin levels in cattle with brucellosis would be helpful in the diagnosis and follow–up of brucellosis. However, it was concluded that there is a need for controlled studies comparing more herds with brucellosis to determine whether the relevant cytokines can be used in the diagnosis of brucellosis.

Foot and Ankle Forklift Injuries; Diagnosis to Treatment Options, Return to Work and Functional Outcomes

As our tertiary-level trauma center is close to an industrial zone and associated international port, industrial injuries are seen more often than is expected in routine practice. The aim of this study was to present the demographic data, treatment options, and changes in work-life of patients with foot and ankle injuries due to a forklift accident, and to determine the factors affecting the clinical outcome. The study was conducted in our university hospital and included patients who presented with a foot and ankle injury resulting from a forklift accident. Data were collected including age, sex, dominant extremity, history of trauma, presence of fracture, management (surgical or conservative), complications, time of return to work, workforce loss, and the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) and Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) scores at the final follow-up examination. Evaluation was made of 132 patients, comprising 113 (85.6%) males and 19 (14.4%) females with a mean age of 32 years (range 16-65 years). The most frequently recorded occupational group was shipyard workers (50%). The most common mechanism of injury was crushing under the forklift wheel (n = 63, 47.7%). The most frequently injured foot region was the forefoot (47%). A total of 90 (68.1%) patients continued to work in the same position on return to work. The lowest mean AOFAS score (73.4) and SF-36 (physical component) score (37.3) were determined in cases with mixed region injuries (p = .0001, p = .0001). The wearing of protective footwear had no effect on the rate of return to work (p = .195), workforce loss (p = .34) and AOFAS score (p = .166). This study is the largest series of patients with foot and ankle injuries related to forklift accidents. Forklift injuries can be treated conservatively or surgically according to the clinical condition of the patient. The main indicators of return to work and functional outcome are which foot region is injured and whether or not the injury causes a fracture.

EVALUATION OF THE INCREASE IN PERSONAL CONSUMER LOANS AND CREDIT CARD USAGE AFTER THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: THE CASE OF TURKEY

Pandemics on a global scale always bring along important economic crises. The basis of this is the loss of workforce and the adverse effect the supply chain undertakes. Consumer loans and credit cards are the first products that individuals tend to use in order to overcome the difficulties they face while meeting their financial needs, even after the loss of workforce.&#x0D; This study has been carried out to determine the level of tendency of individuals to loan products in the solution of severe financial problems created by the Covid-19 Pandemic. In order to achieve this, the data published by the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency on a monthly basis, from the first quarter of 2017 until the end of the first quarter of 2022, have been used.&#x0D; At the end of the study, when the data obtained have been evaluated it is seen that there was a great trend towards related credit products from the first days of the Covid-19 Pandemic. It is expected that the data obtained in the study will contribute to the understanding of the importance of the banking system and a better understanding of the economic effects of the pandemic.

Bilaterally parallel elliptic flap versus Karydakis flap in primary pilonidal sinus disease: a randomized controlled trial.

Pilonidal sinus disease is a disease that especially affects the young population and causes loss of workforce. Although many treatment methods have been defined, there is still no "gold standard" treatment method. Our objective was to evaluate the postoperative results of bilateral parallel elliptical flap and Karydakis flap in the surgical treatment of pilonidal sinus. This study was conducted at the Colorectal Surgery Department of Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital. It designed a prospective randomized controlled study. Patients that underwent surgery due to pilonidal sinus were included in the study. The patients were randomly divided into two groups. Surgery was performed with the bilateral parallel elliptical flap (BPEF) technique in one group and the Karydakis flap (KF) technique in the other group. Postoperative pain, length of hospital stay, wound complications, time taken to return to work/school, and recurrence incidence were evaluated. A total of 102 patients were included in the study, 49 in the BPEF group and 53 in the KF group. The length of hospital stay was similar in the BPEF and KF groups (1.41 ± 0.81 and 1.45 ± 0.84, respectively; p > 0.05). There was less postoperative pain in the BPEF group (2.47 ± 1.02 vs 3.57 ± 1.10, p < 0.05). Wound complications were observed in nine patients in the BPEF group (18.2%) and 14 patients in the KF group (26.2%). The time to return to work/school was shorter in the BPEF group (21.06 ± 6.37 vs 27.04 ± 7.45; p < 0.05). Recurrence developed in two (4%) patients in the BPEF group and three (5.6%) patients in the KF group (p > 0.05). The patients who underwent surgery with the bilateral parallel elliptical flap technique had less pain and a shorter time to return to work/school after the operation. The postoperative complication and recurrence rates were similar in both groups. clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT05851690. (5/11/2023) (retrospectively registered).

P-318 Epidemiologic analysis of endometriosis awareness in Turkey

Abstract Study question What is the prevalence of endometriosis in Turkey, and what are the impacts of endometriosis-related symptoms on social, occupational, medical, and daily life activities? Summary answer Endometriosis is a debilitating disease that affects 18% of Turkish women of reproductive age. Social, occupational, and psychological functioning are all negatively impacted. What is known already Endometriosis is a chronic, inflammatory disease. It affects about 6–10 percent of women worldwide. It can alter the quality of life, mental health, relationships, and sexuality of the carriers. The delay in the diagnosis of endometriosis causes a loss of workforce, a decrease in productivity, and, most importantly, excessive finances. Previous studies from developed countries show endometriosis carriers have lower annual incomes and higher short or long-term workforce loss. Due to the difficulty of diagnosing most cases, the actual incidence of endometriosis in the population, including in developed countries, is unknown. Study design, size, duration This study used a web-based survey to identify the prevalence of symptoms and endometriosis-diagnosed women. For this purpose, the World Endometriosis Research Foundation (WERF) EndoCost tool was utilized and altered by the Turkish demographic and healthcare background. Between September 15, 2022, and November 2022, the survey was accessible. In this process, 16304 surveys were completed, with 15673 being counted. Participants/materials, setting, methods The survey's applicants were reached through social media platforms (Facebook and Instagram), which included social media accounts of influencers with followers from all over the country, reports of authors and women's support organizations, countywide student clubs of universities, and nurses working on family medicine in all parts of the country delivering to regions of responsibility. The ethical committee approval have been taken from an university hospital ethical commission (E-10840098-772.02-4247). Main results and the role of chance Our study showed that the prevalence of endometriosis in developing countries was not insignificant. This survey had 15673 participants, and 2880 (18.3%) were diagnosed with endometriosis. There was a significant difference in the impact of endometriosis-related symptoms on social, occupational, medical, and daily life between the participants with endometriosis and the non-endometriosis participants. The percentage of participants with endometriosis (1.3%) who reported quitting work/school due to pain was statistically higher than the non-endometriosis population (0.6%) (P = 0.001). Also, 21.2% of endometriosis participants reported feeling socially isolated related to their condition (P = 0.001). One thousand one hundred fifty-two individuals with endometriosis reported work/school difficulties (28.3%), and 224 respondents could not attend class/work due to endometriosis-related symptoms (7.4%). In addition, most respondents with endometriosis (46.0%) reported problems in a personal relationship, and interestingly, according to 1820 (63.2%) participants with endometriosis, people did not believe their pain or symptoms. There is also this to consider: our data shows that the average number of physician visits before diagnosis was four. Limitations, reasons for caution The study is limited by self-reported patient responses that were not confirmed by medical records or other complementary data. Wider implications of the findings Our findings can be used to increase awareness of the prevalence and challenges of endometriosis carriers, which may help develop future prevention programs. Since most participants with endometriosis experience financial difficulties due to their treatment, health policies can be designed to improve this issue. Trial registration number not applicable