Turkish Province Research Articles

Factors Influencing the Choice of a Child’s Name and Its Relationship with the Religiosity of Interfaith Marriages: Orthodox (Slavic) and Muslim (Turkish)

Names symbolize an individual’s identity, highlighting their unique attributes and representing their religious and cultural background. Names often serve as initial indicators of individuals’ cultural identities and beliefs. In the context of interfaith marriages, the names given to children can offer symbolic insights; however, a comprehensive exploration of the religious, national, and cultural factors underlying such naming choices is required. In many cases, the social environment of interfaith couples exerts pressure on the couple to choose a name aligning with their religion and identity, whether willingly or unwillingly. Antalya, a Turkish province that initially attracted a substantial Slavic population for tourism but subsequently witnessed a significant influx of permanent residents due to the ample employment prospects in the tourism sector, is notably distinguished by its increased Slavic demographic relative to other Turkish urban centers. In this context, Antalya garners notice because of the prevalence of interfaith marriages. This study investigates the preferences of Orthodox (Slavic) and Muslim (Turkish) couples within the region in terms of how they name their children and the factors influencing their preferences. This study systematically gathers and assesses the factors influencing the naming choices of children of these interfaith couples, particularly their correlation with religiosity. To accomplish this, a semi-structured interview prepared by the researchers was employed for data collection, and the data were subsequently analyzed using document analysis.

Determining the factors affecting transportation demand management and selecting the best strategy: A case study

Demand management in transportation services, as well as demand sustainability, demand planning, and demand implementation are critical components in service quality and environmental sustainability. It is evident that developing a transportation system, particularly one responsive to society’s aspirations and demands, will result in long-term and sustainable success for enterprises. Transportation demand management and strategies can produce alternative perspectives at a desirable and sufficient level to handle problems in the field while considering the obstacles. Considering the elements influencing transportation demand management in logistics enterprises, this study aims to evaluate factors affecting transportation demand management and select the best strategy. The study was carried out on logistic firms with a corporate identity in the Turkish province of Samsun (Turkiye), engaged in international transportation activities to define the criteria affecting transportation demand management and select the best transportation demand strategy. The constituents from the literature review were analyzed using the q-rung orthopair fuzzy MCDA methodology. “Freight Transportation” was determined to be the most crucial measure affecting transportation demand management, while “Competition Legislation and Regulations Regulation” was the least important factor. The rapid expansion in the number of companies participating in freight transport and their capacity was evaluated as the essential aspect for the relevant logistics companies in transport demand management. The “Strategy for Prioritizing High Occupancy Vehicles” is the best transportation strategy based on the weights of the transportation demand management factors. Because of the implementation of this strategy in logistics organizations, this study is regarded as a significant indicator of competitiveness to ensure efficiency and effectiveness. The defined transport demand strategy also represents an exemplary model of the measures that need to be developed to increase the demand preference for sustainable transport.

Experiences of intensive care nurses providing care to the victims ofKahramanmaraş earthquakes.

Two earthquakes of magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 occurred in the Turkish province of Kahramanmaraş in 2023. The earthquakes resulted in serious losses of life and property in 11 provinces, and the injured were transferred to other provinces for treatment and care. To date, no studies on the experiences of intensive care nurses providing care to earthquake victims after the Kahramanmaraş earthquake sequence have been identified. The aim of the present study is to explore the experiences of intensive care nurses providing care to earthquake victims who were transferred to other provinces. A qualitative descriptive research design with conventional content analysis was used. Snowball sampling was used in the selection of intensive care nurses. Data saturation was achieved with 20 nurses. In-depth interviews were conducted with the participants through phone between March 8 and March 15, 2023. MAXQDA 20 software was used for data analysis. The COREQ checklist was used to guide the reporting of the study. Twenty nurses were recruited. Four themes emerged from the data: challenges in caregiving processes; psychological challenges; ethical situations; urgent need for training and support. After the Kahramanmaraş earthquake sequence, described by some as the disaster of the century, nurses encountered patients with unique needs that they had never encountered before and tried to cope with the constantly changing health conditions. For this reason, they were affected psychologically and experienced challenges in caregiving processes. Conducting comprehensive training for diseases common among earthquake victims, developing new protocols for providing care to earthquake victims, developing more action plans for nurses, and psychologically supporting intensive care nurses would facilitate the caregiving processes.

The relationship between smartphone and computer games and anger in adolescents

Objective: In this study, it was aimed to determine the relationship between the causes and duration of gaming and types of games and
 levels of anger among Turkish adolescents studying at high schools.
 Materials and Methods: The study was conducted using a cross-sectional descriptive design with adolescents enrolled in high schools
 in an Eastern Turkish province. A total of 819 adolescent students aged 13-18 were included in the study. Data were collected online
 through Google Forms, utilizing both the “Sociodemographic Form” and the “Adolescent Anger Rating Scale.”
 Results: The mean age of the adolescents was 15.52±1.29. Gender, academic performance, daily sleep duration, and daily walking
 distance were not found to be associated with anger levels. Additionally, there was no significant correlation between anger scores and
 the status of computer and smartphone usage. However, individuals who used smartphones for 3 hours or more for purposes such as
 gaming, entertainment, chatting, messaging, and socializing exhibited higher anger scores.
 Conclusion: Academic grades, the duration of smartphone usage, computer and smartphone use for gaming/entertainment, chatting,
 messaging, and socializing were found to be associated with anger. Specifically, extended periods of playing war, fighting, and similar
 games on both computers and smartphones were correlated with higher levels of anger. It would be advantageous for parents to monitor
 and regulate the content of the games their adolescents play, observe any behavioral differences, and take necessary precautions.

Are Industrial Workers Ready to Intervene in Medical Emergencies? A Field Study Conducted in an Organised Industrial Zone

In organised industrial zones, where workplaces of different hazard classes operate, the risk of injury is high. Therefore, it is important that workers, who are prone to accidents, are prepared to intervene in medical emergencies. This study aimed to evaluate the first aid knowledge levels of industry workers and related factors. This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with 444 industrial workers employed in different institutions in an organised industrial zone in a Turkish province. The data were collected using the descriptive information and first aid knowledge forms. The total score first aid knowledge level of the industrial workers who participated in the study was found to be 19.62 ± 6.02. The findings revealed that the first aid knowledge levels of the industrial workers aged between 36 and 45, married, graduates of high school or a higher educational institution, tenured for more than 1096 days or higher and recipients of first aid training were higher (p

The Effect of Material Quality on Buildings Moderately and Heavily Damaged by the Kahramanmaraş Earthquakes

On 6 February 2023, two major earthquakes occurred in the Turkish province of Kahramanmaraş. The first earthquake with a magnitude of Mw 7.7 occurred in the center of Kahramanmaras, while the second earthquake with a magnitude of Mw 7.5 occurred in the region of Elbistan. These earthquakes caused heavy damage and loss of life in the affected regions. In particular, the Elbistan region experienced both earthquakes with great severity. Following the earthquakes, damage analyses were carried out on the earthquake-affected structures in this region. In the region, 1045 buildings were destroyed, 2640 buildings were heavily damaged, and 463 buildings were moderately damaged by the earthquakes. In this study, the relation between the material quality and the damage status of the affected buildings in the Elbistan region was investigated. A total of 20 buildings with heavy and moderate damage, built both before and after the year 2000, were selected for analysis. Samples were taken from these buildings, and the compressive strength values of the samples were obtained. Further, in situ experiments featuring the Schmidt and UPV tests were performed in the buildings. The results found that the buildings lacked adequate concrete strength. In particular, the post-2000 structures recorded concrete strength values below the established standard. This study proves the necessity of following established regulations in the design and construction of buildings in earthquake-prone zones, especially with respect to the construction materials used.

Prevalence of musculoskeletal system problems in children working in Turkey's automotive industry.

This epidemiology study was conducted to determine the musculoskeletal system problems of children working in the automotive industry and related factors affecting them in the province of Şanlıurfa, the Turkish province where the child population is the highest at 44.9%. A cross-sectional descriptive type study of 256 children aged 7-17 years working in Şanlıurfa Evren Auto Industry Site and Birecik Fırat Auto Industry Site was carried out between April and September 2021. The majority (55.9%) of the children spent most of their time afoot while working and had musculoskeletal symptoms, with a duration of more than one year. The body areas with the most symptoms were the waist, feet, and hands, respectively. These symptoms had not occurred before a child started working and were affected by the posture they worked in, and their daily working and sleep hours. Public health nurses are in a position to ensure that tetanus vaccination of working children, employment examinations, routine health checks, and necessary personal protective equipment are available. They can also work to ensure that children work for legal periods, get paid their wages, have health insurance, receive apprenticeship training, and only start working when they reach the age of being an apprentice or apprentice candidate.

The effect of safety climate in workplaces on productive organizational energy of employees: a research in textile industry

PurposeThe aim of this study is to reveal the effects of “safety climate” on “productive organizational energy”, based on the idea that higher energy and productivity will be seen in employees with the improved safety climate in the working environment.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, data were collected using an online questionnaire from 426 employees of small and medium-sized textile enterprises in the Organized Industrial Zone in the Turkish province of Gaziantep. The “easy sampling” method was applied, one of the sampling techniques not based on probability. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to examine the effects of the “Management's perspectives and rules” and “Colleagues and safety trainings” sub-dimensions of the safety climate on the “emotional”, “cognitive” and “behavioral” components of productive energy.FindingsThe findings showed that the safety climate in the workplace positively and significantly affects the productive organizational energy of employees. In addition, it was observed that the management's perspective and rules had a higher impact on productive organizational energy in attitudes towards the safety climate and productive energies of these employees compared to safety pieces of training.Practical implicationsFirst of all, the result of this study and the positive results that the safety climate in organizations might cause have been noted. It has been demonstrated that the productive energies of the employees will increase if the necessary safety climate is established in the enterprises. In addition, despite the importance attached to the safety training of the employees, as a result of the analysis, it has been determined that the management's perspective and rules (ß = 0.61; p < 0.01) have a higher positive effect on the productive energy of the employees. If these situations are considered by the managers, it is expected that the occupational health and safety management strategies created for the employees will contribute to the formation of positive behaviors in the employees.Originality/valueThe driving force of the present study is that, to our knowledge, there has been no research on this issue related to employees who are mentioned as a critical force in solving productivity and whose number is about 26 million in Turkey's population.

Türkiye'nin Bazı Herbaryumlarındaki Salicaceae Koleksiyonu Verilerinin Analizi

Building on centuries of research based on herbarium specimens gathered through time and around the world, much research on the analysis of collections data in the herbarium is being done. In this study, it was analyzed the herbarium sheets from the family Salicaceae. According to the herbarium records examined, Salicaceae family is represented by two genera in Turkish herbariums. A collection of 917 herbarium records for the genus Salix and 242 for the genus Populus was considered from the six biggest herbaria of Türkiye as ANK, ISTO, HUB, AEF, ISTE and GAZI. The number of taxa in herbaria collections, distribution, and the number of taxa according to family, distribution of taxa by collection date and locations, and comparison of Turkish data with well-known herbaria from the world were evaluated in the current study. Python programming language was applied for the data cleaning and visualization using pie charts, plots, bar graphs and map plots. ISTO holds most of the genus Salix with 287 records, followed by AEF with 221 records and HUB with 148 records. Total genus Salix collections of herbaria include 53 taxa. The oldest Salix herbarium sheet dates back to the mid-1800s (GAZI), whereas most herbarium sheets were collected from 2000-2001 (AEF). Most records for both genera Salix/Populus, were collected from Ankara province. It is followed by Bolu and Kars districts, respectively. Furthermore, the locations from which the Salicaceae members have been collected are presented with the help of a Turkish province map.

Modeling and Assessment of PM10 and Atmospheric Metal Pollution in Kayseri Province, Turkey

Air pollution has numerous detrimental consequences for human health, visibility, climate, materials, plant health, and animal health. A portion of air pollution consists of metals, which are emitted into the environment via the combustion of fossil fuels, industrial activities, and the incineration of metal-containing products. In this work, the particulate matter and particle-related metal pollution from various sources, in the Turkish province of Kayseri, were determined. AERMOD modeling was also used to examine the distribution of PM10 around the Kayseri Organized Industrial Zone (OIZ). Particulate matter (PM10) samples were collected using MCZ dust collecting devices at six monitoring locations mainly affected by residential heating (Hürriyet, Talas, and Kocasinan), industry (OIZ), and traffic (Tramway and Cumhuriyet) during the autumn/winter months and at three monitoring locations mainly affected by residential heating (Kocasinan), industry (OIZ), and traffic (Tramvay) during the spring months. ICP-MS analysis was used to assess the concentrations of the heavy metals (Pb, As, Cd, and Ni) in samples collected over 6 different time periods of 16 days each. During the autumn/winter months, the concentrations of Pb near roadways were found to exceed the Air Quality Assessment and Management Regulation of Turkey (AQAMR) limit value. During all the sampling periods, the Ni and Cd concentrations were below the AQAMR limit values. At the points associated with winter heating, the concentrations exceeded the AQAMR limit value, which may result from coal combustion.

Informative Text Learning Through Processual Models to Improve Reading Comprehension Skills

This study looked at how teaching informative text structures using a processual paradigm affected the reading comprehension abilities of fourth-graders. An experimental model with pre-test-post-test control groups was used in the research's design. The study's study group was made up of 62 fourth-graders who attended a public school in the Turkish province of Konya during the 2020–2021 academic year. For ten weeks, the experimental group taught the informative texts using the processual paradigm, whereas the control group used the Turkish course's curriculum. The Reading Comprehension Test and the Awareness Test of Informative Text Structures were utilized as data gathering instruments in the study. The study's data were analyzed using the following methods: mean, standard deviation, unpaired t-test, and one-way analysis of variance. The study's findings showed that the experimental group, which had been taught informative texts using a processual paradigm, had significantly lower reading comprehension levels and less understanding of the structures of those texts.

ÖRGÜTSEL SOSYALLEŞME, BİLGİ PAYLAŞMA DAVRANIŞI VE BİLGİ PAYLAŞMAYA YÖNELİK DUYGULAR ARASINDAKİ İLİŞKİLER / The Relationships Among Organizational Socialization, Knowledge Sharing Behaviour And Emotions About Sharing Knowledge

Bu çalışmanın amacı çalışanların örgütsel sosyalleşme algıları, sahip oldukları bilgileri iş arkadaşlarıyla paylaşmaktan dolayı hissedecekleri korku ve zevk duyguları ve bilgi paylaşma davranışları arasındaki ilişkileri incelemektir. Çalışmanın alan araştırması kısmında bir ilimizin ilçe belediyesinde görev yapan 117 çalışandan yüz yüze anket uygulaması yoluyla veriler toplanmıştır. Daha sonra veriler SPSS 22.0 paket programı yardımıyla analizlere tabi tutulmuştur. Analiz sonuçlarına göre örgütsel sosyalleşme arttıkça bilgi paylaşma da güçlenmektedir. Ayrıca çalışanın bilgi paylaşmaktan ötürü yaşadığı zevk arttıkça bilgi paylaşma düzeyinin de arttığı sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Örgütsel sosyalleşmenin bilgi paylaşmaktan duyulan zevk duygusuyla istatistiksel açıdan anlamlı bir ilişkisinin bulunmadığı, fakat bilgi paylaşmaktan duyulan korku ile beklenenin aksine pozitif yönde ilişkili olduğu gözlenmiştir. Bilgi paylaşmaktan duyulan korku ile paylaşma davranışı arasında istatistiksel açıdan anlamlı bir ilişki tespit edilememiştir.

Detection of Growth Hormone (GH) Gene Polymorphism in Norduz Sheep

Background: The Norduz sheep is a local breed of sheep bred for its meat, milk, progeny and fleece and is one of the genetic resources in the rural areas of Norduz, a district of the Turkish province of Van. The PCR-based method involves amplification of a conserved DNA region and digestion of the PCR products with DNA restriction endonucleases throughout the genome. Based on the resulting polymorphisms, statistical methods can be used to identify the desired genotypes among the alleles found. The objective of this study was to identify the polymorphisms of the growth hormone gene and determine their association with six growth traits in Norduz sheep. Methods: Out of 50 Norduz sheep, three different loci, GHY1, GHY2 and GHY3 (with the length of 599, 690 and 679 bp respectively) of GH gene on chromosome 11 of sheep genome were selected to identify polymorphisms among individuals using the PCR-RFLP technique (GH/MspI). Result: In this research study, no polymorphisms were detected after digesting three loci of the GH gene with the enzyme MspI. The 50 individuals of Norduz sheep had only AB genotypes for all three loci, indicating that no polymorphisms were present in the regions of the GH genes studied.

Forecasting of Streamflow and Comparison of Artificial Intelligence Methods: A Case Study for Meram Stream in Konya, Turkey

The planning and management of water resources are affected by streamflow. The analysis of the sustainability of water resources has used well-grounded methods such as artificial neural networks, used for streamflow forecasting by researchers in recent years. The main aim of this study is to evaluate the performance of various methods for long-term forecasting from the data of the mean monthly streamflows between 1981 and 2017 from the Kucukmuhsine station on the Meram Stream in the Turkish province of Konya. For that reason, the multilayer perceptron (MLP), long short-term memory (LSTM), and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) artificial intelligence techniques were employed in this study for the long-term forecasting of streamflow for 12 months, 24 months, and 36 months. The mean absolute error (MAE), root mean square error (RMSE), and coefficient of determination (R2) were used to evaluate the performance of the models developed to make predictions using the data from 1981 to 2017, and the Mann-Whitney test was applied to examine the differences between the actual data from 2018 to 2020 and each model’s forecasted results for those three years. The LSTM model showed superiority based on the values of R2 (calculated as 0.730) and RMSE (lowest value of 0.510), whereas the MLP yielded better prediction accuracy as reflected by the value of MAE (lowest value of 0.519). The ANFIS model did not have the best prediction ability for any of the criteria. In accordance with the Mann-Whitney test results, LSTM and MLP indicated no significant difference between the actual data from 2018 to 2020 and the forecasted values; whereas, there was a significant difference for the ANFIS model at a confidence level of 95%. The results showed that the LSTM model had a better prediction performance, surpassing the MLP and ANFIS models, when comparing mean monthly streamflow forecasts.

Incidence of unexpected leiomyosarcoma in a Turkish province: a retrospective multi-centre study in a low income setting

The aim of the current study was to estimate the incidence of unexpected leiomyosarcoma (LMS) in patients who underwent surgery due to leiomyomas in Konya province, and to contribute to the literature discussing comparisons with similar studies. The digital archives of eight high-volume hospitals were studied for surgeries performed due to leiomyomas between January 2012 and January 2019, and leiomyosarcoma incidence was calculated based on the data obtained. Twenty-one patients in 3703 cases were found to have unexpected leiomyosarcoma, which means we can expect one leiomyosarcoma in 176 (0.56%) surgeries. Six more malignant tumours were detected among the remaining cases. Thus, our study estimated the incidence of unexpected leiomyosarcoma as 1/176 (0.56%), which is higher than most of the studies in the literature justifying the debate started by the FDA in 2014. As the tumour biology is not yet clear, and the incidence of unexpected leiomyosarcoma tends to be so high, the key focus must be to try to detect uterine leiomyosarcomas preoperatively for robust patient care. IMPACT STATEMENT What is already known on this subject? The incidence of unexpected leiomyosarcoma varies widely from 1/498 to 1/8300 depending on the study method and the type of procedure, and there is still controversy, even after the FDA statement that led to a major restriction in laparoscopic surgeries due to concerns about inadvertent morcellation of leiomyosarcomas. What do the results of this study add? To the best of our knowledge, the current study found the highest incidence of unexpected leiomyosarcoma, and consequently a serious evaluation of all patients undergoing surgery due to leiomyomas preoperatively considering a leiomyosarcoma candidate is recommended. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Studies on tumour biology and novel markers must be supported for accurate preoperative diagnosis of leiomyosarcoma.

A GIS-based multi-criteria decision-making method for the selection of potential municipal solid waste disposal sites in Mersin, Turkey.

Due to rapid urbanization and the resulting rapid population increases, an important problem for cities today is the elimination of solid waste or finding suitable places for waste storage. Municipal solid waste disposal (MSWD) site selection is one of the most important steps in urban waste management. Many criteria political, economic, social, and technological should be considered in this process. Geographic information systems (GIS) and multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) are tools that are superior to traditional methods in the planning phase of site selection studies. In this study, suitable MSWD sites were determined in Mersin (a Turkish province) based on GIS and the analytic hierarchy process, an MCDM method. Unsuitable areas in the study were removed at the beginning of the analysis. Eleven evaluation criteria were selected: elevation, slope, permeability, distance from lineaments, groundwater level, distance from rivers and water surfaces, distance from roads, distance from settlements, distance from protected areas, and land cover. Considering the evaluation and exclusion criteria, 19.12% of the study area was deemed suitable, and 80.88% was determined unsuitable for an MSWD site. An MSWD suitability map was created as a result of the study. The outcomes indicate that 80,377 ha and 83,022 ha of the study area were classified as high and very high suitability, respectively. Based on these results, we evaluate whether the locations of existing solid waste landfills are appropriate and propose alternative solid waste landfills for each district.

Women’s reproductive behaviour and perspectives on fertility, and their modifying factors, in a Turkish province with a high fertility rate

Objectives Population growth is an important public health problem with economic, social, cultural and political consequences. The aim of the study was to determine the reproductive behaviour and perspectives on fertility of women in Sanliurfa, the city with the highest fertility rate in Turkey. Methods The quantitative dimension of the study was carried out using a mixed methods approach in which 300 women were interviewed and a questionnaire was completed; the qualitative dimension was carried out through in-depth individual interviews with 14 women, using a semi-structured interview form. Analysis of the qualitative data was done using a content analysis technique. Results The median number of children was three (range 0–10). Women with no or a low level of education tended to have a greater number of children. Preference for a particular sex of child was one reason behind the higher number of children. These two factors were main causes of an increased number of children. Women with no or a low level of education (odds ratio [OR] 9.1) and women who expressed a preference for a male child (OR 5.9) had more children compared with other women. Participants regarded a male child as more valuable than a female child and that having many children strengthened the family. Parents regarded their sons as insurance for their old age. Having an induced abortion was perceived as a sin. Conclusion The results showed that cultural norms and values significantly affected fertility rates.

Molecular Characterization of Diaporthe Species Associated With Hazelnut Defects.

Fungi of the genus Diaporthe have been reported as the main causative agent of hazelnut defects in the Caucasus area. This study aimed to define which fungal species are present in defective hazelnuts grown in Turkey and confirm the role of Diaporthe spp. Seven hazelnut orchards were selected, with each one located in a different Turkish Province (Düzce, Giresun, Ordu, Samsun, Sakarya, Trabzon, and Zonguldak), and hazelnuts were collected at early and full ripening. Fungal isolation and identification were performed at the genus level based on morphological characteristics. Several genera were isolated, with Diaporthe spp. being among the prevalent. This was the only genus with increasing incidence from early to full ripening, and incidence at full ripening was positively correlated both with internal (ρ = 0.86) and visible defects (ρ = 0.81), which confirmed its role as the key causative agent of hazelnut defects. The correlation of defect occurrence with rainfall, reported in previous study, was not confirmed, possibly due to the low defect incidence. A total of 86 Diaporthe monosporic strains isolated from Turkish hazelnut samples, together with 33 strains collected in the Caucasus region and 6 from Italy, were analyzed with a multi-locus phylogeny based on three genomic loci (ITS, EF1-α, and tub). The results showed that Diaporthe strains can be grouped into 7 distinct clades, with a majority of Turkish strains (95%) being placed into a single clade related with D. eres. These samples were organized into several sub-clades, which indicates the existence of genetically diverse sub-populations.

Identification of Bacteria in Soil by MALDI-TOF MS and Analysis of Bacillus spp., Paenibacillus spp. and Pseudomonas spp. with PCA

Fifty-one isolates were obtained from soil not used for agricultural activity and not exposed to any chemical procedures (such as fertilization, chemicals, etc.) in the Turkish province of Kirsehir and two of its districts (Mucur and Kaman). The isolates were then identified using morphological, biochemical techniques, and the MALDI-TOF MS method. Plant growth-promoting bacteria from Bacillus spp., Pseudomonas spp., Enterobacter spp., and Paenibacillus spp. were next identified. In addition to the characterization and identification of the isolates, a principal component analysis (PCA) dendrogram of species diversity was also established. Additionally, similarities between species and genera were analysed using PCA, dendrogram, and composite correlation index (CCI) analyses of the MS spectra of Pseudomonas spp., Bacillus spp. and Paenibacillus spp. on MATLAB software.

The role of Meteorological Parameters in COVID-19 Infection

Objective: The SARS-CoV-2 infection outbreak was given the name Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) by the World Health Organization (WHO). Meteorological parameters are one of the most important factors affecting infectious diseases. The aim of this study is to analyze the correlation between meteorological parameters and the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: One hundred ninety-seven COVID-19 patients diagnosed and treated in the Turkish province of Düzce between 29.03.2020 and 04.05.2020 were included in this study. Results: We found the relationship between air quality parameters and COVID-19 case numbers revealed significant negative correlation between positive patient number and air temperature, relative humidity, and NO2, and significant positive correlation with air pressure, but no correlation with PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NO, or CO. Conclusions: Our findings are important as a preliminary study, since interactions between air pollutants and meteorological factors may be involved in the transmission and pathogenesis of COVID-19, and large-scale studies should now be designed for a better understanding of these interactions.