The Relationship Between Fear, Obsession and Quality of Life in Chronic Patients Due to Covid-19 Pandemic.

AIM: Excessive fear and repetitive negative thoughts about COVID-19 in individuals with chronic diseases, who are among high risk group in COVID-19 pandemic may cause psychological disorders such as obsession and affect the quality of life negatively. This study was conducted to examine the relationship between fear, obsessive behaviors and quality of life in chronic patients due to COVID-19 pandemic. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out between October 5 and 31, 2020. The survey form was sent online to individuals with a chronic disease who were 18 and older. 255 individuals who responded to surveys were included in the study. The data were collected with Personal Information Form, Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), Obsession with COVID-19 Scale (OCS) and World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Form (WHOQOL-BREF-TR). RESULTS: Fear of COVID-19 Scale mean score was found as 21.99±7.28, OCS mean score was found as 4.78±3.62, WHOQOL-BREF-TR physical subdomain mean score was found as 13.58±3.35, psychological subdomain mean score was found as 14.19±3.29, social subdomain mean score was found as 14.13±3.66, environmental subdomain mean score was found as 14.16±3.36, and national environmental subdomain mean score was found as 13.83±2.82. A positive and moderate significant correlation was found between FCV-19S and OCS (r=0.571, p=0.000). A positive and very weak significant correlation was found between OCS and WHOQOL-BREF-TR physical subdomain (r=0.166, p=0.00). CONCLUSION: The participants were found to have high levels of fear of COVID-19 and low levels of obsession with COVID-19. It was found that individuals' fears increased obsessive thoughts and obsessive thoughts positively affected quality of life.

Analysis of Health Care Personnel's Attitudes Toward Complementary and Alternative Medicine and Life Satisfaction due to COVID-19 Pandemic.

This study was conducted to analyze health care personnel's attitudes toward traditional and complementary medicine (TCM) and life satisfaction due to coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted between April 2 and 9, 2020. The Questionnaire form was sent to health care personnel online. A total of 560 individuals who answered the questionnaires were included in the study. The data were collected by using the Personal Information Form, Holistic Complementary and Alternative Medicine Questionnaire (HCAMQ), and Life Satisfaction Scale (LSS). Average age of the participants was 30.88 ± 7.68 years, 82.5% were male, and 65.5% were working as nurses. It was found that 45.5% of the participants used TCM methods for COVID-19 during the last month; 48.7% of the health care personnel stated that they used TCM methods to strengthen their immune system. The HCAMQ total average score was 27.96 ± 5.49; the holistic health subdimension total average score was 9.59 ± 3.04; the complementary and alternative medicine subdimension total average score was 18.37 ± 3.58; and the LSS total average score was 20.78 ± 6.32. A positive weak statistically significant association was found between the HCAMQ and complementary and alternative medicine subdimension and the LSS (P < .05). Participants had moderately positive attitudes toward TCM and life satisfaction. As the participants' positive attitudes toward TCM increased, their life satisfaction was also found to increase.

Age-friendly cities and communities questionnaire: A research on Turkish validity and reliability.

PURPOSE: This study has been conducted to test the Turkish Validity and Reliability of the Age-Friendly Cities and Communities Questionnaire. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This methodological research has been carried out in a health center in Istanbul between January and April 2021. Between the specified dates, 306 older adults who met the research criteria within the population of the research, who accepted to participate and returned the filled-out questionnaires have been included in the study. The items of the scale are scored between -2, 2 and the scale consists of 20 items and 8 sub-dimensions. After the scale was translated, the content and structure validity tests were carried out. RESULTS: As a result of the evaluations and analyses, the content validity index of the scale was found to be 0.96. In the explanatory factor analysis conducted in the adaptation of the scale to Turkish, the total variance rate explained was found to be 92.36%. The factor loads of all items ranged between 0.71 and 0.91. The Cronbach Alpha values of the sub-dimensions of the scale ranged from .899 to .969, and the total Cronbach Alpha value was determined as .954. EFA and CFA results showed that the scale consists of 8 sub-dimensions with 20 items and the factor structure is sufficient. Good coherence index values were obtained as a result of CFA. CONCLUSION: The Turkish version of the Age-Friendly Cities and Communities Questionnaire is a valid and reliable measurement tool to evaluate age-friendly practices in an area where older adults live.

Effectiveness of lemon essential oil in reducing test anxiety in nursing students.

PURPOSE: This study examines the effectiveness of lemon essential oil in reducing test anxiety in first-year nursing students. METHOD: A randomized, pre-test-post-test design was used in this study. The study included 46 first-year students from the Faculty of Medical Sciences of a private university in Istanbul, Turkey. Students were divided into two groups through randomization (Intervention, N = 22; Control, N = 24). In the pre-test, a personal information form, State Test Anxiety Scale (STAS) and Test Anxiety Schedule (TAS) were administered to students in both groups. The students in the intervention group smelled lemon essential oil for 15 min. The study was completed by applying STAS and TAS as post-test. RESULTS: After smelling lemon essential oil, a significant difference was found between the mean pre-test and post-test scores for STAS, its sub-dimensions and TAS (p < 0.01) in the intervention group. It was observed that the nursing students' mean scores for STAS, its sub-dimensions and TAS decreased after smelling lemon essential oil (p<0.05). It was found that the intervention group's mean post-test scores for STAS, cognitive sub-dimension and TAS were lower than those of the control group. Mean post-test scores of physiological sub-dimension in the intervention group were also significantly lower than the control group. It was concluded that lemon essential oil reduced test anxiety by 43.3%. CONCLUSION: Lemon essential oil was found to be effective in reducing test anxiety in nursing students.