The effects of compulsory isolation measures during the COVID-19 pandemic: The example of prison workers.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this research was to identify depression, anxiety, and perceived social support levels among prison workers and to determine the relationship between anxiety and depression and perceived social support. METHODS: The descriptive, cross-sectional research was conducted between 15 November 2020, and 10 February 2021. The study sample consisted of 603 prison workers contacted using the convenience sampling method, consenting to take part in the research, and working under compulsory Covid-19 isolation measures. A questionnaire produced in an electronic environment consisting of a personal information form, the Generalised Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ), and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) questions was employed. RESULTS: The mean GAD, PHQ and MSPSS scores of the prison workers working under compulsory isolation conditions were 18.38 ± 5.78, 14.30 ± 6.99, and 42.76 ± 20.27, respectively. Of the prison workers in this study, 71.5% exhibited severe depression symptoms and 21.4% moderate depression, while 25.5% exhibited severe anxiety symptoms and 23.4% moderate anxiety symptoms. MSPSS and its subdomains exhibited negative correlation with depression, and the MSPSS friends subdomain was negatively correlated with anxiety. CONCLUSION: Anxiety and depression scores were at high levels in prison workers exposed to compulsory isolation during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The impacts of occupational risks and their effects on work stress levels of health professional (The sample from the Southeast region of Turkey).

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to determine the occupational risks and their effects on the work stress of the health professionals working in state hospitals in the Southeast of Turkey. METHODS: This cross-sectional and descriptive study was composed of 360 health professionals of the Pazarcik, Ergani, and Sehitkamil State Hospitals between December 2014 and January 2015. The data of the study were obtained by performing the survey which was composed of questions related to the socio-demographic characteristics, factors that were thought to affect the occupational risks and job stress, as well as, the questions of the Work Stress Scale. The analyses of the data have been performed using Student's t test and one-way analysis of variance. RESULTS: The working hours, the number of being on-duty, insomnia, and burnout in health professionals were determined to be with the highest mean scores among other stressful risks and hazards. The mean work stress level, which increases the success by creating the group-stimulus effect, was indicated as 2.4 and 2.5 for the health professionals in Pazarcik and Ergani State Hospital, respectively. However, the stress level which poses a threat for the group-health and efficiency was found to be 4.0 for the health professionals of the Sehitkamil State Hospital. CONCLUSIONS: As the exposure of the occupational risks increases in the health professionals, the work stress scores also increase (p < 0.05). The occupational risks and work stress of the health professionals in the Sehitkamil State Hospital should be evaluated in terms of occupational health and safety.

Firearm-Related Lower Extremity Injuries: Treatment Approaches and MESS Score Usability.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate isolated firearm-related lower extremity injury (LEI) treated according to the current treatment of damage control orthopaedics (DCO) or traditional early comprehensive treatment (TECT), and to validate the usability of Mangled Extremity Severity Score (MESS). STUDY DESIGN:   Observational study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Diyarbakir Gazi Yasargil Training and Research Hospital, Turkiye, from November 2017 to November 2022. METHODOLOGY: A total of 93 adult patients with isolated firearm-induced LEI requiring surgical intervention for open bone fractures at a level I trauma centre were included. The study assessed the severity of LEI using MESS based on the patients' medical records. RESULTS: DCO technique was used for 54.8% (51) of patients. There were statistically significant differences in terms of amputations and limb salvage between the DCO and TECT groups (χ2:6,234, p<0.05). The mean MESS was 8.9 ± 0.7 in all fatalities, 6.3 ± 1.1 in limb amputations, and 3.8 ± 1.5 in salvaged limbs. Moreover, the DCO and TECT groups showed statistically significant differences regarding postoperative non-union (χ2:3,720, p<0.05), with DCO groups experiencing a higher rate of non-union (18.2%) as compared to TECT groups [7.1%, Exp (B):3.77]. CONCLUSION: In isolated LEI caused by firearms, MESS could predict outcomes (i.e. mortality, amputation, or limb salvage) and assist in the choice between DCO or TECT techniques. DCO was preferred by orthopaedic surgeons when treating severe LEI caused by firearms. KEY WORDS: Mangled Extremity Severity Score, Firearm, Damage control orthopaedics, Early comprehensive treatment.

Psychometric testing and the predictive validity of the Postpartum Depression Predictors Inventory-Revised (PDPI-R): A longitudinal study with Turkish women.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the validity and reliability of the prenatal and postnatal versions of the Postpartum Depression Predictors Inventory-Revised (PDPI-R) and to examine the predictive validity of PDPI-R in Turkish women, considering two gold standards to determine postpartum depression (PPD). METHODS: This prospective longitudinal study was conducted between August 2021 and September 2023. A total of 301 pregnant women participated in the study. Participants completed the PDPI-R during the third trimester of pregnancy (T1) and at 4 weeks postpartum (T2). At T2, participants also completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and women were interviewed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Disorders. RESULTS: The prenatal version of the PDPI-R predicted PPD with 64% (R:0.64) accuracy on the basis of the EPDS and 78% accuracy (R:0.78) according to DSM IV criteria. The postnatal version of the PDPI-R predicted PPD with 71% (R:0.71) accuracy on the basis of the EPDS and 81% accuracy (R:0.781) based on DSM IV criteria. The cut-off points exhibited the highest sensitivity and specificity values at 8.5 for the prenatal version and 10.5 for the postnatal version. CONCLUSIONS: The PDPI-R is a valid and reliable screening tool for identifying Turkish women at high risk of developing PPD and for estimating the psychosocial risk associated with PPD.