The experiences and thoughts of Turkish family physicians about COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Efforts to contain the SARS-CoV-2 virus would fall short without strong primary health care. OBJECTIVES: In this study, we aimed to determine the experiences, views and suggestions of family physicians regarding their roles, primary care health systems' preparedness and the challenges/needs for a better organisation during the pandemic via in-depth exploration. METHODS: Twenty-one family physicians working in different cities of Turkey participated in semi-structured interviews between 15/08/2020-21/01/2021. Convenience sampling was used. We did this qualitative study through interviews by telephone. Participants were asked seven open-ended questions. Thematic analysis was used, which included reading the transcript, identifying significant phrases and formulating meanings and validating meanings through research team discussions to reach consensus, identifying themes. RESULTS: Ten of the participants were female and the average age of the participants was 39.5 (SD = 10.5) years. Twelve of the family physicians are specialists in family medicine. Four themes were identified: role of primary care in the pandemic, pandemic preparedness of primary care, challenges of working in primary care centres during the COVID-19 pandemics, and approaches to future pandemics. CONCLUSION: Our study showed that, despite unprepared primary care and undefined roles of family physicians in pandemic planning, family physicians played a significant role in pandemic management.

Knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of family physicians about childhood vaccinations that are not in the routine vaccination schedule: a cross-sectional study.

AIM: In our country, there are childhood vaccinations that are not included in the routine vaccination schedule and that families have to buy and have for a fee. In addition to income level, family physicians' recommendations also play a major role in getting these vaccines.Our study was planned to determine the level of knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of family physicians about rotavirus, HPV and meningococcal vaccines, which are not included in the routine vaccination scheme of the Ministry of Health. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our cross-sectional and descriptive study was carried out between May and July 2019. The population of our study consists of approximately 30 000 family physicians working as Family Physicians in Turkey. When the sample size is calculated with 5% margin of error and 95% confidence interval, it turns out to be 381. A 15-question questionnaire prepared by scanning the literature and including socio-demographic characteristics was presented to the participants. The Likert scale, which includes 12 questions about rotavirus, meningococcus, HPV and vaccines developed for these microorganisms, was administered to physicians either face-to-face or via the internet. In our study, the statistical significance level was accepted as P < 0.05, and the SPSS statistical package program was used in the calculations. RESULTS: 81 Research Assistants, 62 Family Medicine Specialists and 234 Family Physicians participated in our study, and the participants were determined by simple random sampling method. The mean age of the participating physicians was 37.96 ± 9.3 (min: 25 and max: 68). 50.9% of the physicians were women, 79.8% were married, 85.1% were in the city center, and 62.1% were practicing family medicine as general practitioners. 74.82% of the participating physicians recommend rotavirus and 56.2% HPV vaccines to their patients. 10.6% (40 people) of the physicians participating in our study did not recommend any of the rotavirus, HPV, meningococcal, influenza and adult pertussis vaccines to their patients. In the evaluation of the reason for this, 58.7% (27 people) of physicians who did not recommend special vaccines state that they did not recommend vaccines because they are not included in the routine vaccination schedule of the Ministry of Health. Another important reason was that the vaccines are paid (30.4%, 14 people). To the question of having sufficient information about special vaccines that are not included in the routine vaccination schedule, 26% of the participants stated that they have sufficient knowledge, and 56.5% stated that they have partial knowledge. The Likert knowledge questions total score of those who recommended at least one vaccine to their patients was significantly higher than those who did not recommend it at all. Likert knowledge questions total score of those who had at least one vaccination was significantly higher than those who never had it (P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: In general, as the level of knowledge about private vaccines decreases, the rates of self-vaccination, recommending it to their patients, and asking it to be included in the national vaccine schedule decrease. For this reason, increasing the knowledge of physicians about vaccines not included in the national vaccination schedule will contribute to the dissemination of vaccines, thus increasing immunity and reducing mortality and morbidity.

Circumcision Knowledge and Opinions of Primary Healthcare Workers: The Case of Turkey.

This study evaluates the knowledge levels and opinions of Islamic primary healthcare workers regarding the medical indications of circumcision, its mode of application, contraindications, and possible complications together with the current literature. Our study was conducted with the participation of 400 healthcare personnel having Islamic faith and working in primary healthcare centers in Kahramanmaras. Data were collected through in-person interviews with healthcare workers who completed our questionnaire consisting of 52 questions and designed based on a literature review. SPSS 21 was used to evaluate the collected data statistically. Findings were considered statistically significant if the p-value was lower than 0.05. We evaluated these participants in terms of their levels of knowledge on circumcision. None of the participants had a very high knowledge level. In correlation analysis, it was detected that age (r = 0.194, p < 0.001) and duration of employment in the profession (experience) (r = 0.164, p = 0.001) were positively correlated with knowledge level. Those who found circumcision necessary mostly justified its necessity due to medical benefits (n = 321, 80.3%) and/or religious obligations (n = 242, 60.5%). Our study demonstrates the importance of providing information about circumcision, including the information from the current literature, to primary healthcare workers together with theoretical training and practice both during their formal training and after graduation in Turkey.

The primary care physicians' despair levels: Original research article.

OBJECTIVES: The profession of medicine is very depressing both mentally and physically. There were studies conducted to investigate the reasons of depression and burnout. Hopelessness leads to depression and may be it is the first sign. The aim of our study is to determine the despair levels of primary care physicians. METHODS: This research is a descriptive study. The study conducted with family physicians and Beck Hopelessness Scale was applied. Statistical analysis of the data was performed using IBM SPSS 23. RESULTS: 40.9% of those without children, 48.9% of those with chronic diseases, 47% of those who had been subjected to violence and 53.5% of those who are not satisfied with working in the primary care received severe hopelessness scores, and these score were significant (P < .05). CONCLUSION: The dissatisfied aspects of Family Medicine System should be examined in detail, and necessary measures should be taken against violence, which is a common problem in the whole healthcare sector. In this way, employee satisfaction and therefore patient satisfaction can be achieved.

TCM use in pregnant women and nursing mothers: A study from Turkey.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to specify the frequency of traditional and complementary medicine (TCM) usage and the most commonly used methods by the pregnant. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The cross-sectional and definitive study included 212 pregnant and 152 nursing women who applied to obstetric, pediatrics, and family practice polyclinics. FINDINGS: Of the pregnant women, 38.7% applied to the TCM method during pregnancy, and of the nursing women, 63.2% during nursing. The most commonly used herbal products were mint, thyme and linden by the pregnant women while anise and mint were most commonly used by nursing.Women commonly used TCM methods to increase breast milk and for upper respiratory tract infection's symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Every health personnel who provides pregnancy care should be aware of the latest data published on the usage of TCM in the literature and educate patients about the usage of TCM which may have negative outcomes.

Evaluation of sleep quality, insomnia severity and OSAS risk in primary care population: A descriptive study.

PURPOSE: In our study, we aimed to evaluate the sleep quality, insomnia presence and severity, obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) risk of the patients who applied to family health centres and to determine the situations that might be related with these features. METHODS: This study is a descriptive research and conducted in Ankara Güdül, Antalya Degirmenözü, Bursa Sirameseler, Gaziantep Family Health Centre policlinics. The study population consisted of all patients over 18 years of age who were admitted to the family health centres for any reason. A 10-question questionnaire, Berlin questionnaire, Pittsburgh sleep quality questionare and insomnia severity questionare were applied by the researchers from October to December 2017 by using face-to-face interview method. RESULTS: Two hundred nineteen nine people participated in study and 54.5% of them were women. According to the results of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Questionare, it was found that 27.1% of the participants' sleep quality was good; according to the Berlin sleep questionnaire, 27.4% of the participants had high OSAS risk. According to Insomnia Severity Questionare, 27.1% of them had insomnia lower threshold, 15.4% had moderate insomnia and 3.7% severe insomnia. CONCLUSIONS: In this context, it will be very effective in terms of the quality of life of patients in order to determine the conditions that disrupt sleep hygiene and to perform the necessary interventions which can be intervened in the primary healthcare institutions and the other patients to be delivered to the related upper levels.

Assessment of Knowledge and Attitudes of Patients About Cancer Screenings in Primary Care.

Incidence of cancer is increasing in the developing countries such as Turkey. Screenings are important part of preventive medicine practices which can reduce deaths due to cancer. Our aim was to identify patient's awareness and knowledge level of cancers and screenings and to create a road map of what we need to do to increase screening rates. This study was a descriptive type, and the research population was the patients between the age of 30 and 75, who went to 18 different Family Health Centres in different places in Turkey for any reason in July-September 2016. The survey was completed by face-to-face interview and consisted of 20 questions about the socio-demographic attributes, level of cancer and cancer screenings knowledge, causes of screening, and reasons for not doing. Screening rates was self-reported by patients. A total of 643 patients, 394 women (61.3%) and 249 men (38.7%), participated in the study. The average age was 45.67 ± 11.49. The most well-known cancer type was breast cancer (79%). Having no screening was high in general population (64.7%). Having a screening was statistically significantly higher in women, over 50 year olds group, divorced/widower group, housewives, primary school graduates, the group who have green-card (having very low or no income) as social security, and in the group who have a history of family member with cancer. 55.8% of patients received the information about screenings from healthcare professionals. The reasons for not having a screening were "not seeing themselves as under risk" (27.4%), not having knowledge (22.8%), and fear of the results (15%). First of all, the importance of cancer screening as an important part of the preventive health services should be understood by family doctors through in-service training. Then family doctors would share the information and experience, clear the lack of knowledge of them and by doing this rates of screening would increase.