A study of health literacy and social media use of the students on vaccine preferences during COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey.

Background: It is unknown if health-care literacy and social media use of the students affect vaccine preferences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Objectives: The aim of the present research was to detect whether health-care literacy and social media use of the students affect vaccine preferences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: The universe of the sample consisted of the students of a university in Mus Alparslan University. The sample of the research included students whose last digit of the school number is an odd number. Four hundred and twenty students participated into the study. The data of the study were collected through the "Sociodemographic Characteristics Questionnaire," "Health Literacy Scale (HLS)," and "Social Media Usage Scale (SMUS)." Results: The total score average of the students on the "HLS" was 42.74 ± 13.85 and the "SMUS" was 21.30 ± 7.38. It was determined that those who have preferred the "Sinovac" vaccine had higher score averages on the "Information Understanding Subdimension" and "HLS" than those who have preferred the Türkovac vaccine. Furthermore, it was determined that the score average of "Continuity Subdimension," "Competency Subdimension" and "Social Media Use Scale" were higher, and these differences were statistically significant. Conclusion: It was detected that the health literacy (HL) levels of the students were lower and they do not use social media competently. On the other hand, it was determined that social media use and HL affect the vaccine preferences.

Hospital-acquired insomnia scale: A validity and reliability study.

BACKGROUND: Sleep breathing, one of the basic human needs, is a physiological need that affects cardiac functions, body temperature, daily vitality, muscle tone, hormone secretion, blood pressure, and many more. In the international literature, studies reported that patients have had sleep problems in the hospital since the 1990s, but no measurement tool has been developed to determine the causes of hospital-acquired insomnia in individuals. These findings suggest that sleep remains in the background compared to activities such as nutrition and breathing. Although patients generally experience hospital-acquired sleep problems, there is no measurement tool to determine hospital-acquired sleep problems. These features show the originality of the research. AIM: To develop a measurement tool to determine the sleep problems experienced by patients in the hospital. METHODS: A personal information form, hospital-acquired insomnia scale (HAIS), and insomnia severity index (ISI) were used to collect research data. The study population consisted of patients hospitalized in the internal and surgical clinics of a research hospital in Turkey between December 2021 and March 2022. The sample consisted of 64 patients in the pilot application stage and 223 patients in the main application stage. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) analyses were performed using the SPSS 20 package program and the analysis of moment structure (AMOS) package program. Equivalent forms method used. RESULTS: The HAIS consisted of 18 items and 5 subscales. The Cronbach alpha values of the subscales ranged between 0.672 and 0.842 and the Cronbach alpha value of the overall scale was 0.783. The scale explained 58.269% of the total variance. The items that constitute the factors were examined in terms of content integrity and named as physical environmental, psychological, safety, socioeconomic, and nutritional factors. CFA analysis of the 5-factor structure was performed in the AMOS package program. The fit indices of the obtained structure were examined. It was determined that the values obtained from the fit indices were sufficient. A significant correlation was determined between the HAIS and the ISI, which was used for the equivalent form method. CONCLUSION: The HAIS is a valid and reliable measurement tool for determining patients' level of hospital-acquired insomnia. It is recommended to use this measurement tool to determine the insomnia problems of patients and to adapt it in other countries.

Development of the Thirst Discomfort Scale: A Validity and Reliability Study.

BACKGROUND: Thirst is a sensation associated with a dry mouth and the desire or craving to drink water. Surgical patients are among those hospitalized individuals who are at high risk of developing both osmotic and hypovolemic thirst. OBJECTIVES: To develop a new measurement tool for evaluating the thirst-related discomfort of surgical patients and to assess its validity and reliability. METHODS: The study population consisted of patients admitted to the surgical clinics of a research hospital in Turkey between January and March 2022. The new measurement tool was developed in several stages: a pilot implementation phase with 51 patients and the main implementation phase with 198 patients. Data were collected by means of face-to-face interviews with patients. Exploratory factor and confirmatory factor analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics, version 22, and IBM SPSS Amos. RESULTS: The final Thirst Discomfort Scale consisted of 12 items in 3 subdimensions. The Cronbach α values of the scale subdimensions ranged from 0.787 to 0.848, and the Cronbach α value for the scale as a whole was 0.886. The scale explained 66.237% of the total variance of the data. CONCLUSION: The Thirst Discomfort Scale consisting of 12 items and 3 subdimensions is a valid and reliable measurement tool for evaluating thirst-related discomfort of surgical patients.

Development of the Perceptions About Infectious Diseases Scale.

Background and Purpose: When there is an infectious diseases, health behaviors demonstrated by individuals could have positive or negative effects on the spread of infectious diseases. Individuals' knowledge, beliefs, perceptions, emotions, attitudes, and behaviors about disease are formed according to their past and future experiences. Individuals' perceptions are considered to be important in terms of identifying their health behaviors. The purpose of the present study is to develop a measurement tool that identifies perceptions about infectious diseases. Methods: This study adopted a methodological design. It was conducted with the volunteer participation of 1,786 people who consisted of the staff and students of the university between June and September 2020. Results: The scale was found to consist of 34 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale and two factors. Cronbach's alpha value was found .98 for the scale. The correlation values showing the correlation of the items with the total scale score were found to be between .615 and .920. Conclusion: The scale that was developed in the present study was found to be a reliable and valid measurement tool.

How important is altruism to nursing students?

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to identify the altruism levels of nursing students and the affecting factors. BACKGROUND: Altruism is important for nursing students who are at the beginning of their careers as it is characterized by other-oriented feelings such as compassion and empathy. METHODS: The study was carried out as descriptive research. A total of 1200 nursing students studying at the nursing faculty of a state university in Turkey constituted the population of the study. The sample of the study consisted of 558 students. The data of the study were collected on January-February 2020. Data were collected by the researchers with the "Student Information Form" and the "Altruism Scale." Statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS program. RESULTS: The main scores of the subdimensions were found to be as follows: "Participating in Volunteer Activities," 24.51 ± 6.50; "Helping Financially," 23.56 ± 5.01; "Helping in Traumatic Situations," 25.68 ± 3.68; "Caring for the 'Elderly/Sick,'" 16.54 ± 3.25; "Helping Based on Physical Strength," 19.55 ± 4.21; "Helping in the Education Process," 19.68 ± 3.72; and "Helping from a Sense of Closeness," 21.06 ± 3.34. The total mean score of the Altruism Scale was found to be 150.59 ± 24.16. The altruism levels of nursing students were found to be at a high level. In addition, the altruism levels of the students who were female, studying in the fourth grade, has an income less than their expenses, felt belonging to the profession, and read books were found to be higher compared to the others.