What Does It Mean To Be Pemphigus Patient? A Qualitative Study.

This study aims to provide a closer examination of the problems experienced by individuals with pemphigus vulgaris with their eyes and experiences. This is a phenomenological study. The study population was completed with eight people with pemphigus vulgaris who applied to the dermatology clinic of a university hospital in a metropolis between September 2019 and March 2020. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using phenomenological methods. Three main themes emerged and nine supporting sub-themes were identified. The main themes are (a) the physical problems they are experiencing now, (b) the psychological difficulties they are feeling now, and (c) intense future anxiety about the process and the future. This study will increase the understanding of the lived experiences of pemphigus vulgaris patients, increase the awareness of each nurse about these patients and will be able to provide better quality care to individuals with pemphigus vulgaris.

Knowledge of the effects of sun exposure of Turkish high school students and their sun bathing habits.

Cancer, long a serious problem in developed countries, is now becoming a serious health concern throughout the world. There has been an alarming increase in the number of new cases of melanoma each year, this cancer increasing at a faster rate than any other neoplasm in some regions. This may be a result of depletion of the ozone layer. An association between non-melanocytic skin cancer and exposure to the sun appears to have first been suggested in 1894; it was not until about 1952 that it was argued that exposure to the sun also causes melanoma. It is commonly believed that skin cancers develop only after long-term exposure to UVR. At the individual level, people who live in sunnier climates comparatively have a higher risk for skin cancer than do people who live in colder climates. This is particularly the case for migrant populations with a fair skin. The present study was conducted to evaluate the knowledge of the young generation in Turkey related to the side effects of sun exposure, and their sun bathing habits. Sun sensitivity, use of sunscreens, sunbathing habits and protective behaviours were determined for a total of 1244 high school students from the answers to a questionnaire completed by them. Data from 627 (50.4 %) females and 617 (49.6 %) males were evaluated. All were aged between 15 and 18 years. Sunscreen use was found to be higher in female students (59 %) than in their male counterparts (45.8 %). The wearing of sunglasses was reported by 36.7 %, whereas the incidence of hat wear was found to be 55.1% overall. The results of this study indicate that, although most high school students are aware of the side effects of sun exposure, they do not pay sufficient attention to protective behaviour. A further study should now be conducted to evaluate the use of sunscreens in a large group.

Evaluation of quality of life of breast cancer patient next- of-kin in Turkey.

INTRODUCTION: Quality of life (QoL) issues are of importance in relatives of women with breast cancer (BC)as caregivers in neglecting their own needs due to care of a patient and also as women regarding the potential risk of themselves developing BC. The objectives in the present study were to compare the QoL of female relatives of women in treatment for breast cancer. To date, no study had examined multi-dimensional QoL in accompanying people as compared them into two groups of female relatives whose first degree and second degree. METHODS: QoL of female relatives was assessed using the Quality of Life-Family Version (QOL-FV) scale. Relationships between socio-demographic characteristics and QoL scores were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal Wallis and Crosstabs tests. RESULTS: The mean age of the female relatives was 37.6 years, and nearly 48% had a university education. It was found that first degree relatives had worse QoL in all domains except physical well- being than second degree relatives. CONCLUSION: This study showed that being female relatives of BC, especially first-degree, affect QoL negatively. Health care providers are of an important role in the stage of information related to genetic influence of BC.

Breast cancer risk and early diagnosis applications in Turkish women aged 50 and over.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to determine breast cancer risk and early diagnosis applications in women aged ≥50. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional, descriptive field study focused on a population of 4,815 in Mansurog?lu with a 55.1% participation rate in screening. In the study, body mass index (BMI) was also evaluated in the calculation of breast cancer risk by the Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool (BCRA) (also called the "Gail Risk Assessment Tool") . The interviewers had a three-hour training provided by the researchers, during which interactive training methods were used and applications were supported with role-plays. RESULTS: The mean age of the women participating in the study was 60.1±8.80. Of these women, 57.3% were in the 50-59 age group, 71.7% were married, 57.3% were primary school graduates and 61.7% were housewives. Breast-cancer development rate was 7.4% in the women participating in the study. When they were evaluated according to their relationship with those with breast cancer, it was determined that 73.0% of them had first- degree relatives with breast cancer. According to the assessment based on the Gail method, the women's breast cancer development risk within the next 5 years was 17.6%, whereas their calculated lifetime risk was found to be as low as 0.2%. Statistically significant differences (P=0.000) were determined between performing BSE - CBE and socio-demographic factors. CONCLUSIONS: It was determined that 17.6% of the participants had breast cancer risk. There was no statistically significant difference between the women with and without breast cancer risk in terms of early diagnosis practices, which can be regarded as a remarkable finding. It was planned to provide training about the early diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer for people with high-risk scores, and to conduct population-based breast cancer screening programs.

Reliability and validity of the quality of life -family version (QOL-FV) in Turkish family caregivers of patients with cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Family caregivers (FCs) are often the primary source of social and emotional support for cancer patients and play a major role in how well they manage their illness. The aim of this study was to create an Turkish version of the Quality of Life - Family Version (QOL-FV) and to evaluate its psychometric properties in a sample of FCs of cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was carried out with the FCs of 218 patients with cancer. Data were collected with a Demographic Questionnaire and the QOL-FV and The Multidimentional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). The QOL-FV was developed by Ferrell and Grant and is composed of 4 subdimensions. Linguistic validity, translation, back translation, and content validity were tested with expert opinions. Test-retest reliability, and internal consistency reliability were assessed. Construct validity was tested by factor analysis and with the scale of the MSPSS. RESULTS: The family caregivers were between the ages of 46-56 (32.6%), a great number of them being male (52.8%). The scale is made up of four subdimensions. The result of the test-retest analysis of this scale was calculated as r:0.86. As a result of the reliability analysis, six items were eliminated from the scale, factor analyses were fulfilled according to varimax transformation through the method of principal components. Four new subdimensions were restrustured at the end of the analysis. The scale of Cronbach αcoefficient was calculated as 0.90. Concurrent validity showed low correlations with the MSPSS (r=0.29). CONCLUSIONS: The QOL-FV, adapted into Turkish, was found to have sufficient reliability and validity.