A cross-sectional study on activity impairment in primary Sjogren's syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to show relations between activity impairment and salivary gland involvement for patient empowerment in primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS). METHODS: In the study, 86 patients with pSS were included. The data were collected through clinical examinations and a questionnaire regarding Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI), EULAR Sjogren's syndrome patient-reported index (ESSPRI) and Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14). Relations were analysed by using mediation and moderation analyses. In simple mediation analysis, an independent variable (X) influences outcome variable (Y) through a mediator variable (M) whereas a moderator variable (W) affects the direction of the relationship between the dependent (Y) and independent variables (X). RESULTS: Increases in ESSPRI-Dryness score (X) (p = 0.0189) and OHIP-14 score (M) (p = 0.0004) were associated with the poor WPAI activity impairment score (Y) in the first mediation analysis. The WPAI activity impairment score was mediated by the elevated ESSPRI-Fatigue score (X) (p = 0.03641) and low U-SFR (M) (p = 0.0000) in the second mediation analysis. In addition, ESSPRI-Pain score (W) was the significant moderator for WPAI activity impairment (Y) in patients without hyposalivation in the moderation analysis (p = 0.0010). CONCLUSION: WPAI activity impairment was affected by both ESSPRI-Dryness with OHRQoL and ESSPRI-Fatigue with SFR in glandular involvement.

An Assessment of Health Information Systems Through the Perspective of Computer Engineering Students and Medical Students.

INTRODUCTION: Computer Engineering Students (CES) and Medical Students (MS) will actively participate in the management of health information system in the future. AIM: The aim of the study was to evaluate the views of CES and MS about the patient privacy and security of health information systems. METHODS: The participants of this cross-sectional study were the 3rd and 4th year CES of Marmara University, (n=163, F/M:71/92) and the 5th and 6th year MS of Marmara University (n=65, F/M:38/27). The data were collected via questionnaire comprising questions and statements about patient information security and confidentiality. Responses were prepared on the basis of 5 Point Likert Scale. RESULTS: During the assessment of the questionnaires, it was observed that the statement "Health records should be accessible to the other health workers besides the physician" discomforted more CES (93,3%) than MS (78,5%) (p=0.003). A similar proportion was observed about "On-line communication with the physician" more CES (87,1%) prefer to communicate with the physician via electronic media than do the MS (66,2%) (p=0.001). Another significant point to be noted about the questionnaire results was that slightly more CES (40,5%) favor restrictions on the accessibility of "personal correspondance information" than MS (35,4%) (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: In the future, CES, who will be both internal and external stakeholders of the multi-disciplinary structure of healthcare management, thought that problems regarding security and privacy may occur. Therefore, the relation between health information system and the occupational education and training of CES and MS are extremely important through the perspective in healthcare management.