Physical activity, anxiety, depression, and coping in Turkish men and women during the first wave of COVID-19 / Atividade física, ansiedade, depressão e enfrentamento em homens e mulheres turcos durante a primeira onda de COVID-19 / Actividad física, ansiedad, depresión y afrontamiento en hombres y mujeres turcos durante la primera ola de COVID-19

Abstract: A need exists to better understand the relationships between COVID-19, coping behaviors, physical activity and stress, and COVID-19's impact on way of life. A cross-sectional study design was used to examine adult physical activity, hope, depression, anxiety, and coping status by gender during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to determine the impact of these variables on the coping process. The study also examined the effect of gender on the relation between physical activity and dependent variables. A global survey instrument was used in this study, including 1,400 Turkish adults. This study identified significant gender-based differences regarding physical activity, hope, depression, anxiety, and coping status of adults, although no significant gender-based difference was found regarding hope scores. Furthermore, physical activity directly influenced coping (β = 0.10), hope (β = 0.12), and anxiety (β = -0.08). Hope directly and positively influenced coping (β = 0.45) and directly and negatively influenced anxiety (β = -0.25) and depression (β = -0.28). Moreover, gender did not directly affect physical activity, but it was associated with decreased coping and increased depression and anxiety. Finally, gender had no effect on the relation between physical activity and hope, coping, depression, and anxiety (p > 0.01). These outcomes support the critical importance of physical activity and hope when coping with COVID-19 regardless of gender.

Resumo: Existe uma necessidade de entender melhor as relações entre a COVID-19, comportamentos de enfrentamento, atividade física e estresse e o impacto da COVID-19 no modo de vida. Um desenho de estudo transversal foi usado para examinar a atividade física adulta, esperança, depressão, ansiedade e estado de enfrentamento por gênero durante a COVID-19 e para determinar os efeitos de atividade física, esperança, depressão, e ansiedade no enfrentamento da COVID-19. Finalmente, examinou-se o efeito do gênero na relação entre atividade física e variáveis dependentes. Um instrumento de pesquisa global foi utilizado neste estudo, no qual um total de 1.400 adultos turcos participaram. Os resultados desta investigação demonstram que existem diferenças significativas em atividade física, esperança, depressão, ansiedade e estado de enfrentamento de adultos por sexo. Não houve diferença significativa entre os sexos para os escores de esperança. Além disso, a atividade física influenciou diretamente o enfrentamento (β = 0,10), a esperança (β = 0,12) e a ansiedade (β = -0,08). A esperança influenciou direta e positivamente o enfrentamento (β = 0,45) e influenciou direta e negativamente a ansiedade (β = -0,25) e a depressão (β = -0,28). Além disso, o gênero não afetou diretamente a atividade física, mas o gênero foi associado à diminuição do enfrentamento e ao aumento da depressão e ansiedade. Finalmente, o gênero não teve efeito sobre a relação entre atividade física e esperança, enfrentamento, depressão, ansiedade (p > 0,01). Estes resultados apoiam a importância crítica da atividade física e da esperança ao lidar com COVID-19 sem efeitos de gênero.

Resumen: Existe la necesidad de comprender mejor las relaciones entre COVID-19, los comportamientos de afrontamiento, la actividad física y el estrés, y el impacto de COVID-19 en la forma de vida. Se utilizó un diseño de estudio transversal para examinar la actividad física del adulto, la esperanza, la depresión, la ansiedad y el estado de afrontamiento por género durante COVID-19 y para determinar los efectos de la actividad física, la esperanza, la depresión, y ansiedad en el afrontamiento de COVID-19. Finalmente, se examinó el efecto del género en la relación entre la actividad física y las variables dependientes. En este estudio se utilizó un instrumento de investigación global, en el que participaron un total de 1.400 adultos turcos. Los resultados de esta investigación demuestran que existen diferencias significativas en la actividad física, la esperanza, la depresión, la ansiedad y el estado de afrontamiento de los adultos por sexo. No hubo diferencias significativas entre los sexos para las puntuaciones de esperanza. Además, la actividad física influyó directamente en el afrontamiento (β = 0,10), la esperanza (β = 0,12) y la ansiedad (β = -0,08). La esperanza influyó directa y positivamente en el afrontamiento (β = 0,45) e influyó directa y negativamente en la ansiedad (β = -0,25) y la depresión (β = -0,28). Además, el género no afectó directamente a la actividad física, pero el género se asoció con una disminución del afrontamiento y a un aumento de la depresión y la ansiedad. Finalmente, el género no tuvo ningún efecto sobre la relación entre la actividad física y la esperanza, el afrontamiento, la depresión, la ansiedad (p > 0,01). Estos resultados respaldan la importancia crítica de la actividad física y la esperanza cuando se trata de COVID-19 sin efectos de género.

Psychological well-being of healthcare workers during COVID-19: Relationship with risk perception and fear in the context of health belief model.

This study aimed to evaluate the extent of fear and risk perception related to COVID-19 and their impact on the psychological well-being of healthcare workers. Data were gathered through an online survey, incorporating questions about risk perception utilizing the health belief model, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, and the General Health Questionnaire-12. A total of 364 HCWs participated in the survey, with 94% of participants identified as being in the high-risk category for mental disorders based on their General Health Questionnaire scores. The assessment of COVID-19-related risk perception within the Health Belief Model demonstrated significant correlations between perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived barriers, and self-efficacy with both the fear scale and General Health Questionnaire scores. Linear regression was employed to identify factors influencing General Health Questionnaire scores, revealing that risk perception, Fear of COVID-19 scores, marital status, and perceived health were significantly associated with General Health Questionnaire scores. These findings underscore the importance of monitoring the psychological well-being of healthcare workers throughout all stages of pandemic preparedness and response.

Posttraumatic stress symptoms in children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Studies consistently found remarkable rates of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in children with chronic diseases. But, only one study had searched PTSS in children with diabetes, until now. So, the present study aimed to examine incidence rate and predictors of PTSS in children with type 1 diabetes. METHOD: PTSS were evaluated by Child Posttraumatic Stress Reaction Index in fifty four children with diabetes (aged between 8-18 years). This assessment was based on hypoglycaemia as the potential traumatic event. Children were also introduced a brief questionnaire about demographic and disease related information. Some other information was obtained from families, medical stuff and records. Among 54 children, forty two had complete information. Hence, to evaluate possible predictive factors related with PTSS, multiple regression analysis was conducted for 42 children. RESULTS: 18.5% of children were reported PTSS at severe or very severe level, and 51.9% were reported PTSS at moderate level or above. Multiple regression analyses were shown that child PTSS were not significantly related with possible predictive factors other than number of hypoglycaemic attacks for the last month. CONCLUSION: The study results support that posttraumatic stress symptoms are not rarely seen in paediatric patients with diabetes, and even if not severe, hypoglycaemic attacks may be perceived as traumatic by the children with diabetes. But, because of some limitations, the results should be carefully interpreted.

Working conditions and health status of child workers: cross-sectional study of the students at an apprenticeship school in Kocaeli.

BACKGROUND: Child labor remains a widespread phenomenon in today's world. The purpose of the present study was to describe the working conditions and health status of child workers in Kocaeli. METHODS: A cross-sectional research study has been carried out on 365 working children at the Kocaeli Occupational Training Center. Data were collected on working conditions, smoking habits, work accidents, perceived health status and psychological status using General Health Questionnaire-12. In order to evaluate the physical growth of children, their height and weight were measured. RESULTS: Most working children usually have a low level of education, low income and extended families. The mean age for children to start working was 14.8 +/- 1.5 years and their daily working periods were 11.3 +/- 1.3 h on average. Girls were found to have more psychopathology compared to boys on the GHQ-12 and the results were statistically significant. The height z score was less than -2 SD at 6.9% while the weight z score was less than -2 SD at 1.9%. According to body mass index (BMI) percentiles range, 3% of children were found to be underweight. A statistically significant and negative directional correlation was detected between body mass index z scores with age and daily working periods. Statistically significant but weak correlations were detected between height for age z scores and the starting age of work and also between weight for age z scores and chronological age. CONCLUSIONS: Both the mental and the physical health of children were found to be negatively affected, by having to work at an early age, and by long working hours. For this reason, immediate and direct intervention should be taken to eradicate child labor, and protect children from unsafe and exploitative working conditions.

Blood lead levels in candy sellers working near an international road in Kocaeli, Turkey.

The authors' purpose in this study was to examine the effects on health, as measured by blood lead levels (BLLs), of living and working near the D-100 international road, which passes through Kocaeli, Turkey. In this cross-sectional study, the authors examine BLLs in 3 groups to determine the health effects of exposure to motorized road transport. By comparing the 3 groups, the investigators found that the mean BLL was 4.23 +/- 1.59 microg/dL in a group of candy sellers who worked beside the road, 4.18 +/- 2.07 microg/dL in a group of city residents, and 3.82 +/- 1.71 microg/dL in a group of village residents. (The latter 2 groups were not in close proximity to the road, and the authors used their measurements for comparison.) The difference in BLLs between the candy sellers and the village residents was statistically significant (p < .05). No significant difference in BLLs was determined between city and village residents or between candy sellers and city residents (p > .05). The authors recommend limiting the use of the D-100's city section to only local traffic and preventing heavy cargo vehicles from passing through.

Undergraduate training in occupational health at Kocaeli University Medical School: a Turkish experience.

Processes and conditions of production may produce unhealthy effects. Both must therefore be included in the education of health care personnel. Vocational training in occupational health at Kocaeli University Medical School, Turkey aims to demonstrate students that occupational health is a specific and important area of work within the context of primary health care. This research is a cross-sectional study. It was planned as a three stage study: 1- reviewing literature and grouping of countries according to their occupational health curricula; 2- reviewing the occupational health programs of medical schools in Turkey, and 3- recommendations for an occupational health curriculum to include an occupational health vocational training period of one week in the two month public health education program for medical interns. During this experience, senior students would be assigned to workplace health units. Of 283 medical schools found on the web, with occupational health teaching, only 20 have a curriculum that includes training in workplace health care units. In Turkey, there is no structured practical education on occupational health. In the third part of this study, we initiated at Kocaeli University School of Medicine's curriculum, a new occupational health education model applied in the workplace health units of factories. Practical experience of occupational health in the workplace is useful in introducing the community-based approach to occupational health in undergraduate medical education and understanding the determinants of health in industry.