Healthcare workers' burn-out, hopelessness, fear of COVID-19 and perceived social support levels.

Background and objectives: During the pandemic, all healthcare workers have tried to cope with mental challenges. This study evaluated the healthcare workers' levels of burn-out, hopelessness, fear of COVID-19 and perceived social support, the relation between these factors, and other possible related components. Methods: Four hundred and fifty-one HCW (healthcare workers) all across Turkey were included in the study. Sociodemographic information form, Maslach Burn-out Inventory, Beck Hopelessness Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale were given to the participants. This was a cross-sectional study via various online platforms. Results: The participants who were on duty in the COVID-19 clinic, complaining about the low salary or not having enough time for themselves or their own family, had significantly higher scores on three subscales of burn-out scale, and hopelessness scale. Working at governmental hospitals, working at departments containing a high risk of COVID-19 infection, and having a history of COVID-19 infection were found to be significantly associated with emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and hopelessness. Feeling control of your profession and getting social support from others were the two factors that tackle burnout in HCW. Family support is the only support that tackles all 3 subscales of burn-out and hopelessness. Conclusion: The findings emphasized that to tackle the burn-out and hopelessness of HCW, it is important for HCW to receive financial compensation for their hard work, to work under improved conditions, and to receive adequate social support.

Evaluating early maladaptive schemas and depression levels in living kidney and liver donors.

Living organ donation is a stressful process, both in terms of physical and mental consequences after the operation. Studies have found that cumulative depression prevalence in 5-year follow-up after the organ donation is 4.2% in 1 year and 11.5% in 5 years. The aim of the present study was to find out early maladaptive schemas (EMS) and depression levels of living kidney and liver donors. Ninety-three patients who have become living kidney or liver donors in Baskent University Hospital between 2015 and 2019 and accepted to participate in the study are included. Interviews were conducted via telephone or face-to-face and socio-demographic information form, Young Schema Questionnaire Short Form-3 and Beck Depression Inventory were given to the participants. The first three schemas with the highest average scores in living donors were self-sacrifice, punitiveness and approval seeking. The Sschema domain with the highest score is 'other directedness' among living donors. The donors who had depression revealed higher scores in the schema domains of 'abandonment and rejection' and 'impaired autonomy' when compared to those who did not have depression. As the donors had higher scores in the 'other directedness' schema domain and 'self-sacrifice' and 'approval seeking' schemas, overthinking and acting accordingly for the others with the expectation of being praised is thought to be the underlying pattern (motivation) of being a living donor. Culture could have an important impact in this particular way of thinking and acting. There is a cultural and religious impact as well in the high scores of 'punitiveness' schema of the donors. Being adequately informed pre-operatively, feeling safe and independent during the decision process and getting enough social support post-operatively seem to be the important factors of tackling depression for living organ donors.

Charles Bonnet Syndrome Prevalence in a Younger Ophtalmology Outpatient Population.

BACKGROUND: In the literature, most of the studies on Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS) were performed on older populations. This study aims to determine the prevalence and epidemiology of CBS and the nature of the hallucinations of the younger group of patients from an ophthalmology outpatient clinic of a university hospital. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Twenty-eight patients were randomly chosen from the outpatient ophthalmology clinic of a university hospital, and those who agreed to participate in the study were included. First, the patients were asked if they had ever seen visions that other people cannot when they were fully awake. The patients who were experiencing this symptom were given sociodemographic questionnaire and Psychiatry Institute Visual Hallucination Questionnaire, and asked to explain their hallucinations in detail. To exclude a psychiatric disorder, the participants were made a psychiatric interview as well. RESULTS: The study included 19 female (67.9%) and 9 male (32.1%) participants. Five patients (17.9%) were diagnosed with CBS. Average age of the patients diagnosed with CBS was 39.4 (min.31-max.48). Three of the 5 patients (60%) with CBS noted negative emotions (fear, wince and bewilderment) about their hallucinations. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of CBS (17.9%) we've found is compatible with the medical literature. CBS may also be accompanied by "relatively milder" ophthalmologic problems (myopia, astigmatism, etc.). The hallucinations which CBS patients experience could be quite distressing, and the individuals might have hard times to reveal their complaints because of the apprehension of stigmatization. To inquire this symptom during clinical examination may be the first step to help these individuals.

Levels of Depression, Anxiety and Quality of Life of Medical Students.

BACKGROUND: Medical education is amongst the educational processes with the highest stress load. This study was conducted to determine levels of depression, anxiety and quality of life of medical students in a university hospital. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Third year and sixth year medical students which accepted to be participate to the study and sign informed consent form are included in the study. Data was evaluated by descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Totally 81 students of which 41 are third year, and 40 are sixth year students are included to the study. 79% of participants are women and 100% are unmarried. Accordingly, Beck Depression Inventory, ratio of those who have (any level of) depression are 58.5% in third year students and 55% in sixth year students. Ratio of those who have moderate to severe anxiety is 34.1% in third year students and 25% in sixth year students. Differences between them are not statistically significant. Regarding subscales of life quality; sixth year students have higher scores on general health perception then third year students. Medical students have lower scores in; difficulty in physical role, difficulty in emotional role, energy, mental health, social functioning and perception on general health when compared to the average scores of general public. CONCLUSIONS: In this study medical students are having a lower quality of life regarding most of the subscales when compared to normal population and both third year and sixth year students are found to be having high depression and anxiety levels. As medical training is a hard and long road to go, it is important to encourage medical students to get Psychiatric support when needed. This is important for them to maintain their mental health.

The prevalence and recognition rate of delirium in hospitalized elderly patients in Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: Delirium is frequently observed, but generally under recognized in elderly hospitalized patients. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of delirium in elderly patients hospitalized at a university hospital, and to determine the recognition rate by hospital staff during hospitalization. METHODS: The study included 108 consecutive patients aged ≥ 65 years that were hospitalized in the medical and surgical inpatient departments at Baskent University Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. All the patients were evaluated using the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) upon admission and Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) on a daily basis during hospitalization. Written documents and consultation requests from psychiatry and/or neurology departments were reviewed for recognition of delirium by hospital staff. RESULTS: Among the 108 patients in the study, delirium was noted in 18 (16.7%) during their hospital stay. Consultation from psychiatry or neurology departments was requested for 5 of the 18 patients, only 1 with a delirium diagnosis, indicating that 17 of the cases (94.4%) were not recognized by their primary physicians. CONCLUSIONS: The delirium non-recognition rate in elderly hospitalized patients was very high. We think that hospital staff must be trained to recognize the symptoms of delirium and identify high-risk patients.