Testicular cancer awareness and testicular self-examination among university students.

BACKGROUND: This study was planned to determine the knowledge of testicular cancer (TC), risk factors and testicular self-examination (TSE) among university students. METHODS: A survey study was conducted at a university located in Ankara, Turkey with 634 male students. RESULTS: Almost half of them (44%) heard TC during their education and life but majority of participants has lack of knowledge about sign and symptoms of TC. Only 5.9 % of them (n = 38) indicated they received information on TSE and 17.7 % have performed the practice of TSE before; only one in a forth (n=21) performed monthly. The reason for not doing TSE was mostly (83.4%) 'not having knowledge' and 'not seen as important' (55.7%). CONCLUSIONS: Adding the education on TC, risk factors and TSE into their curriculum is proposed.

[The evaluation of the pneumoconiosis cases, whose liability times being expired, applied to the Social Security High Health Committee between the years 1998-2001]. / Sosyal Sigorta Yüksek Saglik Kuruluna 1998-2001 yillari arasinda basvuran yükümlülük süresi sona ermis pnömokonyoz olgularinin degerlendirilmesi.

This study was planned with the aim to evaluate the pneumoconiosis cases which applied to Social Security High Health Committee between January 1st 1998 and December 31st 2001 for their liability times to be extended. It was a retrospective and descriptive study. Of the 1108 files, only 1068 of them are taken into evaluation with 96.4% of the participation due to the lacking data of some files. The data entry and analysis was done by using SPSS. All of the applicants were male. Most of them applied in 1998 (41.1%, 439 cases) and in 2000 (36.6%, 391 cases). Their average working years were 23.51+/ 0.25. Their average year's of age being diagnosed as pneumoconiosis was 61.81+/-0.8. Of the all cases 764 (72.1%) were diagnosed within the first 10 years after the legal liability time. At this point to reach more conclusive results further epidemiologic studies are required including the factors (the concentration of the dust in the work place besides the physical properties of the dust, the exposure time to the dust and individual properties) affecting the formation of pneumoconiosis. However, even with these findings it is been concluded that the legal time being 10 years in use now for determination of the liability time for the pneumoconiosis cases should be lengthened. It is been also concluded that with the cooperation of other organizations the protocols consisting the issues about the diagnosis criteria of the pneumoconiosis cases, the treatment plan, the determination of disability ratio, liability time, the examinations before getting the job and while working periodically, assessment of the work place risks should be made. Considering the average age being 61.81 for the workers who retired after working dusty work places, carrying the pneumoconiosis risk, they should be checked in regular intervals.