Climatic factors correlate with emergency visits due to animal injuries in Southern Turkey: A single-center retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Animal-related injuries are among the major causes of morbidity and mortality all over the world, especially in rural areas. This study aims to determine the characteristic features of animal-related injury cases presented to the emergency department and to evaluate their temporal trends and relationships with climatic factors. METHODS: Among the animal-related injury cases, those who applied between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2021, in a small seaside town in Turkey were included in the study. Application date, age, gender, ICD code, and prognosis constitute the variables from the hospital information management system within the relevant date range. Meteorological data were taken from Hatay Meteorological Directorate as average daily temperature ( °C) and humidity (g/m3). Descriptive statistics are presented using mean, standard error, number, percentage, and ratio. Kruskal-Wallis, Pearson correlation analysis, linear trend analysis, chi-square, and t-test were used in the analyses. The statistical significance level was accepted as p < 0.05. RESULTS: A total of 6634 animal-related injuries were included in the study. The average age of the injured was 26.1 ± 21.1 years and 60.3 % were male. Injuries were most frequently observed in the 0-9 age group (29.9 %). Of all the cases, around 0.1 % were hospitalized and there were no reported deaths. Injuries caused by mammalian species accounted for 85 % of the cases. The number of recorded cases was lowest in 2018 and highest in 2021. Over the five years, animal-related injuries showed an increase trend which was not statistically significant (R2 = 0.216, p= 0.430). The injury cases showed a marked seasonality; numbers tended to increase in March and reached the highest level between June and September. While a significant and positive relationship was observed between the daily average temperature and the number of cases (r = 0.428, p < 0.001), there was no correlation between the average relative humidity and the injury numbers (p = 0.537). CONCLUSION: This study revealed that animal-related injuries were commonly seen in children and young middle-aged adult groups and during warmer seasons. Based on the results of the study, we suggest several strategies to reduce the public health impact of animal-induced injuries, such as region-specific intervention programs adapted to animal species and seasonal changes, educational campaigns targeting children during the warmer seasons, and improved data recording systems for the cases.

Delivery preferences of pregnant women: Do not underestimate the effect of friends and relatives.

INTRODUCTION: The mode of delivery is of vital importance to the health of both mother and child. We aimed to determine the preferences of pregnant women for the mode of delivery and the associated factors concerning their choices. METHODS: In this descriptive study, a sample size of 418 individuals are needed to calculate an expected prevalence of 45% with an error of margin of 5%, a confidence interval of 95% and considering potential non-respondents of 10%. Sixteen subjects refused to take part in the study, 402 pregnant women presenting to hospitals in Erzurum city center during December 2016 and January 2017 consisted the study group. Distribution percentages were calculated based on the numbers of births in the hospitals. A questionnaire incluiding questions about sociodemographic characteristics, factors that may affect women's delivery preferences, delivery preferences, and the reasons for those preferences was used to collect the data. Data were analyzed on the SPSS 22.0 statistical software. The Chi-Square, Student t-tests and binary logistic regression analysis were used. p < 0.05 was regarded as statistically significant. RESULTS: The proportion of cesarean delivery preferences was 69(17.2%). Women's preferences for normal vaginal delivery (NVD) or CS deliveries were significantly affected by the previous type of delivery (p < 0.001), type of pregnancy (natural vs. assisted) (p = 0.021) and problems in CS delivery among friends and relatives (p = 0.009). No statistically significant correlation was observed between delivery preferences and women's age, monthly family income, employment status, age at marriage, duration of the marriage, previous miscarriage, age at first delivery, and possession of information concerning types of delivery (p > 0.05). Multivariate analysis proved cesarean section experience, the presence of cesarean-related problems among relatives and educational status as independent affecting factors. CONCLUSION: This investigation demonstrated women in Erzurum prefer substantially vaginal delivery. Family and relatives are essential for decision making, which suggests considering peer education as a method of information delivery.

Fertility Preferences of Women in a Province Center.

OBJECTIVE: Fertility preferences and status are important parameters involved in reproductive health. The aim of the present study was to define some characteristics of the fertility preferences of women aged 15-49 years in our region. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted between 2013 and 2015. The study population consisted of 627 married women aged 15-49 years living in a city center. A questionnaire about socio-demographic characteristics, pregnancy and birth traits, and fertility preferences was applied. Chi-square, Mann-Whitney U, and Spearman correlation tests were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.00 (IBM, SPSS Corp.; Armonk, NY, USA) software for statistical analyses. A p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The mean age of the women participating in the survey was 33.03±7.1 years. Median age at marriage was 20 years, mean age at first pregnancy was 21 years, and mean number of pregnancies was 3.07 years, with 14.6% having had more than five pregnancies and 34.6% having experienced previous miscarriages. The mean number of live births was 2.2, and 21.5% of women had waited 24 months between pregnancies. Additionally, 77.7% reported using family planning of any kind, with 62.1% using the modern method. Women's ages at first marriage varied significantly depending on education (p<0.001) and working status (p<0.001), whereas ages at first pregnancy varied significantly depending on educational status (p<0.001). The total number of pregnancies varied significantly depending on level of education, working status, and family income (p<0.001). Times between two pregnancies among women with histories of more than two pregnancies differed significantly depending on educational status (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The most important factors in women's fertility preferences are education, work, and income. Increasing women's educational levels can lead to safe and healthy pregnancies and births.

Use of Family Planning Methods and Influencing Factors Among Women in Erzurum.

BACKGROUND Our study aimed to determine the prevalence of family planning methods, socio-demographic characteristics and the relationship between pregnancy histories and usage of family planning methods among women aged 15-49 years old living in the Erzurum provincial center. MATERIAL AND METHODS This is a descriptive, cross-sectional study. From the total 106 669 women aged 15-49 years old living in the Erzurum provincial center, a sample of 627 individuals was selected. A questionnaire consisting of items inquiring into women's socio-demographic characteristics, birth and pregnancy history, and the use of family planning methods was administered using face-to-face interviews. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS 20.00 software. Descriptive statistics were expressed as mean, median, n, percentage, and standard deviation. The chi square, chi square trend, Mann-Whitney U tests, and logistic regression analysis were used for data analysis. RESULTS The mean age of the women in the study was 33.03 years (SD=7.1 years). The mean total number of pregnancies was 3.07 (SD=1.7). Of the women in the study, 77.7% (n=487) used some kind of FP, with 48.2% (n=302) using modern methods and 29.5% (n=185) using traditional techniques. The most commonly used modern methods were intra-uterine devices (IUDs) and condoms, and the most common traditional method used was withdrawal. The use of modern methods was higher among women working outside of the house. It was positively associated with higher education and income and negatively associated with the total number of pregnancies. CONCLUSIONS Appropriate use of family planning services rises in line with improvements in women's education, prosperity, and employment status.