Ranking and comparing occupational health and safety system performance indicators in hospitals by the analytic hierarchy process.

The main goal of this study was to identify whether changes and new applications were positively or negatively influencing safety performance among health-sector workers. The research is based on the opinion of 16 selected occupational health and safety (OHS) experts who evaluated five main groups of questions by the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The results were compared to the same questionnaire's results applied previously at three main hospitals in Bingöl, Turkey. The results presented are predictable, such as that of private hospitals having better control and pressure on applying the OHS system; experts gave higher priority to OHS training; and staff considered that working according to OHS criteria was the most important problem. Caring about others' safety and protecting one's own life, being knowledgeable about risks, having practical OHS training and cooperation are other important criteria according to the experts.

Predictors and prevalence of stress, anxiety, depression, and PTSD among university students during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey.

This study aimed to find the prevalence of stress, anxiety, depression, and PTSD; differences according to demographic variables; and predictors of mental health problems during the second wave of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Turkey. Differences in exposure to COVID-19 during the first and second waves of the pandemic among students were compared. A total of 754 students from seven universities in different parts of Turkey participated in the survey between November and December 2020. Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C) scale measuring posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) were used to measure the mental well-being of students. Descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, correlations, and multinomial logistic regression methods were used to analyze the data. The prevalence of high stress, high generalized anxiety (GAD-7 ≥ 10), high depression symptoms (PHQ-9 ≥ 10), and high PTSD in the total sample were 84.2, 36.2, 55.0, and 61.2%, respectively. High perceived stress, moderate generalized anxiety disorder, mild depression symptoms, high severity PTSD, and moderate satisfaction were found among students in Turkey. Religiosity and spirituality have significant negative correlations with anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Religiosity level, gender, relationship status, year of study, physical activity, symptoms of coronavirus, death of a close relative, job loss, and economic status are significant parameters for predicting psychological problems of students in Turkey.

Satisfaction with life among university students from nine countries: Cross-national study during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: A cross-sectional study was performed to examine life satisfaction differences between university students from nine countries during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-national comparison of the association between life satisfaction and a set of variables was also conducted. METHODS: Participants in the study were 2349 university students with a mean age of 23 years (M = 23.15, SD = 4.66). There was a predominance of women (69.26%) and individuals studying at the bachelor level (78%). The research was conducted between May and July 2020 in nine countries: Slovenia (n=209), the Czech Republic (Czechia)(n=308), Germany (n=267), Poland (n=301), Ukraine (n=310), Russia (n=285), Turkey (n=310), Israel (n=199), and Colombia (n=153). Participants completed an online survey involving measures of satisfaction with life (SWLS), exposure to COVID-19, perceived negative impact of coronavirus (PNIC) on students' well-being, general self-reported health (GSRH), physical activity (PA), and some demographics (gender, place of residence, level of study). A one-way ANOVA was used to explore cross-national differences in life satisfaction. The χ2 independence test was performed separately in each country to examine associations between life satisfaction and other variables. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to identify life satisfaction predictors among a set of demographic and health-related variables in each of the nine countries. RESULTS: The level of life satisfaction varied between university students from the nine countries. The results for life satisfaction and the other variables differed between countries. Numerous associations were noted between satisfaction with life and several variables, and these showed cross-national differences. Distinct predictors of life satisfaction were observed for each country. However, poor self-rated physical health was a predictor of low life satisfaction independent of the country. CONCLUSIONS: The association between life satisfaction and subjective assessment of physical health seems to be universal, while the other variables are related to cross-cultural differences. Special public health attention should be focused on psychologically supporting people who do not feel healthy.

Exposure to COVID-19 during the First and the Second Wave of the Pandemic and Coronavirus-Related PTSD Risk among University Students from Six Countries-A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study.

This study aimed to reveal differences in exposure to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) during the first (W1) and the second (W2) waves of the pandemic in six countries among university students and to show the prevalence and associations between exposure to COVID-19 and coronavirus-related post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) risk during W2. The repeated cross-sectional study was conducted among university students from Germany, Poland, Russia, Slovenia, Turkey, and Ukraine (W1: n = 1684; W2: n = 1741). Eight items measured exposure to COVID-19 (regarding COVID-19 symptoms, testing, hospitalizing quarantine, infected relatives, death of relatives, job loss, and worsening economic status due to the COVID-19 pandemic). Coronavirus-related PTSD risk was evaluated by PCL-S. The exposure to COVID-19 symptoms was higher during W2 than W1 among students from all countries, except Germany, where, in contrast, the increase in testing was the strongest. Students from Poland, Turkey, and the total sample were more frequently hospitalized for COVID-19 in W2. In these countries, and Ukraine, students were more often in quarantine. In all countries, participants were more exposed to infected friends/relatives and the loss of a family member due to COVID-19 in W2 than W1. The increase in job loss due to COVID-19 was only noted in Ukraine. Economic status during W2 only worsened in Poland and improved in Russia. This was due to the significant wave of restrictions in Russia and more stringent restrictions in Poland. The prevalence of coronavirus-related PTSD risk at three cutoff scores (25, 44, and 50) was 78.20%, 32.70%, and 23.10%, respectively. The prediction models for different severity of PTSD risk differed. Female gender, a prior diagnosis of depression, a loss of friends/relatives, job loss, and worsening economic status due to the COVID-19 were positively associated with high and very high coronavirus-related PTSD risk, while female gender, a prior PTSD diagnosis, experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, testing for COVID-19, having infected friends/relatives and worsening economic status were associated with moderate risk.

Influence of Digital Competence on Perceived Stress, Burnout and Well-Being Among Students Studying Online During the COVID-19 Lockdown: A 4-Country Perspective.

PURPOSE: This paper aims to reveal the influence of digital competence on perceived stress, burnout and well-being among students studying online during the COVID-19 lockdown in the spring of 2020 and to compare this influence on the basis of studies conducted in four countries. METHODS: An exploratory study was conducted in Poland, Lithuania, Turkey and India using a cross-sectional research design. A total of 1097 respondents took part in the survey. Well-being was measured by the World Health Organization (WHO) Well-being Index, stress was evaluated using a psychological stress measure (PSM-9) instrument, burnout was evaluated using the Copenhagen Burnout inventory, and digital competence was measured by the Digital Competency Profiler (DCP). RESULTS: The results revealed that social and informational dimensions of digital competencies had a positive influence on dealing with stress or burnout and improved well-being of students studying online during the COVID-19 lockdown. Moreover, the analysis on a country level highlighted that with regard to dealing with stress and burnout, the epistemological dimension of digital competence was the most important for Lithuanians and Indians, the informational dimension for Polish students and the social dimension for Turkish students. CONCLUSION: The findings support the importance of digital competence on perceived stress, burnout and well-being among students studying online during the COVID-19 lockdown and propose deeper research directions on this phenomenon.

Mental health prevalence and predictors among university students in nine countries during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-national study.

The student population has been highly vulnerable to the risk of mental health deterioration during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. This study aimed to reveal the prevalence and predictors of mental health among students in Poland, Slovenia, Czechia, Ukraine, Russia, Germany, Turkey, Israel, and Colombia in a socioeconomic context during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was conducted among 2349 students (69% women) from May-July 2020. Data were collected by means of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Gender Inequality Index (GII), Standard & Poor's Global Ratings, the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker (OxCGRT), and a sociodemographic survey. Descriptive statistics and Bayesian multilevel skew-normal regression analyses were conducted. The prevalence of high stress, depression, and generalized anxiety symptoms in the total sample was 61.30%, 40.3%, and 30%, respectively. The multilevel Bayesian model showed that female sex was a credible predictor of PSS-10, GAD-7, and PHQ-8 scores. In addition, place of residence (town) and educational level (first-cycle studies) were risk factors for the PHQ-8. This study showed that mental health issues are alarming in the student population. Regular psychological support should be provided to students by universities.

A Comparison of Depression and Anxiety among University Students in Nine Countries during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The mental health of young adults, particularly students, is at high risk during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to examine differences in mental health between university students in nine countries during the pandemic. The study encompassed 2349 university students (69% female) from Colombia, the Czech Republic (Czechia), Germany, Israel, Poland, Russia, Slovenia, Turkey, and Ukraine. Participants underwent the following tests: Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), Exposure to COVID-19 (EC-19), Perceived Impact of Coronavirus (PIC) on students' well-being, Physical Activity (PA), and General Self-Reported Health (GSRH). The one-way ANOVA showed significant differences between countries. The highest depression and anxiety risk occurred in Turkey, the lowest depression in the Czech Republic and the lowest anxiety in Germany. The χ2 independence test showed that EC-19, PIC, and GSRH were associated with anxiety and depression in most of the countries, whereas PA was associated in less than half of the countries. Logistic regression showed distinct risk factors for each country. Gender and EC-19 were the most frequent predictors of depression and anxiety across the countries. The role of gender and PA for depression and anxiety is not universal and depends on cross-cultural differences. Students' mental health should be addressed from a cross-cultural perspective.

Exploring Perceived Stress among Students in Turkey during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Students have been highly vulnerable to mental health issues during the COVID-19 pandemic, and researchers have shown that perceived stress and mental health problems have increased during the pandemic. The aim of this study was to reveal the prevalence of perceived stress and mental health among students during the pandemic and to explore predictors of stress levels. A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 358 undergraduates from 14 universities in Turkey, including 200 female students (56%). The measurements used in the study were the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scale, Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Perception of COVID Impact on Student Well-Being (CI), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Physical Activity Scale (PA), and a sociodemographic survey. Students reported high perceived stress, mild generalized anxiety, and low satisfaction with life. More than half of the students met the diagnostic criteria of GAD (52%) and depression (63%). Female and physically inactive students had higher PSS-10 levels. A hierarchical linear regression model showed that after controlling for gender and negative CI, anxiety and physical inactivity significantly predicted high perceived stress. The study shows that students' mental health during the pandemic is at high risk.

Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) as a medicinal plant and its natural products.

Identifying the nutritional and health properties of Helianthus tuberosus, and learning more about this valuable species. It is believed that increased consumption of Jerusalem artichoke (JA) products is related to low blood pressure. One of many questions to answer is whether supplementation of inulin and inulin derivatives obtained from Helianthus tuberosus tubers and aerial parts can be used as antidiabetic, anti-carcinogenic, anti-fungistatic, anti-constipation, body mass-reducing, metabolism-improving agents. We ran a search in Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, Agricola, EBSCO - Food Science Source, Europe PMC, PBL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials until March 2020. We also browsed reference lists of articles and previous reviews. No language limitations were applied. Jerusalem artichoke (JA) has multiple applications thanks to its rich chemical composition, resistance to biotic and abiotic factors, as: functional food, bioactive ingredient, raw material for the production of ethanol and butanol, succinic, citric and lactic acid. It can be used in medicine and the pharmaceutical industry, because it contains anti-fungistatic, anti-carcinogenic and antioxidant components, and the production of the raw material is easy and inexpensive. It also lowers high cholesterol, triglycerides and high glucose levels; facilitates weight loss; detoxes the organism (e.g. alcohol, heavy metals, radionuclides); lowers uric acid levels; has immunostimulating properties; protects the gastric mucosa, prevents constipation; prevents acne; improves metabolism in lipid disorders; reduces body mass; has cytotoxic properties in breast cancer. It also helps in cardiovascular diseases, chronic infectious diseases; chronic fatigue syndrome; gut flora disorders; immune system disorders. A number of Jerusalem artichoke-derived products were discussed.