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Aim: Studies of the effects of COVID‐19, especially post‐acute COVID‐19 syndrome, on psychological health in non‐severe cases are limited. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence and associated risk factors of psychological symptoms, and quality‐of‐life in three groups of outpatients, hospitalized and intensive care patients. Methods: A total 276 patients, previously confirmed with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection, attending the COVID‐19 follow‐up outpatient clinic from December 2020 to July 2021 were interviewed face‐to‐face. In this cross‐sectional, retrospective study, all participants were asked our self‐designed demographic and screening questions to assess their psychological symptoms and administered the WHQOOL‐BREF survey to evaluate quality of life. Results: In screening questions, major depressive disorder symptoms were detected at a rate of 20.3%, generalized anxiety disorder symptoms at a rate of 16.7%, panic attack symptoms at a rate of 10.9%, post‐traumatic stress disorder symptoms at a rate of 28.6% and obsessive‐compulsive disorder symptoms at a rate of 18.1%. The outpatient group with COVID‐19 infection had a higher risk of developing psychological symptoms and decreased quality of life. Conclusion: COVID‐19 infection was found to have a considerable psychological impact on those treated as outpatients despite the less severe course of their illness. Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? Post‐intensive care syndrome affects physical, cognitive and psychological health.It is associated with symptoms such as generalized weakness, memory disturbances, cognitive function impairment, depression, anxiety and post‐traumatic stress disorder.Some physical and psychological symptoms persist for over 12 weeks in some patients and have been classified as 'Post‐acute COVID‐19 Condition or Syndrome' (PCS). What this paper adds? At the post‐acute‐COVID‐19 period, a considerable number of outpatients with COVID‐19 infection were at higher risk for psychological distress symptoms than those who had been treated in the hospital or intensive care unit.Depression, anxiety, panic disorder and PTSD symptoms were found to be higher in outpatients and those with these symptoms were also shown to have a lower quality of life.Our findings highlight the significant psychological impact of COVID‐19 on patients, even after their reported recovery from the acute manifestations of this disease. The implications of this paper: Ongoing psychological symptoms in the post‐COVID period are not associated with the severity of the disease in the acute phase.It is important that healthcare professionals are equally concerned not only with physical condition of post‐COVID‐19 patients but also with their psychological state and the patient's psychology‐related quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID‐19 pandemic and restrictions imposed to eradicate it have affected healthy lifestyle‐related behaviours. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of COVID‐19 on lifestyle‐related behaviours. Methods: This cross‐sectional web‐based survey research was performed with a convenience sample of 1020 adults residing in Turkey. Data were collected with self‐report data collection tools on 8–28 April 2021: a sociodemographic characteristics form and the impact of COVID‐19 on lifestyle‐related behaviours questionnaire. Results: Eating behaviours, physical activity and sleep patterns of the participants were negatively affected during COVID‐19 pandemic (p < 0.001). More than half of the participants experienced weight gain during the pandemic. Also, stress levels and smoking increased (p < 0.01). The participants reported having changes in their lifestyles most frequently due to the fear of COVID‐19 infection, stress, decreased motivation, closure of the facilities for social and sports activities and increased food prices. Predictors of lifestyle‐related behaviours were found to be education (β =.189), income (β = −.101), residing in a village (β =.113) and the presence of a chronic disease (β =.075) (p < 0.001). Conclusions: During the pandemic, COVID‐19‐related restrictions should be applied whilst taking account of both social distancing measures and maintenance of healthy lifestyle‐related behaviours. Nurses should offer counselling for maintenance of healthy lifestyle‐related behaviours. Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? Studies performed at the beginning and during the course of COVID‐19 pandemic in different countries have shown that lifestyle‐related behaviours are negatively affected.Few studies have used a valid and reliable tool to determine the effect of COVID‐19 on lifestyle‐related behaviours.The effect of COVID‐19 on lifestyle‐related behaviours has not been examined from a nursing perspective. What this paper adds? In the present study, which was performed at a time when night curfews and weekend shutdowns were imposed in Turkey, lifestyles of the participants were found to be negatively affected.More than half of the participants gained weight and had increased stress and smoking and a decreased sleep quality.The negative effect on lifestyle‐related behaviours was more severe in participants with low education and income levels, living in a village and suffering from a chronic disease. The implications of this paper: Restrictions introduced during the pandemic should both take account of social distancing measures and allow healthy lifestyle‐related behaviours.Nurses playing a role in first line health care services should offer education and counselling for maintenance of healthy lifestyle‐related behaviours by utilizing information and communication technology (e.g., video calls). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study was conducted to determine media use, positive and negative emotions, and stress levels of adults during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Background: Using media tools in the pandemic process has impacted the mental health of individuals. As the COVID‐19 outbreak is a new disease fear, anxiety and stress about this situation can cause strong emotions in adults. Methods: The research was carried out using a cross‐sectional design. The sample consisted of 1541 adults. The Positive and Negative Emotion Scale, and the Perceived Stress Scale were used to collect the data. Results: The Positive Emotion Scale mean scores were lower (p < 0.05) for those people whose daily media use time was more than 4 h and who followed the developments about COVID‐19 through the media once a day. It was found that those with daily media use of more than 4 h/day had higher Perceived Stress Scale scores than those with lower use (p > 0.05). Conclusion: This study concluded that the use of media in adults increased during the COVID‐19 outbreak and that media use was associated with positive and negative emotions and stress levels. Health professionals should assess the effect of the COVID‐19 outbreak on mental health in various community groups and develop interventions to prevent negative consequences of increased media use. Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? The mental health of adults in the community has been affected due to the unexpected COVID‐19 pandemic.The media use of adults staying at home during the pandemic has increased.The relationships between increasing media use and mental health needs during the COVID‐19 pandemic are yet to be revealed. What this paper adds? The positive emotion scores of adults with greater use of media tools during the COVID‐19 pandemic were lower.During the COVID‐19 pandemic, age, gender, education level, marital status, employment and income level affected the mean scores of negative emotions and perceived stress.The frequency by which people followed the developments regarding COVID‐19 from the media during the day was related to their emotional state. The implications of this paper Demonstrating that various characteristics of adults are related to mental health during the pandemic will guide researchers and policy makers for mental health promotion practices.The relationship between the frequency of use of media tools and positive emotions during the pandemic emphasizes the importance of providing reliable and sufficient information to individuals during the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the anxiety level of smokers and the relationship between smoking behavior and COVID-19 anxiety level. METHODS Our study was planned as a descriptive cross-sectional survey. A 32-question face-to-face questionnaire containing the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS) and the Fagerström test for nicotine dependence (FTND) was administered to 349 patients who had applied to the smoking cessation polyclinic between 15 May 2021 and 1 August 2021. SPSS 25.00 was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS A total of 349 individuals participated in the study. The mean CAS and FTND total scores were 0.89±2.13 (range: 0-20) and 6.34±2.53 (range: 0-10), respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between CAS total score and gender (p=0.005), marital status (p=0.006), changes in the amount of smoking during the pandemic (p=0.011), and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on smoking cessation (p<0.001). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on smoking cessation was statistically significantly different between knowing that the rate of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions due to COVID-19 infection is higher in smokers, smokers are heavily infected with COVID-19 and the mortality rate due to COVID-19 infection is higher in smokers (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Anxiety due to the COVID-19 pandemic may cause a change in the amount of smoking and the decision to quit smoking. Healthcare professionals should transform COVID-19 anxiety into an opportunity to improve health and quit smoking, one of the healthy behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination rates and factors affecting vaccination in children with rheumatic diseases. Patients and methods: This multicenter cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted between July 2022 and September 2022. Four hundred seventy-four patients (256 females, 218 males; median age: 15 years; interquartile range, 13 to 16 years) were included in the patient group, and 211 healthy children (124 females, 87 males; median age: 15 years; interquartile range, 13 to 16 years) were included in the control group. A questionnaire was administered to the parents face-to-face during routine outpatient visits. Results: Of the patients, 220 were followed up with the diagnosis of autoinflammatory disease, 174 with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, 48 with connective tissue disease, 23 with vasculitis, eight with uveitis, and one with sarcoidosis. In the study group, 256 (54%) patients and 115 (54.5%) healthy children received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Parents' concern regarding potential side effects of the vaccine was the most common reason for COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy in both groups. The median patient age, follow-up period, colchicine treatment rates, childhood vaccination and influenza vaccination rates, median parental age, parental vaccination rate, and parental education level were higher in vaccinated patients (p<0.05 for all). In addition, vaccination rates were high in patients who shared their concerns about vaccination with the rheumatology team (p<0.001). Conclusion: Parents' concerns about safety and side effects were found to be the most important factors affecting vaccination success. Identification of the underlying causes of parental vaccine hesitancy will facilitate the development of effective vaccination strategies for potential future outbreaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Death is an abstract concept that extends over life. Although it is a natural part of life, people have difficulty coming to terms with it. Objective: This study was investigated the effect of fear of COVID-19 on nursing students' attitudes towards death and the care of dying patients. Results: The study is descriptive and cross-sectional design. The sample consisted of 250 nursing students from two universities in Turkey. The data were collected using Demographic Characteristics Questionnaire, Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), the Death Attitude Profile (DAP) and Frommelt Attitude Toward the Care of the Dying Scale (FATCOD). Conclusion: Female students have more fear of COVID-19 than male students. Students with a high fear of COVID-19 have more positive attitudes towards death and caring for the dying individual. While it was determined that the COVID-19 pandemic affected nursing students in many ways, it was concluded that the fear of COVID-19 had an effect on attitudes of nursing students related to end-of-life care and death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Covid-19 affected all stages of the education system, from preschool education to higher education and uncertainties in education caused various health problems, especially stress. Aim: The aim of the study was to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on nursing students' stress levels in Turkey. Methodology: It is a cross-sectional web-based survey. The population of the study includes the students of a Nursing Department of a Faculty of Health Sciences of a state university in Turkey (N=739). The sample of this study consisted of 311 nursing students. The data were collected via Google Forms using the "Sociodemographic Data Collection Form", "Questionnaire Form Regarding the Changes in Stress Level Caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic", and "Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14)". Descriptive statistics, One Way ANOVA, Student's t-test and multiple linear regression analysis were adopted for data analysis. Results: It was determined that students experienced moderate stress during the COVID-19 pandemic period [Perceived Stress Scale-14 (PSS-14) mean score was 29.81±7.33]. Results suggest that PSS-14 total mean scores and the variables of "I have trouble overcoming the problems in my life", "I have difficulty in concentrating", and "I feel restless and angry" were statistically significant (p<0.05). Conclusion: These results revealed that the pandemic affects the stress level of the students and that the students experience moderate stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The course of bipolar disorder (BD) is sensitive to factors that may disrupt biological and social rhythms. It is important for patients diagnosed with BD to continue their follow-up and treatment during the pandemic due to personal and social effects. This study aimed to evaluate the disease course and treatment compliance of individuals diagnosed with BD during the pandemic. Methods: A total of 267 patients with BD were included in the study. The scales were applied by phone calls. A sociodemographic data form was filled out during the phone interviews. Diagnostic criteria for hypomanic, manic, and depressive episodes in DSM-5 were questioned and recorded through the created form. Results: During the first of the pandemic, a total of 72 (27.0%) patients had a mood episode, of which 56 (21.0%) were manic/hypomanic episodes and 16 (6.0%) depressive episodes. Also, 54.7% of the patients were able to obtain their medications thanks to the extended medication reports. Being unable to use their medications regularly, having a seasonal pattern of disease, and using an increased number of psychotropics were significant predictors of a new episode. While 74.5% of the patients wanted to talk to their psychiatrists online, only 1.1% could reach the psychiatrist online. Discussion: The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are particularly evident in patients with a seasonal pattern. Telepsychiatry practices should be actively included in clinical practice, and government policies developed for treatment compliance seem important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The family has a key role in the obesity management of children with autism. This study examines the relationship between the nutrition-physical activity behaviors of autistic children with their families and children's obesity levels during covid-19 pandemic. The descriptive and cross-sectional study involved 80 parents of autistic children. A positive correlation was found between children's mean BMI values before and during the pandemic(p = 0.000). Family Nutrition and Physical Activity Scale(FNPAS) and Brief Autism Mealtime Behavior Inventory(BAMBI) score were 55.18 ± 7.86 and 31.76 ± 8.79, respectively. In addition, it was found that 32.5% of the children ate more than before the pandemic, 50.0% engaged in less physical activity, and 16.3% didn't do any physical activity. The study results suggesting the risk of obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Covid-19, which affected countries all over the world have disrupted health services and cancer screenings worldwide. Aims: The study aimed to determine women's access to cervical cancer screening during the Covid-19 pandemic in Turkey. Methods: The study was planned as a descriptive cross-sectional. This study was completed by 443 sexually active women. The data were collected between 19 March and 27 April 2021 using the "Data Collection Form" and the "Attitudes Towards Prevention of Cervical Cancer Scale". Results: More than half of the women stated that Covid-19 and pandemic restrictions did not affect their pap-smear. However, the Attitudes Towards Prevention of Cervical Cancer Scale Cognitive and Affective mean scores of the women who stated that the pandemic restrictions did not affect her getting pap-smear were lower than the women who stated that it did. This situation shows that the attitudes of women who stated that pandemic restrictions do not affect their pap smears have low attitudes towards protection from cervical cancer. Conclusions: It has been found that the Covid-19 pandemic and the restrictions in accessing the health services related to the pandemic have an impact on the attitudes towards protection from cervical cancer, such as having a pap smear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Turkiye Klinikleri Journal of Nursing Sciences is the property of Turkiye Klinikleri and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Researchers aim to examine mediating variable role of health literacy in the relationship between fear of contracting Covid-19 in women and use of holistic complementary alternative medicine. The study was conducted as descriptive cross-sectional. The researchers collected study data by conducting an online questionnaire from 285 women between April 01 and June 30, 2021. In our study, a significant relationship was found between education level and health literacy, having a chronic illness, not being able to find a permanent job and fear of Covid-19 (p < 0.05). Positive correlation exists between fear of contracting Covid-19 and Holistic Complementary and Alternative Medicine Practice (correlation between HCAM Practice β=.21). When health literacy variable is included, the level of relationship decreases (β=.18). The researchers determined that as the level of health literacy increased, the women resorted to HCAM practices less despite their fear of contracting Covid-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: During the COVID‐19 pandemic, intensive care nurses may experience ethical issues related to fear of transmission, limited resources, and increased workload. Nurses' moral sensitivity and courage may have a role in dealing with these problems. Aim: The purpose of this study was to assess intensive care nurses' moral sensitivity and moral courage during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Design: Descriptive cross‐sectional survey. Methods: A total of 362 nurses working in the intensive care units of pandemic hospitals in Turkey participated in the study between January and March 2021. Data were obtained using a personal information form, the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire, and the Nurses' Moral Courage Scale. A link to the online data collection tools was sent to the management of participating institutions, who forwarded it to nurses. Reporting followed the CHERRIES guidelines. Results: In this study, the response rate of nurses was 89%. The nurses' total mean moral sensitivity score was 90.70 ± 28.89 and their mean moral courage score was 82.08 ± 13.51. A weak inverse correlation was found between the nurses' moral sensitivity and moral courage scores (r = −.176, p =.001). Total moral sensitivity score differed significantly according to years of Intensive care unit (ICU) experience (p =.007). Total moral courage scores increased significantly with education level (p =.012), years of nursing experience (p =.016), and willingness to work in the ICU (p <.001). Conclusion: The study suggests that nurses working in the intensive care unit during the pandemic had moderate moral sensitivity and high levels of moral courage. Nurses' sociodemographic characteristics and ICU work conditions may affect their moral sensitivity and moral courage. Relevance to Clinical Practice: The results of this study can help guide efforts to improve moral courage and sensitivity and address ethical issues among ICU nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant morbidity and mortality, with the former impacting and limiting individuals requiring high physical fitness, including sportspeople and emergency services. Methods: Observational cohort study of 4 groups: hospitalised, community illness with on-going symptoms (community-symptomatic), community illness now recovered (community-recovered) and comparison. A total of 113 participants (aged 39 ± 9, 86% male) were recruited: hospitalised (n = 35), community-symptomatic (n = 34), community-recovered (n = 18) and comparison (n = 26), approximately five months following acute illness. Participant outcome measures included cardiopulmonary imaging, submaximal and maximal exercise testing, pulmonary function, cognitive assessment, blood tests and questionnaires on mental health and function. Results: Hospitalised and community-symptomatic groups were older (43 ± 9 and 37 ± 10, P = 0.003), with a higher body mass index (31 ± 4 and 29 ± 4, P < 0.001), and had worse mental health (anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress), fatigue and quality of life scores. Hospitalised and community-symptomatic participants performed less well on sub-maximal and maximal exercise testing. Hospitalised individuals had impaired ventilatory efficiency (higher VE/V̇CO2 slope, 29.6 ± 5.1, P < 0.001), achieved less work at anaerobic threshold (70 ± 15, P < 0.001) and peak (231 ± 35, P < 0.001), and had a reduced forced vital capacity (4.7 ± 0.9, P = 0.004). Clinically significant abnormal cardiopulmonary imaging findings were present in 6% of hospitalised participants. Community-recovered individuals had no significant differences in outcomes to the comparison group. Conclusion: Symptomatically recovered individuals who suffered mild-moderate acute COVID-19 do not differ from an age-, sex- and job-role-matched comparison population five months post-illness. Individuals who were hospitalised or continue to suffer symptoms may require a specific comprehensive assessment prior to return to full physical activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Understanding the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the perception and image of the profession are key factors in nurses' perceptions regarding their roles and their future. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the perception and image of the nursing profession among nurses working in surgical units. METHODS: This cross-sectional, correlational study was conducted with 216 nurses using the random sampling method between 10 and 30 March, 2022. The study data were collected using an information form, the Perception of Nursing Professional Scale (PNPS), and the Scale for the Image of the Nursing Profession. RESULTS: The nurses' mean age was 32.53±9.16 years (min 21, max 57) and their mean professional experience was 16.44±9.80 years (min 1, max 44). The mean PNPS score was 73.12±9.46, and the mean Scale for the Image of the Nursing Profession score was 171.11±11.16. Female nurses had significantly higher positive perceptions of nursing levels than male nurses. Gender, having a history of COVID-19, marginalization during the pandemic, and perception of the nursing profession significantly affected image perceptions of nursing at multiple linear regression analysis. These variables explained 43% of the total variance. CONCLUSION: Nurses working in surgical units during the COVID-19 pandemic exhibited a good level of professionalism and image perception concerning nursing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although nursing has made progress as a profession, there are still some negative myths to be dispelled. Purpose: This descriptive, cross‐sectional study was conducted to determine the nursing image perceived by the society during the Covid‐19 pandemic. Methods: The research population consisted of 663 people who were not in the nursing profession in Turkey. The data were collected with a sociodemographic data form that was prepared by the researchers and a questionnaire that contained questions on the image of nursing. The McNemar Test was used for statistical analysis. Results: Individuals have positive views towards the nursing profession compared to the prepandemic period. Nursing is accepted as a profession that is well known (82.8%), respected (69.8%) and difficult working conditions (88.2%) by individuals in the society (p <.05). However, nursing profession is still perceived as "doctors' assistant" (71.5%). Conclusion: Although nurses are more visible during the pandemic period and there are positive changes in public perception of the nursing profession, some unfortunate traditional perceptions persist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and Objectives: To reveal the existence of alarms in COVID‐19 intensive care units, where medical devices with alarm function are frequently used, the effects of alarms on nurses, especially their on‐the‐job performances and social lives, and their coping methods. Methodology/Methods: This was a mixed design, including descriptive and qualitative research methods with two stages, and was carried out between March and April 2021. The study adhered to the STROBE checklist for cross‐sectional studies and the COREQ guidelines for qualitative studies. Setting: Nurses in the COVID‐19 intensive care unit of a university hospital constituted the sample. 58 nurses participated in the quantitative data phase, and 18 nurses in the qualitative interviews. Results: More than half of the nurses worked in the COVID‐19 intensive care unit for more than 5 months and overtime, and 87.9 had day and night shifts. The monthly income level of 65.5% was between the hunger and poverty lines, and 12.1 % received psychiatric support in the last 6 months. A positive and significant relationship was found between the mean score obtained from the alarm fatigue questionnaire and the level of discomfort felt due to the alarms (1–10 points) (p = 0.001). Five themes and thirty sub‐themes were emerged in the focus group interviews. Conclusion: The number of alarms of the medical devices in the COVID‐19 intensive care units was more than the other intensive care units, resulting in fatigue in nurses. Since alarm fatigue is directly related to patient safety, the effective management of medical device alarms can reduce alarm fatigue and prevent potentially dangerous outcomes. Relevance to clinical practice: Nurses care for patients with severe clinical conditions in COVID‐19 intensive care units. This situation caused them to be exposed to more alarms. Nurses should make efforts to reduce their alarm intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nursing students' professional perceptions are affected by the environment they live in. Nursing students think that the nursing profession is important during the pandemic. Purpose: This descriptive, cross‐sectional study was conducted to determine the nursing students' professional image perceptions and the affecting factors during the Covid‐19 pandemic in Turkey. Methods: The research population consisted of all nursing students (N = 750) of two universities in Turkey. The research data were collected using a personal information form and the Scale for the Image of Nursing Profession (SINP). Results: Of the students, 76.4% were not infected with Covid‐19, 30.8% had an individual in their family infected with Covid‐19; 34% had an immediate family member who died of Covid‐19; 99.4% thought that the nursing profession is important during the Covid‐19 pandemic. A statistically significant difference was found between the place where the students live and the SINP (p <.05). Conclusion: The students' image perceptions toward the nursing profession were found to be at a good level. This indicates that image perception toward nursing profession has increased during the pandemic. It can be said that the place where the students are in the pandemic process and their thoughts about the nursing profession affect their professional image perceptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: It is important to determine nurses' levels of knowledge, health-protective practices for work and social life, and mental health states at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to combat the pandemic and minimize further problems. OBJECTIVES: To determine the relationships between knowledge levels, health-protective practices, and anxiety among nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was carried out with the online participation of 605 nurses in Turkey. The researchers prepared a questionnaire form to evaluate the participants' knowledge of COVID-19 and their awareness and health-protective behaviours in work and social life. The mental health statuses of the participants were assessed with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) questionnaire. RESULTS: Most of the participants (87.8%) had high levels of knowledge of COVID-19, while 28.8% had severe levels of anxiety disorder. The use of alcohol-based hand disinfectants (88.2%) and the use of N95 or N99 masks (88.5%) were the least frequently practiced protective behaviours at work, while in social life, a healthy and balanced diet (61.6%), social distancing (72.8%), and paying attention to one's sleep pattern (77.3%) were the least frequently practiced protective behaviours. Older age (41–50 years), higher education (master's degree) and having a work experience of 10 years or more were determined to increase the knowledge levels of the participants about COVID-19 (p < 0.001). Anxiety levels were higher in those with a history of mental illness (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Determining the knowledge levels, health-protective practices, and anxiety levels of nurses who are struggling in the frontlines in the field of health during the pandemic period can make a great contribution to the management of different current epidemics and pandemics and future ones by showing the areas in which nurses need to be empowered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lockdown and social distancing measures during the COVID‐19 pandemic increase women's responsibilities and influence their mental health. This study aimed to assess the effect of COVID‐19 social distancing measures on mental well‐being and burnout levels of women using an online cross‐sectional survey in Turkey. The Warwick‐Edinburgh Mental Well‐being Scale, The Burnout Measure, and Sociodemographic form were used in this study. All analyses were performed on a sample of 438 women aged between 18 and 65. The mean score of mental well‐being was 47.86 (SD = 10.04) and the mean score of burnout was 3.86 (SD = 1.16). Being younger than 30 years old (t = 2.14, P = 0.033), having undergraduate education or above (F = 5.09, P = 0.007), part‐time working (F = 5.39, P = 0.005), attending to school (t = 2.68, P = 0.008), having COVID‐19 symptoms (t = 6.01, P < 0.001), and perceiving spousal emotional support (F = 3.47, P = 0.016) were the factors associated with high burnout. Being older than 30 years old (z = −3.11, P = 0.002), full time working (H = 11.96, P = 0.003), not attending to school (z = −2.09, P = 0.036), perceiving spousal emotional (H = 13.22, P = 0.004), or social (H = 13.11, P = 0.004) support were the factors associated with higher mental well‐being. Age (β = −0.03, P = 0.001), having two or more children (β = 0.42, P = 0.015), and perceiving COVID‐19 symptoms (β = −0.73, P < 0.001) were the predictors of women's burnout. This study shows that mental well‐being and burnout levels of women in Turkey have been considerably affected as a result of social distancing measures taken with the first wave of the pandemic. Findings signal the immediate need for targeted mental health nursing interventions. Therefore, technology‐based mental health support programmes are recommended to be designed and utilized by mental health nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: During the COVID‐19 pandemic, there were difficulties in planning the nursing workforce and personal protective equipment. Aim: The purpose of this study was to identify the experiences and views of nurses on personal protective equipment use and nursing workforce planning in Turkey. Methods: This descriptive and cross‐sectional study was conducted between 23 December 2020 and 3 May 2021, among 362 nurses who agreed to participate in this study voluntarily. Results: The findings showed that the satisfaction scores were significantly higher for those nurses who worked in 8‐h shifts, were not assigned to different clinics, were notified by an official letter and 1 week or month in advance before assignment compared with nurses in other categories. Conclusions: The problems that have arisen in the COVID‐19 pandemic process have made it clear that there is a need for a nursing services management model in the event of an epidemic. Implications for Nursing Management: This study reveals the need for the 'Nursing Services Management Model in the Event of an Epidemic' by discussing the problems of nurse workforce planning and protective personal equipment management from the perspective of nurses who experienced these problems at first hand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the educational concerns and awareness level among dental hygiene students during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire, created via Google Forms, was sent electronically to 240 dental hygiene students from Turkey, of which 223 replied to the survey. The questionnaire was divided into 4 parts and consisted of 24 close‐ended questions. Results: The main symptoms of COVID‐19 were correctly recognized by 71% of the students, and 40.2% of the students were aware of the transmission routes. Of all, 77.1% of the students expressed fear of getting infected, 96.9% believed that they would more likely get infected while performing dental procedures, and 91% believed that dental hygienists' cross‐contamination risk was high. Furthermore, 69.5% of the students stated that their undergraduate education process was negatively affected, 59.6% appreciated ongoing online education, and 31.8% wanted face‐to‐face clinical internships. Conclusions: Although most of the students were aware of the transmission routes and preventive measures of COVID‐19, concerns regarding disease transmission among them remain. Students appreciated the ongoing online education and believed that face‐to‐face education is risky during this current pandemic. However, they believe that this process can adversely affect their professional knowledge and especially practical skills. A balance must be struck between sustaining an effective dental hygiene education process and containing the spread of COVID‐19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Health Academics / Sağlık Akademisyenleri Dergisi is the property of Journal of Health Academics and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: This study was aimed at evaluating mental wellbeing and health perception in the general population during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic and at highlighting the correlation between them and selected variables. Design and Methods: This descriptive and cross‐sectional study was carried out in 374 individuals, who were remotely administered two scales ("Perception of Health Scale [PHS]" and "Warwick‐Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale [WEMWBS]") and a demographic and clinical questionnaire. Findings: PHS mean score was 53.24 ± 7.69 and the total WEMWBS score was 52.95 ± 10.75. A positive statistically significant correlation was found between PHS and WEMWBS (p < 0.05). Gender, marital status, and education levels conditioned mental well‐being in a statistically significant. Suffering from a chronic disorder, COVID‐19 symptoms, or having a family member affected by COVID‐19 infection influenced the health perception. Practical Implications: Exposing the factors affecting the health and mental wellbeing perceptions of individuals, especially during the pandemic period, can guide policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on resident training in different branches and affected the physical and mental health of frontline residents adversely. This nationwide cross-sectional survey aimed to investigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on family medicine residents in Turkey, including the levels of depression and burnout. Methods: An anonymous online survey was distributed to all family medicine residents via e-mail and a web link between 28.11.2020 and 12.12.2020. Information on sociodemographic data and the residency programme were evaluated, and factors associated with depression and burnout were examined using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and the Burnout Measure-Short Version (BMS) respectively. Results: Although the weekly average working hours of the 477 respondents increased significantly during the pandemic (p < 0.05), the average weekly working time in the Family Medicine (FM) outpatient clinic decreased. The greatest concern of 58.3% of the residents was fear of transmitting COVID-19 to their family members. 90.2% of the residents stated that training programmes were negatively or very negatively affected. According to PHQ-9 scores, 15.7% of residents had moderately severe, and 14.9% severe depression. The BMS scores of the residents demonstrated that 24.1% had a very severe burnout problem, and 23.3% should seek professional help as soon as possible. Being single, having no children, female gender, lack of personal protective equipments and increased contact time with COVID-19 patients were associated with higher scores in the depression and burnout scales (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on training programmes for FM residents, who are at the forefront of the pandemic in Turkey, and this situation is closely related to depression and burnout. Due to the unpredictability of the pandemic, long-term plans should be made for the training needs of residents in order to protect their physical and mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and Objectives: This study aimed to determine the relationship of nurses' psychological well‐being with their coronaphobia and work–life balance during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Background: COVID‐19 is a global life‐threatening disease. The COVID‐19 pandemic negatively affects nurses' mental health. No studies have been conducted to determine the factors that affect nurses' psychological well‐being during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Turkey. If nurses' psychological well‐being is impaired during the COVID‐19 pandemic, the quality of nursing care and the nurses' performance may be negatively affected. Design: This is a descriptive, correlational and cross‐sectional study. The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) reporting guideline checklist for cross‐sectional studies was used for reporting in this study. Methods: The study population consisted of the nurses working in a Health Application and Research Center in Turkey. Data were collected using Google forms between June–August 2020. The study sample consisted of 295 nurses who voluntarily agreed to participate in the study and used social media tools. The data were collected using a Sociodemographic Characteristics Form, the COVID‐19 Phobia Scale (C19P‐S), the Work–Life Balance (WLB) Scale and the Psychological Well‐Being (PWB) Scale. The factors that affect psychological well‐being were determined using the stepwise multiple linear regression analysis. Results: The nurses' work–life balance and psychological well‐being were negatively affected during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Their COVID‐19 phobia was mild‐to‐moderate level. The nurses' psychological well‐being was significantly affected by the variable of neglecting life the most, followed by coronaphobia and work–life balance, which explain 75% of the variance. Conclusions: This study shows that coronaphobia experienced by nurses and work–life balance was related to their psychological well‐being during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Managers should take measures (regulating the working hours) to decrease nurses' COVID‐19 phobia (education, counselling or psychotherapy) and work–life imbalance. Relevance to clinical practice: Nurses' peers, managers and organisations need to take into account nurses' negative emotions and behaviours and organise training programmes to help them overcome their fears, communicate clearly and provide for their basic needs. Organisations, including managers and nurses, must recognise the distress being experienced by their nurses and create safe environments in which to have significant conversations. Nurses' mental health can be screened regularly by multidisciplinary teams, psychological support can be provided when required, and working hours can be regulated through appropriate shifts and breaks that will ensure work–life balance during and after the COVID‐19 pandemic. Nurses receiving emotional support from their families and friends (via chatting and sharing troubles) can also contribute positively. These measures and regulations will positively affect nurses' psychological well‐being and contribute to an increase in the quality of care and nurses' performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study was conducted to examine the obsessive behaviors and coping behaviors of nursing students during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic. Design and Methods: This descriptive study was conducted between October 4 and October 17, 2020. Findings: In this study, it was found that nursing students had a mean total COVID‐19 Obsessive Compulsive Scale score of 3.88 ± 3.02 and a mean total Ways of Coping Inventory (WCI) score of 47.05 ± 11.68. When the subscales of the WCI were examined, mean scores were found to be 13.64 ± 4.85 for the self‐confident approach, 8.91 ± 3.35 for the optimistic approach, 7.25 ± 2.24 for the seeking social support approach, 10.97 ± 4.43 for the helpless approach, and 6.24 ± 3.20 for the submissive approach. Practice Implications: Nursing students have low levels of obsession with COVID‐19 and moderate levels of coping behaviors. For this reason, it is very important to recognize the psychological symptoms of today's nursing students—the health workforce of the future—and to determine priorities for their solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study was conducted to develop and evaluate a theoretical model to explain the relationships among participation in individual and social activities, compliance with prevention guidelines, and the perception of fatalism and fear of COVID‐19. Methods: Cross‐sectional survey of 1,067 participants who were >18 years of age living in different provinces of Turkey recruited between August 15, 2020 and October 15, 2020. We used covariant structural analysis to assess the relationships of the constructs of the theoretical model. Results: Significant fits were detected for Model 1 (χ2 = 924,389, p <.001, comparative fit index or CFI = 0.944), and for Model 2 (χ2 = 2,253,751, p <.001, CFI = 0.926). The predetermination and luck subdimensions reduce the fear of COVID‐19, while the pessimism subdimension and compliance with preventive measures increase the fear. Conclusion: In public health crises such as COVID‐19, it is important to plan scientific knowledge‐based public education; take initiatives in accordance with the cultural, social, economic, religious, and local characteristics of the societies; and conduct public health studies covering the whole society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this cross‐sectional study was to examine factors associated with nurses' resilience during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Data were collected in the latter half of 2020 from 904 nurses across Japan, Republic of Korea, Republic of Turkey, and the United States. The questionnaire included the Connor‐Davidson Resilience Scale 10, plus demographics and 20 questions about practice environment, workplace safety concerning infection control, COVID‐related experience, and organizational support. Fear of becoming infected, intention to leave nursing, and having had a positive COVID‐19 test were inversely associated with resilience (p < 0.05). Regression analysis indicated that U.S. nurses had significantly greater resilience than nurses in the other countries examined (p < 0.001). Nurses reporting organization support and those who participated in policy and procedure development had higher resilience scores (p < 0.01). Organizational support, involving nurses in policy development, and country of practice were found to be important resilience factors in our research, which aligns with other findings. Further research is recommended to determine the optimal practice environment to support nurse resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and Objectives: This study aimed to determine the relationship between nurses' exposure to violence and their professional commitment during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Background: Violence against nurses is a common problem that persists worldwide. Design: This was a descriptive cross‐sectional study. Methods: An online questionnaire form and the Nursing Professional Commitment Scale were used to collect the data. The study was carried out online during the COVID‐19 pandemic between October–December 2020. A total of 263 nurses agreed to participate in the study. The STROBE checklist was followed for observational studies. Results: During the COVID‐19 pandemic, 8.4% of the nurses stated that they were exposed to physical violence, 57.8% to verbal violence, 0.8% to sexual violence and 61.6% to mobbing. 52.1% of the nurses stated that they thought of quitting the profession during the COVID‐19 pandemic. The mean total Nursing Professional Commitment Scale score was 71.33 ± 15.05. Conclusions: This study revealed that nurses' exposure to physical, verbal and sexual violence during the COVID‐19 pandemic decreased compared to before the pandemic. Nurses' exposure to mobbing during the pandemic was found to increase. A statistically significant difference was found between the status of the nurses' exposure to physical violence, verbal violence, and mobbing, working hours, number of patients given care, and their thoughts of quitting the profession. It was found that the status of exposure to physical violence, thinking of quitting the profession and working hours decreased professional commitment. Relevance to clinical practice: In the light of these results, it is recommended that measures to prevent violence should be addressed in a multifaceted way. In managing the pandemic process, the decisions and practices should not be left to the managers' initiative to prevent mobbing. Initiatives that will increase nurses' professional commitment during the pandemic process should be planned and implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the COVID-19 pandemic and psychological fatigue as a mental health issue among the population of Istanbul, Turkey. Participants and methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted in Istanbul, Turkey, between March and June 2020, where a total of 4,700 persons were approached and 3,672 (78%) of participants (64.4% males and 35.6% females) completed the Knowledge Attitude Practices (KAP) and Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS) questionnaires. Results: In this study, 64.1% of participants were categorized as psychologically fatigued and 35.9% as normal. There was a significant difference between fatigued and normal participants with respect to age, educational level, occupational status, place of residence and number of family members (p <.001). Other differences related to knowledge of COVID-19 were symptoms, treatment, ways of spreading (p <.001), prevention by avoiding crowded places (p =.008) and isolation (p =.002). For attitudinal items, normal participants generally showed more positive attitudes than the fatigued in believing that COVID-19 will finally be controlled, satisfaction with preventive measures taken by the authorities, reporting suspected cases with symptoms and trusting that Turkey can overcome the COVID-19 pandemic (p <.001). Multivariate stepwise regression analysis indicated that level of education, avoiding going to crowded places, eye, nose and mouth organs are sensitive organs to the virus, keeping physical distance due to epidemic affect by COVID-19 virus, isolation and treatment of people reduce the spread of COVID-19 virus and 14-days period of time, COVID-19 is mainly transmitted through contact with the respiratory droplets of an infected person, occupational status, health education programme needed and antibody treatment variables were significantly associated with fatigue after adjusting for age, gender and income variables. Conclusion: The current study provides valuable information for policymakers and mental health professionals worldwide regarding associations between the mental health of individuals and the ongoing outbreak, COVİD-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Today, COVID‐19 pandemic is still the most critical problem in the global health agenda. Since the awareness of the public in general and particularly awareness of those with comorbidities, such as cancer, determine the rate of mortality, the primary goal of this study was to assess the knowledge, perceptions and attitude of the patients with cancer towards the COVID‐19 pandemic. The secondary objective of this study was also to measure the effect of COVID‐19 on cancer patients' ongoing treatments. Methods: This study recruited 300 oncology patients through an outpatient community‐based oncology clinic in one of the 30 major cities of Turkey, which had taken a lockdown at weekends during April 2020. A questionnaire measuring the knowledge, attitudes and preventive behaviour was completed by each patient either face‐to‐face or through telephone survey. Results: In general, participants had a positive attitude towards protective measures. No delay for current cancer treatments or appointments has been observed in 98% of patients. More than half of the patients(52.3%) were using some kind of nutritional supplement to increase their body resistance. Nearly two‐third of patients could not identify the three most common symptoms of COVID‐19 (fever, cough, dyspnoea), and half of them were not aware of the routes of transmission (by contact and droplets). It was observed that patients with stage 1 cancer were tend to stay at home, while patients with stage 4 cancer were prone to leave their houses for the hospital at a higher ratio. The rate of people leaving houses was significantly higher for male patients and for patients with a university degree, whereas patients who were older than 65 were tend to go only to the hospital when they leave their houses. Conclusion: This study suggests that routine follow‐up and guidance for cancer patients seems to provide significant benefit to increase the knowledge and awareness of patients with cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]