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This study aims to evaluate the anxiety levels of employees by determining the working conditions and protective practices in the workplace of individuals who had to work during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: The cross-sectional study was carried out with 801 employees from different sectors who continued to work during the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: The mean age of the employees was 33.1±10.3 years, and 63.4%were male while 46.1%were workers. The GAD-7 anxiety level mean score of the participants was determined as 6.6±5.1. Per this, 25.2%of the participants showed a high tendency to anxiety and 38.5%showed a moderate tendency. A statistically significant difference was found between anxiety level and gender, sector and profession. Besides, there was a statistically significant difference between the perception of workplace risk, the way of transportation to the workplace, the social distance in the workplace, measures taken for COVID-19 in the workplace, and anxiety levels (p

Objectives: The aim of this study was to translate the Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI) into the Turkish language, to perform a psychometric validation, and to investigate its reliability in patients with chronic spinal pain with an organic origin, patients with fibromyalgia, and pain-free control individuals. Patients and methods: Between April 2016 and February 2017, the translation of the original English version of the CSI into Turkish was performed using the forward-backward translation method. A total of 100 fibromyalgia patients (6 males, 94 females; mean age: 45.0±8.4 years; range, 25 to 60 years), 100 patients with chronic spinal pain with an identified organic origin (CSPO), (10 males, 90 females; mean age: 43.8±9.7 years; range, 21 to 60 years), and 100 healthy controls (8 males, 92 females; mean age: 35.8±10.1 years; range, 25 to 55 years) were included in the study. Demographic characteristics were collected. Test-retest reliability was determined by re-administering the CSI-Turkish (CSI-Turk) two weeks after the first application. Results: The internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) was found to be 0.92 and the intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.93. Patients with fibromyalgia, a very common central sensitivity syndrome (CSS), had the highest mean CSI-Turk scores, and healthy controls had the lowest. Using the recommended cut-off score of 40 resulted in 87% sensitivity and 90% specificity in distinguishing between fibromyalgia and control individuals. Conclusion: This study suggests that the CSI-Turk can be effectively used as a screening tool to elucidate CS-related symptomology among patients with chronic pain with a high internal consistency, test-retest reliability, sensitivity, and specificity.

Purpose: The present study aimed to determine the depression risk and the management of chronic diseases of individuals over 65 years old under the mandatory mass coronavirus disease 2019 quarantine. Design and Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted with 185 Turkish elders with chronic diseases. Findings: The majority of the elderly reported that their medication, diet, and exercise programs were not affected, but the regular health controls were negatively affected. Of the participants, 51.9% of them carried the risk of depression. Implications for Nursing Practice: Urgent action plans for elders need to be developed taking into account psychosocial needs for them to pass the pandemic process with minimal damage. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC The authors?would like to thank?all the elders who participated at the study. They would also like to thank all the students of Tekirda? Nam?k Kemal University Health School for their contributions, who supported elderly people to answer the survey by reaching the elderly and reading the online survey during the data collection process.

Amac: Okul oncesi egitimin zorunlu egitim kapsamina alinmasi gundemi, beraberinde okul sagligi calisma kapsaminin genisletilerek planlanmasi ve uygulanmasi ihtiyacini dogurmustur. Okul oncesi egitim grubunda yer alan cocuklar, saglik riskleri bakimindan hassas gruplar arasinda olup ayni zamanda bu donem gelisimsel ozellikler nedeni ile egitim ortamlarinda cesitli kazalara maruz kalabilmektedir. Ilgili risklerin en aza indirilmesi amaciyla gerceklestirilen bu calisma, okul oncesi ogretmenlerinin saglik okuryazarligini arttirmaya yonelik katki sunmayi hedeflemektedir. Hastalar ve Yontem: Alanin uzmanlari ile belirlenen cercevede okul oncesi cocuk sagligina yonelik temel bilgiler ile acil durumlarin tespit edilmesi ve mudahalelerini iceren egitim programi olusturularak, 2016 yilinda dort grup ve her grup icin iki tam gunde egitimler tamamlanmistir. Edirne Merkez Ilcede gorev yapan toplam 106 okul oncesi ogretmene uygulanmak uzere hazirlanan egitim programina, 83 okul oncesi ogretmeni katilmistir. Calismanin verileri arastirmacilar ve egitim programinda gorev alan dokuz ayri alan uzmani tarafindan olusturulan akademik basari testi ve kisisel bilgi formu araciligi ile elde edilmistir. Soz konusu veri araclarini tam olarak dolduran ve ontest-sontest eslestirmesi yapilabilen 59 katilimcinin verileri calismaya dahil edilmistir. Bulgular: Arastirmada ogretmenlerin akademik basarilarinin verilen egitim sonunda arttigi (t(58)=17,27, p0,05) ve medeni durumlari (t(58)=0,61, p>0,05) ile son test puan ortalamalari arasinda anlamli bir fark olmadigi ortaya cikmistir. Sonuc: Okul oncesi ogretmenlerine verilen egitim ile ogretmenlerin cocuk sagligina yonelik bilgi duzeylerinin artigi belirlenmistir. Katilimcilarin saglik okuryazarligini da destekleyecegi dusunulen calisma ile egitim verdikleri cocuklarin, sagliklarini da korumak, gelistirmek ve gerekli oldugunda mudahale etmek durumunda kalan ogretmenlerin, bu cercevedeki surecleri iyi yonetmelerine destek olunacagi dusunulmektedir. Bu alanda basariya ulasilabilmesi icin uygulama kapsaminin genisletilerek yayginlastirilmasi, guncellenerek surekliligin saglanmasi gerekmektedir.

Introduction : Myocardial injury after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) occurs in approximately 30% of procedures, and is related to worse prognosis. Effects of remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) on reperfusion injury have been investigated before, yielding conflicting results. Aim : To assess the impact of a single episode of RIPC on myocardial injury after elective PCI. Material and methods : One hundred and four patients undergoing elective PCI, with normal baseline cardiac troponin-I (cTn-I) values, were randomized to two groups. Two patients were excluded due to data loss, and 102 patients were analyzed. Five minutes of ischemic preconditioning was delivered just before the intervention to the preconditioning group, by inflating the blood pressure cuff up to 200 mm Hg on the non-dominant arm. Postprocedural 16th hour cTn-I, cTn-I (difference between the 16th h and baseline cTn-I values) and the prevalence of type 4a myocardial infarction were compared between the two groups. Results : Median cTn-I values after the procedure were compared. 16th hour cTn-I was insignificantly lower in the preconditioning arm (0.026 µg/l vs. 0.045 µg/l, p = 0.186). The incidence of cTn-I elevation 5-fold above the upper reference limit (URL) (> 0.115 µg/l) was lower in the preconditioning group, but it was also not significant (21.6% vs. 11.8%, p = 0.184). Conclusions : A single episode of RIPC before elective PCI demonstrated less troponin elevation but failed to show a significant effect.

Amaç: Bu çalışmada, akut dönemde serum İnterlökin-6 (IL-6) düzeylerinin iskemik lezyon büyüklüğü, lokalizasyonu ve hastalığın erken dönem nörolojik fonksiyonel kötüleşmesi ile ilişkisi araştırıldı. Hastalar ve Yöntem: Çalışmaya akut serebral infarkt tanısı alan 55 olgu alındı. Kontrol grubu, benzer yaş aralığında 25 sağlıklı gönüllüden oluşturuldu. Olgular BBT’de infarkt yeri ve büyüklüğüne göre dört gruba ayrıldı. Modifiye Rankin Skoru ile erken dönem fonksiyonel kötüleşme değerlendirildi. Bulgular: Serum IL-6 seviyeleri sağlıklı kontrol grubuna göre tüm hasta gruplarında anlamlı olarak daha yüksek saptandı (p=0.001). Bilgisayarlı beyin tomografisinde (BBT) büyük lezyonu olanların IL-6 düzeyleri, küçük olanlara göre anlamlı olarak daha yüksek saptandı; ancak lezyon yerleşimi açısından anlamlı farklılık yoktu. Erken dönem fonksiyonel kötüleşmesi daha fazla olan olguların IL-6 değerleri, erken dönem fonksiyonel durumları iyi olan gruba göre anlamlı olarak daha yüksekti. IL-6 düzeyleri ile lökosit sayısı ve fibrinojen düzeyleri arasında anlamlı zayıf korelasyon saptandı. Sonuç: Serum IL-6 düzeyi yüksekliğinin lezyon büyüklüğü ve erken dönem fonksiyonel kötüleşme ile ilişkili olması; IL-6’nın intratekal salındığını ve inme patofizyolojisinde önemli rol oynayabileceğini düşündürebilir. Ayrıca akut iskemik inme sonrası inflamatuvar yanıtın IL-6 ile değerlendirilmesi serebral infarkt boyutu ve erken dönem fonksiyonel kötüleşmesi hakkında fikir verebilir., Aim: In this study, the relationship between ischemic lesion size, localization and early neurological functional impairment of serum Interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in the acute phase are investigated. Patients and Method: Fifty five patients who are diagnosed acute cerebral infarct by history, neurologic examination and computerized brain tomography (CT) were included in the study. The control group consisted of 25 healthy volunteers of similar age range with the patient group.The patients were subdivided into 4 groups according to the size and localization of the infarct on CT. The early neurologic functional stage was evaluated by modified Rankine Score. Results: Serum IL-6 levels were found significantly higher in all patients groups compared to healthy control group (p=0.001). IL-6 levels of patients with large lesions in CT were found significantly higher than that of patients with small lesions, but there were no significant difference with regard to localization of the lesion. IL-6 levels of poor early functional worsening group were found significantly higher than good functional group. There was a significant weak correlation between IL-6 levels and leukocyte count and fibrinogen levels. Conclusion: The elevation of serum IL-6 levels correlates with lesion size and prognosis suggesting that IL-6 is intrathecally released and may play an important role in stroke pathophysiology. Furthermore, evaluation of the inflammatory response after acute ischemic stroke with IL-6 may provide insight into the size of the cerebral infarction and deterioration with early function worsening.

Objective: This study was carried out to determine the association between violence related behaviors and self-reported health among university students. Material and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, which included a representative sample of all students of Trakya University. The sample of 1620 students enrolled at Trakya University was stratified according to sex and actual student number of faculties and colleges and selected by systematic sampling. In addition to descriptive statistics, Chi Square analysis and Logistic Regression analysis were used for statistical evaluation. Results: 6.3% of the respondents reported that they were exposed to violence, 33.5% of them stated they were involved in a physical fight during the past 12 months, 4.9% of them stated they did not go to school at least one day during the past 30 days because they felt unsafe and 4.4% of the students reported they had attempted suicide during the past 12 months. The analyses have shown that violence related behaviors were significantly associated with poor health after controlling the potential confounders. Conclusion: There is a need for more prospective studies for exploring the effects of violence related behaviors to health. Interventions targeting youths who engage in violence should consider that violence related behaviors may be markers for poor health. Turkish Başlık: Trakya Üniversitesi Öğrencilerinde Şiddet Davranışları ve Algılanan Sağlık İlişkisi Anahtar Kelimeler: Şiddet, algılanan sağlık, üniversite öğrencileri Amaç: Bu çalışmada, üniversite öğrencilerinde şiddetle ilişkili davranışların, algılanan sağlık ile ilişkisi ve bu ilişkinin cinsiyete göre farklılaşıp farklılaşmadığının değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmaktadır. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Çalışma Trakya Üniversitesi'nin tüm öğrencilerini temsil eden bir örneklemi kapsayan, kesitsel bir çalışmadır. Tüm okullardan araştırma kapsamına alınan 1 620 öğrenci fakülte ve yüksekokulların mevcut öğrenci sayılarına ve cinsiyete göre ağırlıklandırılarak, sistematik örnekleme yöntemi ile belirlenmiştir. Araştırmacılar tarafından geliştirilen yapılandırılmış anketler, araştırmaya katılmayı kabul eden öğrencilere, bir ders saati süresince gözlem altında uygulanmıştır. İstatistiksel değerlendirme için tanımlayıcı istatistiklerin yanı sıra Ki-Kare analizi ve lojistik regresyon analizi kullanılmıştır. Bulgular: Katılımcıların %6.3'ü son 12 ayda şiddete maruz kaldığını, %33.5'i son 12 ayda bir kavgada bulunduğunu, %7.2'si son 12 ayda yaralanmalı bir kavgada bulunduğunu, %4.9'u son 30 gün içinde kendini güvende hissetmediği için en az bir gün okula gitmediğini, %4.4'ü son 12 ay içinde en az bir kez intihar girişiminde bulunduğunu bildirmişlerdir. Bu çalışmada yapılan analizler şiddetle ilişkili davranışların, potansiyel karıştırıcı faktörler kontrol edildiğinde dahi, sağlığın kötü algılanması ile ilişkili olduğunu göstermiştir. Sonuç: Şiddet ile ilişkili olan davranışların sağlığa etkisini belirlemek ve daha ayrıntılı inceleyebilmek için prospektif çalışmalar yapılmasına gereksinim vardır. Şiddetle ilgili gençleri kapsayan müdahaleler planlanırken, şiddet davranışlarının sağlıksızlığın belirtileri olduğu akıldan çıkarılmamalıdır., Amaç: Bu çalışmada, üniversite öğrencilerinde şiddetle ilişkili davranışların, algılanan sağlık ile ilişkisi ve bu ilişkinin cinsiyete göre farklılaşıp farklı- laşmadığının değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmaktadır. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Çalışma Trakya Üniversitesi’nin tüm öğrencilerini temsil eden bir örneklemi kapsayan, kesitsel bir çalışmadır. Tüm okullardan araştırma kapsamına alınan 1 620 öğrenci fakülte ve yüksekokulların mevcut öğrenci sayılarına ve cinsiyete göre ağırlıklandırılarak, sistematik örnekleme yöntemi ile belirlenmiştir. Araştırmacılar tarafından geliştirilen yapılandırılmış anketler, araştırmaya katılmayı kabul eden öğrencilere, bir ders saati süresince gözlem altında uygulanmıştır. İstatistiksel değerlendirme için tanımlayıcı istatistiklerin yanı sıra Ki-Kare analizi ve lojistik regresyon analizi kullanılmıştır. Bulgular: Katılımcıların %6.3’ü son 12 ayda şiddete maruz kaldığını, %33.5’i son 12 ayda bir kavgada bulunduğunu, %7.2’si son 12 ayda yaralanmalı bir kavgada bulunduğunu, %4.9’u son 30 gün içinde kendini güvende hissetmediği için en az bir gün okula gitmediğini, %4.4’ü son 12 ay içinde en az bir kez intihar girişiminde bulunduğunu bildirmişlerdir. Bu çalışmada yapılan analizler şiddetle ilişkili davranışların, potansiyel karıştı- rıcı faktörler kontrol edildiğinde dahi, sağlığın kötü algılanması ile ilişkili olduğunu göstermiştir. Sonuç: Şiddet ile ilişkili olan davranışların sağlığa etkisini belirlemek ve daha ayrıntılı inceleyebilmek için prospektif çalışmalar yapılmasına gereksinim vardır. Şiddetle ilgili gençleri kapsayan müdahaleler planlanırken, şiddet davranışlarının sağlıksızlığın belirtileri olduğu akıldan çıkarılmamalıdır.

AIM: This study was conducted for determining the eating habits and food knowledge and rate of recognizing brand logos currently featured in promotional campaigns of the food industry of the school children. And to explore the relationship between the ability of recognizing brand logos currently featured in promotional campaigns of the food industry and eating habits, food knowledge and preferences. METHOD: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 15 primary schools in the provincial center of Edirne. The questionnaire form was composed of three parts. In the first part; the socio-demographic characteristics and nutritional habits, in the second part; food knowledge and preferences of the students and in the third part; ability to recognize brand logos were questioned. RESULTS: 1018 students were participated in the study. The results of the study confirmed the findings of previous studies that the diet of children aged 9-11 was poor. The majority of the children reported eating unhealthy foods such cips, crisps and fast-food and drinking fizzy drinks at least once a day. Children knew healthy foods (med:8) but did not prefer healthy foods (med:5). 84.9 % of the students recognized more than the half of the brand logos. A correlation was found between higher brand logo recognition and poorer eating behaviors and food knowledge. CONCLUSION: Nonetheless this study did not presented strong evidence to suggest a casual link between food advertising and poor diet; it indicated that food promotion may have an influence on children. [TAF Prev Med Bull 2009; 8(6.000): 459-464]

The coagulation system is activated and coagulation activation markers are elevated in acute ischemic stroke with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). The etiology, severity, and prognosis of the ischemic stroke might be estimated with the level of the activation of the coagulation system. In this study, prothrombin F1+2 (F1+2), D-dimer, and fibrinogen levels were measured in patients with acute ischemic stroke with and without NVAF, and stroke severity was compared with these hemostatic parameters. Of 55 patients, 29 had sinus rhythm (group I), 26 had NVAF (group II); 20 healthy subjects (group III) were included in the study. Subtypes of cerebral infarction were classified. The patients underwent stroke severity, electrocardiography, echocardiography, cranial computed tomography, cervical duplex ultrasonography, and hemostatic parameter studies. In group II, F1+2 level (2.83±0.89) was significantly higher than in group I (2.33±0.80) and III (1.94±0.64) (p values: group I-II, 0.036; groups II-III, 0.001; groups I-III, 0.104). In group III, fibrinogen level (251.64±60.96) was significantly lower than that in groups I (347.97±111.49) and II (364.04±86.20) (p=0.001). D-dimer was not significantly different between groups. In group I, lacunar syndrome (LACS), and in group II, partial and total anterior circulation syndrome (PACS+TACS) were more common (p=0.013, p=0.001, respectively). In group II, Scandinavian Stroke Scale scores were lower than those in group I (group I=45.2±14, group II=35.4±18.9, p=0.02). In conclusion, activation of coagulation, demonstrated by increment F1+2, is more abundant in the stroke patients with NVAF than in the stroke patients with sinus rhythm. Our results also showed that activation of the hemostatic system might be related to stroke subtype and stroke severity. It is suggested that the oral anticoagulation treatment as prophylaxis is important in the prevention of stroke in patients with NVAF.

One of the most important conditions for individuals to be happy and productive in workplaces is job satisfaction. In this study, it was aimed to determine the levels of job satisfaction in physicans and nurses who worked in hospitals in Edirne and to evaluate the effects of potential influencing factors on job satisfaction. The population of the study was composed of a total of 1376 individuals. The sample group was composed of a total of 385 healthcare staffs including 192 physicians and 193 nurses (28% of the population). The data were collected using a questionnaire form and Minnesota Job Satisfaction Scale and evaluated by SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) 20.0 package program. Job satisfaction levels were found better in the healthcare staffs who worked in private hospital. When assessed by profession, the highest level of job satisfaction was found in academic member. This study was found that 82% of the health staffs reported that they did not feel safe while working, 75% were exposed to verbal or physical abuse. When the satisfaction of the participants related to the institution where they worked and the occupation they had was examined, it was observed that approximately 37% reported that they thought to leave the institution where they worked and 25% even reported that they thought quitting their jobs. The general job satisfaction was better in individuals who were experts in their areas, who worked in private hospital, who loved their profession, whose working hours were regular, who felt themselves safe in their institutions and who worked free from violence. The worst level of job satisfaction was found in general practitioners. The job satisfaction of healthcare staffs who thought that the performance-based payment system applied in Turkey was unfair was low.

Studies evaluating the role of indoor molds in the development of allergic or respiratory symptoms in schools are few in childhood.This study aimed to investigate relation between indoor molds and allergic diseases or respiratory symptoms in primary school's children in Edirne, Turkey.Ten public primary schools were included into the study. A thorough assessment, using a questionnaire and inspection surveys was carried out. The concentration of culturable mold was assessed in the dust samples in the schools. Indoor temperature and humidity were measured. A total of 1374 students who completed valid questionnaires were included in the study, and dust-samples were collected from the schools.Cumulative and current prevalence rates of wheezing, asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis were found as 31.4%, 9.3%, 16.2%, 6.0% and 13.4%, 11.9%, 15.1%, 2.1%, respectively. The most frequent mold-species detected in indoor dusts were Cladosporium, Penicillium, Alternaria and Aspergillus. Although the prevalence rates of allergic diseases and respiratory symptoms were high, indoor mold amounts were low in the schools in our region and no significant correlation was determined between indoor mold amount and the prevalence of these diseases in schools or classrooms.Even though allergic molds are present in schools, the mold-exposure may not be an important predisposing factor for development of allergic and respiratory diseases the schools in our region.

The relation between fibronectin and coronary artery disease (CAD) according to previous study results is controversial. The aim of the present study is to investigate the predictive value of fibronectin in determining the presence and severity of CAD. Patients with stable angina (n = 62) who had angiographically documented CAD, and control patients (n = 31) who had normal coronary angiograms, were included in the study. Plasma fibronectin levels were determined in all patients. Plasma fibronectin level (milligrams per liter) in patients with CAD was higher than normal controls (364.2 ± 171 vs 265.1 ± 135.5, p = 0.006). The severity of CAD determined according to Gensini score and fibronectin level did not show any correlation (r = 0.13, p = 0.311). If fibronectin level 240 mg/l was determined as cutoff, it showed 76% sensitivity, 46% specificity, 46% negative predictive value, and 72.3% positive predictive value for predicting CAD. The present study showed that plasma fibronectin level in CAD is significantly higher than normal control subjects. However, it has no role in predicting the severity of CAD.

This study was designed to estimate the rubella seroprevalence in unvaccinated Turkish adolescent girls in urban and rural areas of Edirne, and to create preventive strategies for congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). The sample, representing 12- to 17-year-old adolescent girls, consisted of 1,600 subjects selected from school lists by systematic and random sampling, which was matched by age and urban-rural residency strata proportional to the corresponding distributions in the Edirne population. For each participant, a questionnaire was completed and rubella-specific IgG antibodies were measured. After analysis of samples, seropositivity prevalence, equivocal and seronegative samples of adolescent girls in Edirne were determined as 93.1%, 0.6% and 6.3%, respectively. Data from the present study may indicate that 6.9% of adolescent girls have considerable risk for rubella infection during pregnancy. Eliminating rubella and CRS in Turkey will require national health service efforts, including vaccination of all adolescents and all susceptible women of childbearing age.

Objective Immune response against pertussis can be induced by infection and/or vaccination and vaccine induced immunity is known to wane within the decade following vaccination. Our aim was to assess the pertussis immune response among adolescent girls in the province of Edirne in Turkey. In addition we determined the relationship between the immune response and age, residence, and vaccination status. Material and methods Serum samples were collected from 359 adolescent girls, 12 to 17 years old. The subjects were selected by systematic randomisation from school rosters and sampled by age and urban-rural residence strata proportional to the corresponding distributions in the Edirne population. Pertussis immunity was determined by an in-house quantitative ELISA method for anti-PT and anti-FHA antibodies. Results Protective levels of antibody (>10 EU/ml) for anti-pertussis toxin and anti-filamentous heamagglutinin were found in 95.3% and 97.2% of the overall study group respectively. In 12- to 14-year-olds protective levels were shown in 94.1% and 97.0%, in 15- to 17-year-olds in 97.5% and 97.5%, in rural areas in 96.7% and 97.5%, and in urban areas in 94.5% and 97.5%, respectively (p >0.05). Conclusion The high percentages of protective levels of antibodies in our study population might be an indicator of previous infections, which are a threat to infants who have not completed primary immunisation. In this respect, adult immunisation should be considered.

This survey was designed to investigate the socio-demographic characteristics of and utilization of a Primary Heath Care Unit (PHCU) by Roma people (Turkish Gypsies), who live in the coverage area of Muradiye Primary Health Care Unit, as compared to members of the general population. This was a cross-sectional field study involving members of the Muradiye PHCU district. The study population comprised 127 Turkish gypsies resident in the region and 302 households selected by a stratified random sampling method. 889 household members were interviewed face-to-face at their home by means of a structured questionnaire. When the two sample groups were compared in terms of their social security coverage, rates of unemployment and educational levels, the situation of the Turkish Gypsies was found to be worse than that of the other members of the general population. 63% of the Gypsies applied to the PHCU because of health problems and 87% of these cases were treated successfully. Among those people making use of the PHCU services 47% evaluated them as being "satisfactory". Access to the PHCU services was found to be conditioned by educational level, being a Gypsy, the possession or not of a Green Card (available only to highly indigent people), whether or not the services were provided free of charge and the possession or not of social security coverage. Muradiye PHCU is well known and highly appreciated in its coverage area and is used by almost all of the residents. The main reason for the significant discrepancies in the level of health care obtained by the two population groups is the Gypsies' poorer economic situation. Among the Gypsies, the leading category of low rate social security coverage is the Green Card, which is granted to the very poor in order to reduce these inequalities. Unfortunately, the Green Card does not provide financial support for ambulatory care.

This study was designed to define the epidemiology of a food-borne outbreak caused by Salmonella enteritidis that affected only one squadron of a military battalion located in the vicinity of the city of Edirne in Turkey. The outbreak was analyzed by a standard surveillance form of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The relationship between the eaten foods and cases was analyzed by Fisher's exact chi-square test, and odds ratios were calculated by a case-control study. The outbreak affected 60 of 168 soldiers in the squadron, 16 of whom were hospitalized. S.enteritidis was cultured in stools from 13 of the hospitalized soldiers and from 3 soldiers who had prepared the food. All strains were completely susceptible to antibiotics; their plasmid profiles were also identical. The highest attack rate detected was 55.7% in an omelet eaten 24 hours before (p < 0.001). Furthermore, it was the riskiest food according to the case-control study (OR=7.88; 95% CI=3.68-16.89). The food samples were unobtainable because they had been discarded. All of the hospitalized cases recovered, and none of the control cultures of stools yielded the pathogen after three weeks. In conclusion, although our results didn't indicate the exact source of the outbreak microbiologically, the omelet was considered to be the source based on the epidemiological proofs.

A predisposition to occlusive vascular diseases has been reported in patients with psoriasis and it has been suggested that some of these patients have some disorders of lipid metabolism. In this study, serum lipid levels were investigated in psoriatic patients to explore to the knowledge of this relationship. One hundred psoriatic patients and 100 non- psoriatic controls were included in the study. Total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-cholesterol), and very low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (VLDL-cholesterol) levels were measured. In patients with psoriasis, total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels were found to be significantly higher than those of controls. No significant differences were found in the other parameters. We concluded that psoriatic patients should be evaluated and followed up for the risk of hyperlipidemia and obstructive vascular diseases.

Background Primary knee osteoarthritis (PKO) leads functional degenaration of knee joints and cause disability in general population. There are a lot of faýctors that effect on the intensity and functional status of PKO in various degrees. Objectives To investigate the efficacies of age, body mass index (BMI), the Kellgren Lawrence Radiological Osteoarthiritis Index (KLOAI), medial tibiofemoral joint space (MTFJS) on the intensity and functional status of PKO. Methods Fifty subjects (ages 56 to 69), 40 female (%80) and 10 male (%20), diagnosed as PKO according to American College of Rheumotology were admitted to the study. AP knee radiography of the patients were taken while standing up and MTFJS were measured. Those films were evaluated according to the KLOAI. Lequesne index (LI), Sickness Impact Profile (SIP), painless walking duration (PWD1) and painless walking distance (PWD2) were used with purpose to determine the clinical status and intensity of the PKO. Results We found these formulas according to Backward Lineer Regression Model. SIP = 202.2 + (63.9 × KLOAI) PWD1 (minutes) = 14 + (0.37 × BMI) + (3.1 × Sex) ? (3.1 × KLOAI) PWD2 (metres) = 1417 + (217.7 × Sex) Conclusion KLOAI correlated with SIP and PWD1 moderately. However, we think that all of these factors should be evaluated in clinical status of PKO. References Mc Alindon TE, Cooper C, Kýrwan JR. Determinants of disability in osteoarthritis of the knee. Ann Rheum Dis. 1993;52:258–62 Hochberg MC, Cejku ML, Scott WW. The association of body weight, body fatness and body fat distribution with osteoarthritis of the knee: data from the Baltýmore longitudinal study of aging. J Rheumatol. l995;22(3):488–93 Mankin HJ. Clinical features of osteoarthritis. In: Kelly, Harris, Rudd, Sledge, eds. Textbook of rheumatology. Vol. 4. Philadelphia: WB Saunders Company, 1993: 1374–84 Lequesne MG, Samson M. Indicis of severity for OA. Eular Balot No:3, 85, 1992 Wade DT. Measurement in neurological rehabilitation. Oxford University Press, 1992: 208 Sowers M, Zobel D, Weis FF. Progression of osteoarthritis of the hand and metacarpal bone loss. Arthritis Rheum. 1991;34(1):36–42 Dequeker J, Dieppe P. Disorders of bone, cartilage and connective tissue. In: Klippel JH, Dieppe PA, eds. Rheumatology. Philadelphia: The Mosby Company, 1998: 8.1.1–8.12.16

Aim The aim of this study is to reveal demographic, etiological and clinical characteristics of our cerebral palsy cases and to underline differences peculiar to Thrace region of Turkey. Methods One hundred and thirty five cerebral palsy cases, followed by Medical Faculty of Trakya University, Department of Pediatrics, Division Pediatric Neurology, were evaluated retrospectively. Data were obtained through out patient clinic files and patient discharge forms. Interviews by the phone were carried on in order to complete the necessary information. Demographic, etiological, laboratory and clinical characteristics of the cases were recorded. Results The mean age of the cases was 112.65±47.02 months (2–18 years) and boy/girl ratio was 1.8. The majority of the case etiologies were perinatal risk factors accounted for 61.5%. Forty per cent of the cases were term AGA. Spastic type cerebral palsy constituted 91.9% of all cases with cerebral palsy while 46% of them were quadriplegic. Quadriplegic type was encountered most (46.2%) in term deliveries, while diplegic type was the most common form in preterms (47.4%). Speech problems (77.8%) and mental retardation (75.6%) were the most accompanying problems. Epilepsy accompanied 72.6% of the cases. An increasing rate of malnutrition was detected parallel to increasing age groups. Conclusions Cerebral palsy cases showed certain differences in terms of demographic, etiological and clinical characteristics in Thrace region comparing to other regions.

Purpose Efforts for the early detection of bone loss and subsequent fracture risk by quantitative ultrasound (QUS), which is a non-invasive, radiation free, and cheaper method, seem rational to reduce the management costs. We aimed in this study to assess the probable correlation of speed of sound (SOS) values obtained by QUS with bone mineral density (BMD) as measured by the gold standard method, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), and to investigate the diagnostic value of QUS to define low BMD. Materials and Methods One hundred twenty-two postmenopausal women having prior standard DEXA measurements were included in the study. Spine and proximal femur (neck, trochanter and Ward's triangle) BMD were assessed in a standard protocol by DEXA. The middle point of the right tibia was chosen for SOS measurement by tibial QUS. Results The SOS values were observed to be significantly higher in the normal BMD (t score > - 1) group at all measurement sites except for the lumbar region, when compared with the low BMD group (t score < - 1). SOS was negatively correlated with age (r = - 0.66) and month since menopause (r = - 0.57). The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for QUS t score to diagnose low BMD did not seem to be satisfactory at either of the measurement sites. Conclusion Tibial SOS was correlated weakly with BMD values of femur and lumbar spine as measured by DEXA and its diagnostic value did not seem to be high for discriminating between normal and low BMD, at these sites.

Objective: Immun response against pertussis can be induced by infection and/or vaccination and vaccine induced immunity is known to wane within the following decade. Our aim was to assess the pertussis immun response among adolescent girls in Edirne province in Turkey and to determine its relationship with some parameters.

The aim of this research was to estimate the community prevalence of alcoholism and the potential risk factors that affect it in the Edirne provincial centre by using a scanning test. A cross-sectional study was carried out in the Edirne provincial centre. A sample population composed of 500 women and 200 men was selected randomly after the categorisation of the population according to ethnicity, age and sex. Through face-to-face interviews, data collection sheets, which were prepared to analyse potential factors affecting alcoholism frequency, were filled in by the sample population. The Michigan Alcoholism Scanning Test (MAST) was employed. According to MAST's normal grading, individuals with 5 or more points are evaluated as alcoholics. Accordingly, 8.2% of the sample population fit the definition of alcoholic. Alcoholism frequency was considerably higher in gypsies, the self-employed, smokers, and people with higher income. From logistic regression analysis alcoholism frequency was 12.4 times higher in men than in women, 3.2 times higher in gypsies than in others, 1.9 times higher in people who earned an income in the preceding week than in the unemployed, and 3.7 times higher in individuals who had smoked more than 100 cigarettes during their life or those who had smoked at least 1 cigarette for 3 months or for a longer period than in those who hadn't smoked any cigarettes. The prevalence of alcoholism in the Edirne provincial centre was similar to that in other countries in Europe. The most important finding was that alcohol consumption decreased in the unemployed, a finding that differs from that in other parts of the world. Gypsies, who differ in tradition, way of life, and job compared to the other strata of society, also suffered from higher alcohol consumption. This group usually consumed wine and generally did not eat while drinking.