Search

The goal of this study was to evaluate the measurement invariance of an adapted assessment of motivations for social withdrawal ("Social Preference Scale--Revised"; SPS-R) across cultural contexts and explore associations with loneliness. Participants were a large sample of university students (N = 4,397; M[subscript age] = 20.08 years, SD = 2.96; 66% females) from 10 countries (Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, India, Italy, South Korea, Norway, Turkey, and the United States). With this cross-cultural focus, we illustrate the "multiple-group factor analysis alignment method," an approach developed to assess measurement invariance when there are several groups. Results indicated approximate measurement invariance across the 10 country groups. Additional analyses indicated that overall, shyness, avoidance, and unsociability are three related, but distinct factors, with some notable country differences evident (e.g., in China, India, and Turkey). Shyness and avoidance were related positively to loneliness in all countries, but the strength of the association between shyness and loneliness differed in Italy and India relative to the other countries. Results also indicated that unsociability was related positively to loneliness in the United States only. Theoretical and assessment implications are discussed.

Objective: Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) can affect the quality of life (QoL), which can be better assessed with validated scales. Our goal was to validate the Turkish version of the Italian CVID-QoL questionnaire.. Materials and Methods: International recommendations for the cultural adaptation and translation process of the original scale were followed. CVID patients completed the Turkish CVID-QoL questionnaire between October 2019 and January 2020. The Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) was used as a comparative questionnaire. Reliability, reproducibility, factor analysis, content validity, convergent validity, and discriminant validity were analyzed. Results: Fifty CVID patients were included in the study. 64% of the patients (n=32) were male, the mean age of the patients was 36.68 ± 13.2 years, and the median duration of disease was 52.5 months. The instrument had good internal consistency in 50 patients [Cronbach's alpha: 0.92, emotional functioning (EF): 0.91, relational functioning (RF): 0.77]. Twenty-six patients answered the survey questions again within 14-21 days. Reproducibility was very high; QoL global, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC)=0.80 (95% CI 0.56-0.91); EF, ICC=0.78 (95% CI 0.51-0.90); RF, ICC=0.82 (95% CI 0.59-0.92); Gastrointestinal and skin symptoms (GSS), ICC=0.89 (95% CI 0.76-0.95); (p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001). QoL global, EF and RF scores showed good convergent validity with the similar subscales of SF-36. The number of infections within the last 3 months had a significant impact on QoL global (p=0.038), EF (p=0.045) and RF (p=0.028). Conclusion: The Turkish version of the CVID QoL scale has appropriate validity and reliability among Turkish patients with CVID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this paper is to share the initial experiences on a European Union (EU) Lifelong Learning Programme Leonardo Da Vinci Transfer of Innovation Project related to the use of simulation-based learning with nursing students from Turkey. The project started at the end of the 2010 involving 7 partners from 3 different countries including Turkey, England, and Italy. Methods: This project is divided into 7 work packages (WP). In this paper, experiences from the first three WPs (WP1: Preparation and dissemination of the project. WP2: Regulation of the project management. WP3: Development of the evaluation tools used to evaluate the impact of the innovative practice within the coordinating partner's institution) are shared. Results: In the WP1 and WP2: the kick-off meeting was organized in Turkey, the coordinating partner's country. During the meeting project-related events were planned and the steering committee of the project was formed. A strong team spirit within the partnership was established. For the dissemination of the project, a poster and flier of the project were prepared and placed on corporate boards visible to students and teaching staff and put on the partners' institutional websites. Regular bulletins of the project were also prepared and posted on the project website. In the WP3, student data sheet, items for students' satisfaction questionnaire and confidence scale were created based on the literature. Trauma patient scenarios (abdominal trauma, thoracic trauma, pelvic fracture and traumatic amputation) were created to test the target group's knowledge. Ethical approval was obtained from the coordinating partner institution. A pilot study to test the cases was conducted. Following the pilot study, the final version of the student data sheet and scenario cases was created. The second meeting was organized in Italy. In this meeting, the results of the pilot study, the scenario cases, and the Patient Intervention Self Confidence/Competence Scale were evaluated. Conclusion: The work on this EU project is still in progress. Considering that learning from experience is an important part of nursing education, sharing experiences on such a project related to using simulation as an innovative teaching strategy in nursing education in Turkey should provide an example to others who want to develop other EU projects in nursing education.

Previous research has identified school bonding as protective against substance use during adolescence. However, there is still a question as to whether school involvement predicts changes in substance use or if substance use actually predicts changes in level of school bonding. This study investigated the relationship between school bonding and alcohol use, which is commonly recognized as gateway drug, during early adolescence. A three-wave longitudinal analysis was conducted on a sample composed of 161 Italian adolescents (51% boys, 49% girls, mean age = 11.14 years, standard deviation = 0.40). Associations were analyzed by using crossed-lagged autoregressive models in MPlus. Findings revealed that greater school involvement decreased alcohol consumption from Grade 6 to Grade 7. However, greater alcohol use decreased school involvement from Grade 7 to Grade 8. Findings of this study underlined the importance of choosing the right time for prevention. (Contains 3 tables and 2 figures.)

By means of stochastic volatility in the mean model to allow for time-varying parameters in the conditional mean and quarterly data for the G7 countries, this article examines the dynamic nexus between the volatility of output and economic growth for the G7 countries. This approach allows us to model parameter time-variation so as to reflect changes in the effect of volatility appearing in both the conditional mean and the conditional variance. The evidence in this article indicates that the effect of output volatility on output growth is strongly time-varying and quite analogues for all the G7 countries, with a break around 1973. The effect of output volatility on growth becomes more negative after 1973, with negative and statistically significant estimates after 1973 or early 1990s. Our estimates show a reversal of the declining trend and a significant increase in output volatility in the late-2000s, indicating that the Subprime Crisis brought a temporary break in the Great Moderation. However, the Great Moderation seems to be generally restored by the mid-2010s. The effect of output growth on output volatility is insignificant for all countries except for Italy and the US, for which the estimates are positive and statistically significant. Our estimates also show that output volatility is counter-cyclical for all countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Advanced hybrid closed-loop (AHCL) automated insulin delivery systems are the most effective therapy in terms of assisting people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) to achieve glycemic targets; however, the cost can represent a barrier to uptake. In this study, a cost–utility analysis of the MiniMed™ 780G AHCL system (MM780G) versus intermittently scanned continuous glucose monitoring (is-CGM) plus multiple daily insulin injections (MDI) in people with T1D not achieving glycemic goals was performed across six European countries. Methods: Clinical input data were sourced from the ADAPT trial. Assuming a baseline HbA1c of 9.04%, HbA1c reductions of 1.54% for AHCL and 0.2% for is-CGM+MDI were modeled. The analyses were performed from a payer perspective over a time horizon of 40 years and an annual discount rate of 3% was applied. Results: Across all countries, the use of AHCL was projected to result in an incremental gain in quality-adjusted life expectancy of >2 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) versus is-CGM+MDI. Lifetime direct costs were higher with AHCL resulting in incremental cost–utility ratios for AHCL versus is-CGM+MDI ranging from EUR 11,765 per QALY gained in Austria to EUR 43,963 per QALY gained in Italy. Conclusions: For people with T1D managed with is-CGM+MDI not achieving glycemic targets, initiation of the MM780G system was projected to improve long-term clinical outcomes; however, due to differences in health care costs between countries, the health economic outcomes differed. In all included countries, AHCL is likely to be cost-effective relative to is-CGM+MDI for people not achieving glycemic goals with is-CGM+MDI. The ADAPT trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04235504. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High levels of atmospheric pollutants have been frequently measured in Turkey during the last decade. Specifically, the occurrence of these high particulate matter concentrations is often related to either local-scale conditions or regional-scale transport. In order to better understand the atmospheric factors that trigger poor air quality, further research investigating the relationship between air pollution and meteorological variables or atmospheric circulation patterns is needed. In this study, the influence of synoptic-scale weather types on PM10 levels over the Aegean region of Turkey is investigated for the period 2008–2015. First of all, hourly PM10 concentrations of 13 air quality stations are respectively converted to daily, seasonal, and regional averages. The seasonal variability of PM10 values in the region indicates that high particulate matter concentrations are registered in winter, fall, spring, and summer months with mean values at 90.6 (± 38.3 standard deviation), 66.9 (± 28.3), 61.6 (± 23.4), and 54.1 (± 12.8) μg m−3, respectively. In regard to the synoptic-scale approach, eight directional and two vorticity types of the Lamb weather type (LWT) method are used in the analysis. Based on the results, poor air quality conditions are observed in all seasons during active southeasterly (SE, interaction between a low pressure over Italy and a high pressure over the Caspian Sea) circulation types (CTs). In winter, mainly easterly (E), SE, southerly (S), and anticyclonic (A) weather patterns result in above normal PM10 concentrations. In addition to these four CTs, southwesterly (SW) types also cause higher PM10 values in the spring season. During summer, SE, SW, westerly (W), and cyclonic (C) CTs are associated with above-normal PM10 values. During fall, obvious higher PM10 concentrations are found during SE, S, and A types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]