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This study aimed at evaluating the reasons affecting organic food consumption of consumers in GAP-Şanlıurfa of Turkey. The sample size was determined using a 95% confidence interval and 382 questionnaire interviews were conducted. The participants were selected among the organic food consumers using a simple random sampling method. The Likert attitude scale, Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used for analysis. It was observed that the existing knowledge and publicity about organic foods were insufficient; the main source of information was the internet. The consumers prefer to buy organic foods directly from the producers and there is a need for the organic bazaar. The fresh fruits and vegetables have a consumption frequency of 74.1%, followed by milk and milk products with 56%. The most important reason for consumption is being hormone-free, as shown by 93.7% of respondents, followed by odortaste and flavor, with 92.7%. Color-appearance-packaging ranked last in terms of importance. The education level, followed by income, occupation, gender, marital status, age, settlement location and number of household members, are reasons that significantly explain the consumption behaviors. This study is one of the first of its kind in the GAPŞanlıurfa. The results are important for agricultural producers and policymakers concerning agricultural production, marketing, and rural development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research was to determine Willingness To Pay (WTP) of farmers and explore the potential factors that contribute to it for agricultural extension services in GAP-Harran Plain in Turkey. A comprehensive questionnaire was conducted face to face with 461 farmers out of 21,094, by the simple random sampling method during the irrigation season of 2011 and validity of the data was checked until 2015 on a yearly basis. The contingent valuation method, binomial probit and maximum likelihood methods were used for analysis. The results indicated the existence of the ability to pay and the average WTP for efficient extension service based on irrigation was 475.8 TL. It is 1.28% of their yearly income and their total WTP was calculated as $6 million per year for the plain. Explanatory factors in the index, such as secondary school, high school, and university graduates from the view pint of educational level, married farmers, and land amounts increased WTP, while gravity irrigation users and proposed increased bid price for extension and training services decreased WTP. The results are important for decision and policy makers, encouraging private sectors to involve in extension and training services. Also, they contain useful information for countries with similar technical and socio-cultural characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a common and serious disease that can result in death unless emergent diagnosis is made and treatment is initiated. In this study, we aimed to identify whether there is still a delay in the diagnosis of PE and to identify the time to delay in diagnosis and factors leading to this delay., Methods: This is a prospective observational cohort study performed in an emergency department (ED) of a tertiary care university hospital between September 2008 and September 2010. The rate and cause of delay in diagnosis were analyzed among patients with PE. The "delay" was defined as diagnosing after first 24 hours of symptom onset., Results: Among the 53 patients who were diagnosed with PE, a delay in diagnosis was present in 49 (93%) of them. Total delay time was 6.8 ± 7.7 days. In 33 (62%) patients, there was a delay of 4.6 ± 6.5 days due to patient-related factors. Delay in diagnosis after admission to hospital was 2.2 ± 2.9 days in 40 (75%) patients. In multivariate regression analysis, being female and having chest pain and cough were identified as significant factors causing patient-related delay. Unilateral leg edema, recent operation, and previous venous thromboembolism (VTE) history were the significant factors causing PE diagnosis without a delay. On the other hand, systemic hypertension as comorbidity was the only factor leading to physician-related delay., Conclusion: The delay in diagnosis of PE in EDs still remains as an important problem. While being female and having chest pain and cough are significantly and independently associated with patient delay in diagnosis, the unilateral leg edema, recent operation, and previous VTE history cause physicians to diagnose on time. On the other hand, having hypertension as comorbidity may lead to physician delay. In order to prevent the delay in diagnosis, hospital-associated factors must be elucidated totally and more interventions must be made to increase public and professional awareness of the disease.