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Background/Objectives: The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between depression, anxiety, and psychological resilience variables with working conditions and various demographic variables in healthcare professionals who are actively involved in the pandemic process. Methods: This study included 1440 healthcare workers in different professions in two state hospitals accepted as pandemic hospitals. The research data were collected with the Sociodemographic Data Form, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD), and Psychological Resilience Scale (PRS). Independent samples t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and descriptive analyses were used to analyze the data. Results: As a result of the analyses, female participants had higher anxiety scores than male participants; healthcare professionals working as nurses, midwives, and health officers had higher anxiety scores than other healthcare professionals; those with less professional experience had higher anxiety scores than those with more professional experience; and those who had long hours of contact with COVID-19-positive patients (8 h or more per day) had higher anxiety scores than those with less contact. Single female healthcare workers reported higher depression symptoms than married female healthcare workers, those with children reported higher depression symptoms than those without children, and those with average professional experience (6–10 years) reported higher depression symptoms than those with more experience. Being single, having children, and having an average number of shifts (working at night) caused an increase in psychological resilience. Conclusions: The results of the study may contribute to the structuring of health policies to protect and support the mental health of healthcare workers in ongoing and future pandemic processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aim: Low back pain (LBP) is a highly prevalent pathology affecting more than half of our population. The lumbar region inherently possesses a complex structure; therefore, dozens of causes for the clinical presentation of acute/chronic pain are present. We focused on the impact of hamstring shortness on LBP in healthcare workers/professionals who need to keep medical records and perform invasive procedures while traveling overwhelming distances in relatively small workplaces. Methods: Our research was designed as a cross-sectional study and was conducted at Beykent University Hospital from March to April 2022. Sixty-two otherwise healthy healthcare workers/professionals aged 25-45 (both male and female) volunteered. Two equal groups with and without LBP were created. Oswestry disability index, Roland-Morris score, Quebec LBP questionnaire, Visual Analog Scale (VAS), active/passive knee extension, sit and reach, and forward bending tests were performed in each group. The collected data were statistically analyzed (confidence interval [CI]=20%; P<0.05). Results: Active/passive knee extension, sit and reach, and toe touch tests were significantly related to Roland-Morris, Quebec, and Oswestry Disability Index questionnaires; thus hamstring muscle shortness was significantly related to chronic low back pain (P<0.05). Short hamstring muscle length could accurately reflect the lower test scores obtained by the female participants. Conclusion: Hamstring muscle shortness could explain a significant proportion of low back pain in healthcare professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The detrimental mental health effects which emerged from COVID-19 have profoundly affected healthcare workers (HCWs) worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate the mediating effects of traumatic stress and loneliness on the fears of contracting and dying from COVID-19, and anxiety and depression of HCWs during the pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was completed by HCWs in a province of Turkey. The Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale, Impact of Events Scale-Revised and numerical rating scales (for fears of COVID-19 and loneliness) were used and a bootstrap approach was used in the analyses with SPSS PROCESS macro software. Results: Of the HCWs evaluated, 150 (34.4%) were doctors, with a mean duration of work experience of 10.6 ± 7.5 years. The results indicated that fear of contracting COVID-19 was directly related to anxiety (β = 0.244, p < 0.001) and depression (β = 0.135, p < 0.01) and that traumatic stress and loneliness mediated the relationships between the fear of contracting COVID-19 and anxiety (β = 0.435, p < 0.001; β = 0.235, p < 0.001, respectively) and depression (β = 0.365, p < 0.001; β = 0.294, p < 0.001, respectively). The fear of dying from COVID-19 was determined to be directly associated with anxiety (β = 0.190, p < 0.001) but not with depression (β = 0.066, p = 0.116), and traumatic stress and loneliness mediated the relationships between the fear of dying from COVID-19 and anxiety (β = 0.476, p < 0.001; β = 0.259, p < 0.001, respectively) and depression (β = 0.400, p < 0.001; β = 0.311, p < 0.001, respectively). Conclusions: The study results demonstrated the important roles of traumatic stress and loneliness in exacerbating the negative consequences of fears of COVID-19 on anxiety and depression, and provide insights for identifying HCWs at greater risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine the association of health and hospital workers' fears of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) with anxiety, anxiety sensitivity, depression, and sociodemographic variables during the COVID‐19 pandemic. A total of 527 participants (237 men/289 women) were included, 222 of the participants were doctors, 99 nurses, 22 assistant health personnel, and 182 hospital personnel without health education. Participants filled in the sociodemographic data form, Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Anxiety Sensitivity Index‐3, and Fear of COVID‐19 Inventory. In linear regression analysis, independent predictors of the fear of COVID‐19 were determined as Beck Anxiety Inventory (p < 0.001), Beck Depression Inventory (p = 0.001), and Anxiety Sensitivity Index‐3 Physical subscale (p = 0.001). The fear of COVID‐19 is associated with the physical subscale of anxiety, depression, and anxiety sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of workplace violence (WPV) against pediatric emergency healthcare workers and evaluate the relationship between WPV and psychological resilience. This study is cross-sectional and correlational. According to the results, the prevalence of WPV was 69.8%, and its distribution was as follows: verbal abuse (56.9%), bullying/mobbing (37.6%), physical abuse (12.8%), and sexual abuse (2.2%). Being single/separated/divorced/widowed (odds ratio [OR]: 1.85, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-3.30), being a physician (OR: 4.74, 95% CI: 1.73-12.96), being a staff member (OR: 2.57, 95% CI: 1.10-5.99), routine direct physical contact with patients/clients (OR: 2.77, 95% CI: 1.40-5.48), and lack of encouragement to report WPV (OR: 3.76, 95% CI: 2.01-7.01) were independent predictors of WPV (P <.05), and WPV was found to be associated with low psychological resilience. Arrangements related to violence prevention, preparation, and intervention should be made and maintained in all pediatric emergency departments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Workplace violence against healthcare workers is a complex issue with significant implications for the safety and wellbeing of professionals in the healthcare sector. Drawing on data from 136 participants across Türkiye, this study explores the prevalence, forms, impacts, and management strategies of workplace violence in different healthcare settings. The demographic characteristics of the participants reveal a diverse composition of healthcare workers affected by workplace violence, highlighting the universal nature of the issue. Verbal abuse emerges as a predominant form of violence, ranging from insults and threats to humiliation, while instances of physical violence pose grave risks to healthcare professionals. The study shows the inadequacy of support systems within healthcare institutions and the legal system, exacerbating the distress experienced by healthcare workers. Strategies for managing workplace violence include internal coping mechanisms, peer support, and institutional intervention, emphasizing the need for comprehensive training programs and enhanced institutional protocols. Recommendations for prevention encompass a multifaceted approach involving enhanced security measures, support systems, and policy reforms at various levels. The study concludes with a call to action for concerted efforts to address workplace violence against healthcare workers in Türkiye, emphasizing the importance of targeted interventions to ensure the safety and wellbeing of professionals in their workplace. These findings also provide valuable insights into the complexities of workplace violence in healthcare settings and highlight the urgent need for action to address this pressing issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Risky exposure of healthcare workers to blood and body fluids is one of the most critical global issues. This study aimed to determine the frequency, conditions, and interventions of risky contacts and provide guidance on infection control measures to enhance occupational safety. Methods: Healthcare workers' risky contact with blood and body fluids was investigated from January 2013 to December 2022. The contact tracking forms for blood and body fluid exposures in the Infection Control Committee (ICC) were retrospectively examined. Furthermore, the effects of the regulatory activities implemented by the ICC on the problems detected during the active surveillance of risky contacts and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic during the monitoring process were evaluated. Results: During the ten-year follow-up period, a total of 700 risky contacts were identified in 625 healthcare workers, with 643 (91.9%) resulting from needlestick and sharp injuries and 57 (8.1%) from skin and mucosal contact. Of the risky contacts, 262 (37.4%) occurred in internal medicine units, 171 (24.4%) in surgical units, and 112 (16%) in the emergency department, making these the most common locations for risky contacts. The most frequently reported occupational groups were, respectively, 267 (38%) interns, 185 (26%) nurses, and 173 (25%) cleaning staff. When evaluating how risky contacts occurred, it was determined that 215 (30.7%) occurred during invasive procedures, 108 (15.4%) while recapping the needle, and 528 (75%) resulted from needlestick injuries. It was determined that 13% of risky contacts applied to the ICC after 72 hours, and 79% used appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). The highest rate of PPE usage, at 93%, was observed in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic began. In 2013, it was observed that the most common risky contacts occurred during waste collection, and over the years, injuries during waste collection decreased with training. Although the source was unknown in 32% of risky contacts, a decrease in the rate of risky contacts with unknown sources was achieved over time. Out of 478 risky contacts with known sources, 71 (14.9%) occurred with patients infected with hepatitis B, 35 (7.3%) with hepatitis C, and seven (1.5%) with HIV. Ninety-six per cent of the nurses were exposed to risky contacts, 93% of interns, 87% of doctors, 56% of cleaning personnel, and 84% of other healthcare workers were immune to hepatitis B. After a one-year follow-up period with post-exposure prophylaxis, no healthcare worker developed hepatitis B or HIV infection, while one person was found to be anti-HCV positive. Conclusion: Needlestick-sharp object injuries remain a significant issue. All healthcare institutions must regularly monitor risky contacts with blood and bodily fluids, identify problems, develop targeted infection control measures, and plan periodic training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Healthcare workers are more likely to contract measles than the general population. Our study aimed to assess measles vaccination and immunization levels among nurses, examine the influencing factors and implement an intervention program to increase immunization coverage. Our study was conducted in a university hospital in Türkiye. The study included 1012 nurses. It was an intervention study, continued between 01/11/2021 and 30/10/2023. Measles IgG and vaccination status of the participants were evaluated. Participants with negative measles IgG results who had not been vaccinated against measles or received a single dose of the vaccine were invited to the outpatient clinic to receive two doses. Participants who had received two doses of the measles vaccine and had negative measles IgG results were invited to the outpatient clinic for one dose of the measles vaccine. Nine hundred seventy-eight people participated in our study. The access frequency was 96.6%. Among the participants aged 21–30, 68.4 % were Measles IgG (+). Measles IgG (+) prevalence was higher in women than men (85.3 % vs. 61.0 %). The department with the lowest measles IgG positivity was intensive care (75.8 %). Measles IgG (+) prevalence became higher as the duration of employment increased. The measles seropositivity in total population rose from 83.1 % before the intervention to 94.3 % after, to 91.8 % in the 21–30 age group, and to 90.2 % in male. Sixteen people had never received measles vaccination. Of the 37 participants who had previously received two doses of measles vaccine, 22 received a single dose and after the intervention 16 (72.7 %) were positive. Only 1 person was found to have vaccine refusal during the intervention. Expanding the immunization scope in hospitals by screening for measles antibodies among healthcare personnel and vaccinating those who are seronegative can be considered an effective public health strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to examine the level of burnout and social support of healthcare workers in filiation teams during the period of COVID-19 in Turkey. A total of 1028 healthcare workers have been reached. The sociodemographic questionnaire, Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) have been used. SPSS was used to analyze the data. Descriptive statistics were created, and independent t-tests and Pearson correlation tests were performed. 69.5% of the participants were females. The participants consisted of midwives (21.2%), nurses (15.5%), doctors (14.1%), psychologists (10.8%), and dentists (10.7%). The MSPSS scale scores of the participants were 62.66 ± 16.96; family 22.87 ± 5.85, friends 21.14 ± 6.30, and significant other person 18.65 ± 7.95. MBI scale scores are 54.05 ± 10.77, emotional exhaustion 18.12 ± 8.36, depersonalization 4.53 ± 3.45, and personal achievement 31.40 ± 7.04. The study showed that females have higher levels of emotional exhaustion and, as education levels, the population of the region, daily working hours, patient burden, and death of coronavirus-infected colleagues increase, and burnout levels increase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Healthcare workers are at risk of infections due to needle-stick and sharp injuries (NSSIs) and through contact with blood and contaminated body fluids. This study aimed to investigate NSSIs and associated factors in healthcare workers. Methods: This single-center analytical cross-sectional study included healthcare workers who were admitted to "the Hospital Infections Control Committee" following NSSIs at University of Health Sciences Turkey, Istanbul Haseki Training and Research Hospital, between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2021. Demographic and epidemiological data, serological tests, and routine follow-up results were retrospectively collected from NSSI surveillance. Healthcare workers were divided into two groups according to the occurrence of stab wounds (injury or no injury). The age, sex, occupation, and working area of healthcare workers were compared. Results: A total of 232 (7%) experienced NSSIs among 3,312 healthcare workers. The NSSI was 35.0 [confidence interval (CI)=34.9-35.2] per 1000 person-years. Needle-stick and sharp injuries were most frequently observed in nurses (n=148, 63.8%). Nurses [odds ratio (OR)=5.97, CI=4.51-7.90, p<0.001], cleaning staff (OR=1.64, CI=1.13-2.37, p=0.009), medical waste personnel (0R=10.79, CI=2.88-40.46, p<0.001), and medical technicians/technologists (OR=1.92, CI=1.03-3.57, p=0.039) were at increased risk for NSSIs. Conclusion: This study highlights the need for assigning sufficient healthcare workers, prioritizing vaccination programs for high-risk groups, and providing regular hands-on training as crucial measures to prevent injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various clinical outcomes, reinfections, vaccination programs, and antibody responses resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigated the time-dependent changes in SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses in infected and/or vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals and to provide insights into spike and nucleocapsid antibodies, which fluctuate during infectious and non-infectious states. This cohort study was carried out at the Ege University Faculty of Medicine hospital in İzmir (western Turkey) and the Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine hospital in Kayseri (central Turkey) between December 2021 and January 2023, which coincided with the second half of COVID-19 pandemic. The study included 100 COVID-19 PCR-positive patients and 190 healthcare workers (HCWs). Antibody levels were followed up via quantitative anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike and qualitative anti-nucleocapsid immunoassays (Elecsys™). Antibody levels declined after infection but persisted for at least 6–8 months. Individuals who had received only CoronaVac had higher anti-nucleocapsid antibody levels in the early months than those who received mixed vaccination. However, anti-spike antibodies persisted longer and at higher levels in individuals who had received mixed vaccinations. This suggests that combining two different vaccine platforms may provide a synergistic effect, resulting in more durable and broad-spectrum immunity against SARS-CoV-2. The study provides information about the vaccination and antibody status of healthcare workers in the second half of the pandemic and provides valuable insights into the dynamics of antibody responses to COVID-19 infection and vaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of ESTUDAM Public Health Journal is the property of ESTUDAM Public Health Journal 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.)

Introduction: This study aimed to analyze and report findings from the sessions conducted with healthcare workers during the early phase of COVID-19 pandemic. Method: The study sample consisted of 130 healthcare workers who have consecutively reached out to nationwide psychosocial support line within the first ten days of COVID-19 pandemic and had a 30-minute video session and received psychological first aid and were evaluated using a socio-demographic data form. Mental state severity and progress were assessed using CGI (clinical global impressions) at the first and follow-up interviews. Results: 90.4% of the applicants were female, 50.4% were nurses, 34.4% were doctors, 68.8% were frontline workers, whereas second-line healthcare workers had significantly higher rates of psychiatric illness history. Contracting the virus (n=83, 66.4%), infecting others (n=72, 57.6%) were the situations that caused the highest level of anxiety. Most common psychiatric complaints were anxiety (n=107, 85.6%), restlessness (n=80, 64%), fear (n=72, 64.0%) and insomnia (n=68, 57.6%). A second session was conducted with 36.8% (n=46) of the callers, and it was detected that 93.48% (n=43) of them were able to manage their stress and 33 of them reported that the severity of their complaints decreased. Conclusion: Our findings have shown that healthcare workers were significantly affected in the early stage of COVID-19 pandemic with a significant level of anxiety and insomnia symptoms. Healthcare workers with a history of psychiatric illness should be considered as a vulnerable group regardless of their position. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Vaccination is one of the preventive measures that should be taken against COVID-19. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the COVID-19 vaccination status and factors affecting vaccination of healthcare workers (HCWs) working in our hospital. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted by filling out a questionnaire form with face-to-face or snowball methods to HCWs in our hospital. The questionnaire is composed of 10 questions, including demographic information, occupation of the person, working in the pandemic unit, COVID-19 and Influenza vaccination information, contracting COVID-19, and hospitalization status. Full-dose vaccination was defined as four doses in total. P<0.05 was accepted as a statistical significance level. Results: We included 744 HCWs in this study. The median age was 32 (17-60) years, and 60.8% (n=452) were women, mostly nurses (32.3%, n=240). The vaccination rate after contracting COVID-19 was 56.9% (n=269). Vaccination rates against COVID-19 were higher in women (94.5%) than in men (93%), in those who were vaccinated against influenza (99.4%) than those who were not (91%), and in doctors (99.3%) than in nurses (92.5%) and other HCWs (%90.8) (p=0.051, p=0.00, p=0.004). The rate of full-dose vaccination was found to be statistically significantly higher in those who worked in the pandemic unit (39.4%) than in those who did not (27.9%), in those who had influenza vaccination (44.5%) than those who did not (32.2%), and also higher in doctors (61.8%) compared to nurses (31.7%) and other HCWs (27.2%) (p=0.002, p=0.04, p=0.000). The rate of having COVID-19 disease was higher in HCWs who were unvaccinated or vaccinated with a missing dose (63.2%) compared to HCWs who were vaccinated with a full dose (41%) (p=0.000). Conclusion: Full-dose vaccination reduces the rate of COVID-19 disease, and doctors are more inclined to have fulldose vaccination than nurses and other HCWs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected all over the world in many areas such as health, economy, sociology, psychology, and education. Healthcare workers (HCWs), who are at the forefront in the fight against the pandemic, are adversely affected both physically and mentally. The aim of our study was to evaluate the relationship between depression, anxiety and stress levels of HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Material and Method: In our study, which is a quantitative research, an online questionnaire was applied to collect data. An online survey was administered for data collection. Whether the average scores obtained in line with the answers given by the participants to the scale differed according to the demographic variables of the participants were analyzed. Results: The depression, anxiety and stress levels of HCWs were found to be high. There were significant differences between the depression, anxiety and stress levels of HCWs and their demographic characteristics. The levels of depression, anxiety, and stress was higher in women than in males, higher in singles than in married individuals, more prevalent in younger individuals than in middle-aged and older ones, and more prevalent in high school and associate's degree holders than in master and doctorate holders. Nurses had higher levels of depression, anxiety and stress compared to physicians. Conclusion: Our study results suggest that depression, anxiety and stress levels of HCWs are high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Pediatric Emergency & Intensive Care Medicine / Çocuk Acil ve Voğun Bakım Dergisi is the property of Galenos Yayinevi Tic. LTD. STI 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.)

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and anxiety levels of healthcare workers in Turkey and South Africa and to determine the possible factors associated with anxiety. Methods: A cross-sectional study with 864 healthcare workers in Turkey and South Africa was conducted during May 1-October 30, 2020. The questionnaire included sociodemographic, individual, work-related, and about coronavirus disease 2019 questions. Anxiety was measured with the Beck Anxiety Inventory. Results: A total of 864 people answered the questionnaire, 527 from South Africa and 337 from Turkey. Healthcare workers in both countries have mild anxiety levels, and the median value of the Beck Anxiety Scale score was significantly higher in the participants from South Africa (10) than the participants in Turkey (8) (P = .004). Compared to Turkey, the risk of moderate/severe anxiety was 1.56 times higher in South Africa. Female gender, duties out of work definition, difficulties of chronic illness management, difficulties in accessing the treatment of mental health problem, living with a person who is older than 65 or has a comorbidity, and personal protective equipment support were found to be associated with moderate/severe anxiety (P < .05). Conclusion: In order to reduce the mental health impact on healthcare workers, pandemic readiness plans must take into account working hours and workload, adequate personal protective equipment supply, and measures to provide psychological support to healthcare workers, especially those with pre-existing mental health illnesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the exposure status of the healthcare workers in our hospital and to evaluate the factors affecting the exposure levels. In this direction, it is aimed to contribute to the planning of measures that can be taken to reduce the risk exposure rate of healthcare workers. In our hospital, the “Outpatient Clinic for Healthcare Personnel with COVID-19 Exposure” was established in order to monitor the coronavirus disease 2019 exposure risks of healthcare workers. Methods: The data of our study, designed as a retrospective cohort study, were obtained from the follow-up records of 1646 healthcare workers presenting with risk exposure for COVID-19 between March 24, 2020, and January 15, 2021. Risk assessment in healthcare workers according to the “Algorithm for Evaluation of Healthcare Professionals with COVID-19 Exposure” of the Ministry of Health was classified as no risk and low-, medium-, and high-risk exposure. The relationship between the risk levels of the participants, demographic, workplace characteristics, and personal protective equipment use was evaluated. Results: A total of 1646 personnel were applied to our coronavirus disease 2019 exposure personnel outpatient clinic. The majority (90%) of the applicants were not employed in a coronavirus disease 2019-related unit. While 43 (2.6%) personnel were evaluated as risk free, 233 (14.2%) personnel were classified as high-risk exposures, 1012 (61.8%) as medium-risk exposures, and 349 (21.3%) as low-risk exposures. During the follow-up period, 201 (12.2%) of the applicants were found to be coronavirus disease 2019 positive. More coronavirus disease 2019 positivity was seen in personnel with high-risk exposures (P = .003). Conclusion: In our study, hospital-based exposure constitutes the most important source of exposure for healthcare workers. It has been observed that the number of coronavirus disease 2019 exposures and disease development in healthcare workers who do not work in coronavirus disease 2019 units is high. High-risk exposure increases the likelihood of developing coronavirus disease 2019 in healthcare workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Karya Journal of Health Science is the property of Karya Journal of Health Science 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.)

Objectives: This study aims to demonstrate the relationship between menstrual disorders and occupational exposures in female healthcare workers, and to contribute to the regulation and improvement of working conditions of female healthcare workers. Methods: A cross-sectional study among 503 female healthcare workers at university hospital in Turkey was conducted during December 2020-April 2021. The questionnaire prepared using the Google Forms program was sent electronically. Results: Prevalence of dysmenorrhea was 59%, abnormal amount of menstrual bleeding 48.7%, abnormal menstrual duration 32%, and abnormal menstrual cycle length 154 30.6% in 503 participants. Dysmenorrhea risk was 0.79-fold (95% CI = 0.64-0.83) lower in those with advanced age and 1.56-fold (95% CI = 1.02-2.37) higher in smokers; risk of abnormal amount of menstrual bleeding was 3.91-fold (95% CI = 1.24-12.30) higher in those with total employment time of = 20 years and 1.56-fold (95% CI = 1.07-2.26) higher in those who worked with display screens for > 20 hours a week; risk of abnormal menstrual cycle length was 3.46-fold (95% CI = 1.41-8.43) higher in technicians, 2.86-fold (95% CI = 1.24-6.61) higher in nurses, 2.63-fold (95% CI = 1.19-5.79) higher in other healthcare workers, and 2.14-fold (95% CI = 1.42-3.21) higher in those who were unsatisfied with their job. Conclusions: It was found that occupational exposures may increase the risk of menstrual disorders. A plan of action is needed to reduce the frequency of menstrual disorders by preventing occupational exposures experienced by healthcare workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is still ongoing, despite it has been three years since the first case was diagnosed in China in 2019. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at the frontline in the fight against the virus, making them more susceptible to contacting the disease. This review aims to describe the clinical outcomes and risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection among HCWs in Türkiye before the vaccination campaign started in the country. METHODS: Relevant studies conducted from December 2019 to January 13, 2021, were included. A literature search spanning from April 25, 2022 to May 29, 2022, was conducted in six databases. A random-effect model or fixed-effect model was used for meta-analysis. Publication bias was assessed with Egger’s test. A total of 19 studies were included. RESULTS: The total number of HCWs diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection was 2,367, with a mean age of 35.238 (95% CI 33.878, 36.598). The proportion of females was 63% (95% CI 58.5, 67.2). The estimated pooled prevalence of SARSCoV-2 infection was 9.3% (95% CI 6.2, 13.6) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the first two months and 3.1% (95% CI 2.3, 4.1) by antibody test for the third and fourth month of the pandemic. The proportion of infected HCWs was 17.0% (95% CI 14.5, 19.9) between the fourth and eighth months and 19.0% (95% CI 17.3, 20.8) at the eighth month of the pandemic by antibody test. The rate of hospitalization was 10% (95% CI 5.5, 17.5). The most prevalent symptom was myalgia with a rate of 41.2% (95% CI 29.7, 53.8). Hypertension was the most prevalent comorbidity with a rate of 5.9% (95% CI 3.2, 10.8). Inappropriate use of personal protective equiment (PPE) and more contact with patients were among the risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study showed that the rate of infected HCWs had increased exponentially from the beginning until the eighth month of the pandemic and was much higher compared to the general population in our country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Safety culture attitudes of health workers are still not at the desired level. Although the creation of patient safety culture is important for all health care environments, it is more vital for critical units. Objective: To determine the patient safety culture levels of those working in the operating room environment and compare them with the 2008 results of the same hospitals. Materials and Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in 2017-2018. The Turkish version of the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture was administered to nurses, anesthesia technicians, assistant physicians, and specialist physicians working in the Operating Rooms (n=258) of two university hospitals in Konya, a large city in Anatolian region of Turkey. Results: Average percent positive response to the 42 items was low (41%, n=258). While there was no change in one dimension of the questionnaire compared to 2008; there was a positive change in 8 dimensions and a negative change in 3 dimensions. All 12 dimensions were lower than the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality score. Discussion: Despite many studies, policy developments and interventions on patient safety, the improvement of a patient safety culture is very slowly in Turkey as in other countries. Conclusion: Nonreporting of errors and a punitive approach in case of errors are still considered the most important problems. [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.)

Background and Aims: While health workers were affected by the COVID‐19 pandemic on an individual and professional basis, their families and especially their children were directly or indirectly exposed to similar factors. This study aims to compare the emotion regulation competencies of school‐age children of healthcare workers in Turkey, before and during the COVID‐19 pandemic and to investigate their emotion regulation competencies during the pandemic in terms of care conditions, daily life activities and overall health. Methods: This study used the purposeful sampling technique and was designed as a cross‐sectional and relational survey study. To conduct this study, permission was received from the Ministry of Health Directorate‐General for Health Services, COVID‐19 Research Evaluation Commission, and İzmir Kâtip Çelebi University Non‐Interventional Clinical Research Ethics Committee (Date/Decision no: 04.03.2021/0090). The data‐collection process was carried out online between March and July, 2021. A total of 106 healthcare workers who serve in pandemic clinics or fields participated in this study. In addition to the information forms prepared by the researchers of this study, the Emotion Regulation Scale (ERS), which was adapted into Turkish, was used. One‐way analysis of variance for independent samples was used for the analysis of variables, and paired samples t‐test was used to compare emotion regulation competencies before and during the pandemic. Results: The children's total ERS scores increased during the pandemic (47.70 ± 8.35) when compared with their pre‐pandemic scores (44.86 ± 9.25), and furthermore this difference was found to be statistically significant (p = 0.000). The total mean ERS score of children with a healthcare worker parent increased significantly during the pandemic compared with the scores before the pandemic, which revealed that emotion regulation occurred at a lower level for these children. Conclusion: The effect of the COVID‐19 pandemic on the emotion regulation competencies of children whose parents are healthcare workers is evident. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aimed to examine integrated anxiety and stress states and quality of life of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 process and the relationship between them. Materials and Methods: The population of this descriptive, cross-sectional, and correlational study consisted of all healthcare workers working during the COVID-19 process in Turkey. The research sample consisted of 305 healthcare workers who could be reached online between 12 June and 25 August 2020. In the study, a "Personal Information Form", the "Integrated Anxiety-Stress Scale (IASS)", and the "Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL)" were used. Results: Of the healthcare workers, 85.2% were female, 72.5% were married, and 81.6% were nurses. 59.7% of them were assigned to COVID-19 units during the pandemic process. The mean total IASS score of the healthcare workers was 56.34±28.70 and the mean IASS index score was 26.17±8.30. The mean scores on the subscales of ProQOL were 32.64±10.17 for professional satisfaction, 15.70±9.32 for empathy fatigue, and 19.88±7.22 for burnout. A strong significant relationship was found between the integrated anxiety/stress scale and the subscales of the professional quality of life scale (p<0.01). According to the regression analysis, burnout and empathy fatigue, which are the subscales of the professional quality of life scale, affected the integrated anxiety stress scale score (p<0.01). Conclusion: This study, which was carried out in the middle and advanced periods of the outbreak, showed that the integrated stress-anxiety levels of healthcare workers were moderate and high. Increased integrated anxiety/stress increases burnout and empathy fatigue whereas it reduces professional satisfaction and predicts burnout and empathy fatigue. Therefore, in order to reduce the burnout level and empathy fatigue of healthcare professionals, interventions should be made to control/reduce their anxiety and stress levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of the study was to determine the level of dietary self-efficacy, physical activity and obesogenic environment in several districts of Istanbul and to examine the relationship between them., Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a questionnaire was administered to primary health care workers working in three different districts of Istanbul. Sociodemographic questions, Dieting Self-Efficiency Scale (DSES), The Assessment of the Obesogenic Environment Scale (AOES), and International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) were used in the survey. p < 0.05 was determined as the level of statistical significance., Results: A total of 639 healthcare workers responded to the study. The median age of the participants was 39.0 years (min-max: 21.0-67.0). Male and single participants had significantly higher DSES scores (p = 0.014, p = 0.016, respectively). Male participants and those with lower income and education level had significantly higher scores on the AOES (p = 0.025, p = 0.024 and p = 0.024, respectively). According to the IPAQ, 56.8% (n = 283) of the participants were minimally physically active, 29.7% (n = 148) were inactive and 13.5% (n = 67) were very active. Those who were physically minimally active and very active had significantly higher DSES scores and significantly lower AOES scores than those who were inactive (p < 0.001 and p = 0.011). There was a significant negative correlation between the DSES and AOES (r=-0.263, p < 0.001)., Conclusion: In this study, the evaluation of the concepts of dietary self-efficacy, physical activity level and obesogenic environment in healthcare professionals, who can be role models in the society, may contribute to the studies and intervention strategies for the whole society., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethical approval and consent to participate: The authors assert that all procedures contributing to this work comply with the ethical standards of the relevant national and institutional committees on human experimentation and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2008. Ethics committee approval was obtained from Istanbul Medipol University (date: 18.04.2024, decision number: 408). Informed consent to participate was obtained from all of the participants. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

This study aimed to assess the reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the Quiet Quitting Scale (QQS) among healthcare workers. After completing the language validation, the psychometric properties of the QQS were tested on a sample of 542 healthcare workers from two hospitals in Turkey. Convergent validity was examined using the Burnout Measure-Short Version (BMS). The reliability of the scale was evaluated through internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and split-half reliability. Factor analysis confirmed the one-dimensional structure of the QQS with its seven items. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.81, the intraclass correlation coefficient for the total score was 0.91, and the Spearman-Brown coefficient for split-half reliability was 0.80. Additionally, the test-retest reliability was found to be high. A correlation coefficient of 0.79 between the QQS and BMS confirmed the scale's convergent validity. These results suggest that the Turkish version of the QQS is a valid and reliable tool for measuring quiet quitting behavior in healthcare workers. Further research with different sample groups is recommended., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Ethical approval was obtained from the approved by the Batman University Ethics Committee (date: 04.01.2023; decision: 2023/01–32). Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Introduction: The health sector is a field where employees are frequently exposed to occupational injuries due to high-risk working conditions. This study aimed to examine the distribution and causes of occupational injuries experienced by healthcare workers in the last 5 years in Turkey., Materials and Methods: In this population-based and national-scale study, occupational injuries reported to the Ministry of Health from healthcare organizations in 81 provinces of Turkey between 01.01.2019 and 31.12.2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Variables such as age, gender, title, place of employment, types of injuries, causes, and outcomes of occupational injuries were evaluated., Results: A total of 68,563 occupational injuries were reported between the years analyzed. 64.5% of the injuries affected female workers. Occupational injuries occurred most frequently during the summer months and in hospitals. According to age groups, the highest rate of occupational injuries was observed in the 20-29 age group with 39.3%. Among the types of occupational injuries, sharps injuries were the most common, with 55.3%. It was followed by slips, trips, and falls (13.2%). As a result of occupational injuries, 76.2% of healthcare workers were able to return to work without long-term absence. Over the 5 years, 61 healthcare workers lost their lives due to occupational injuries. Nurses and midwives were the occupational groups most exposed to injuries, followed by cleaning staff., Conclusion: Turkey's healthcare workers have a high exposure rate to occupational injuries. Women and young workers are the most affected groups. Strengthening the occupational safety culture and providing safe working environments is necessary., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Medeni, Alagüney and Medeni.)

Introduction: The severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) associated pneumonia that emerged in Wuhan, China in December 2019 and was later declared by the World Health Organization to be a pandemic has called coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). Our study aims to determine the anxiety levels, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms levels and psychiatric symptoms of healthcare workers working at pandemic hospital and effects of these symptoms on psychological adjustment to healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey. Methods: This study was cross-sectional survey study and conducted between March 2020-June 2020 with 973 consenting participants working at the pandemic hospital. For the study, we used an online questionnaire, which consisted of three parts: an online-informed consent, basic sociodemographic information and a set of online questions. The data were collected by the researchers. All procedures were approved by our hospital's Ethics Committee. Traumatic Stress Symptom Scale (TSSS) was used for the study. Results: Nine hundred and seventy-three persons participated in the study. Among the three groups, nurses also had the highest fear of dying during the COVID-19 pandemic (p<0.001); the highest feelings of hopelessness about the future during the COVID-19 pandemic (p<0.001); the highest increase in level of anxiety (p<0.001), and the highest experience of recent sleep disturbances (p<0.001). Women had a statistically significantly higher mean TSSS score and mean TSSS score of participants with doctors or medical specialization was lower than participants with other levels of education (p<0.001). Conclusion: Although the rate of PTSD was significantly higher in nurses in our study, PTSD was also seen in the other two groups. Indeed, it was much higher in people working in environments at high risk for COVID-19 than in the other groups. This may be the consequence of nurses' having greater exposure to COVID19-infected patients. This situation may be related to long working hours, inadequate rest and burnout. We recommend that healthcare workers work in the shift. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bosphorus Medical Journal / Boğaziçi Tıp Dergisi is the property of KARE Publishing 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.)

Copyright of Turkiye Klinikleri Journal of Sports 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.)

Copyright of Humanitas: International Journal of Social Sciences / Uluslararasi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi is the property of Humanitas: International Journal of Social Sciences 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.)

Copyright of Journal of Social Sciences Institute / Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi is the property of Bingol University / Rectorate 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.)

The exposure of healthcare workers (HCWs) to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) has been a major concern since the beginning of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic. The study aimed to investigate the relationship between vaccination status and the status of catching COVID‐19 in HCWs working in a Training and Research Hospital in Turkey, and the clinical course of the disease in those who were caught. The vaccination status of 1279 HCWs working at Siirt Training and Research Hospital during the period when the SARS‐CoV‐2 Delta variant was dominant, their cases of catching COVID‐19 during this period, and the clinical course of the disease in patients with COVID‐19 were investigated retrospectively. We found that the rate of COVID‐19 transmission was lowest in fully vaccinated HCWs (p < 0.05). The rate of COVID‐19 transmission in HCWs who received two doses of BioNTech vaccine (4.4%) and two doses of CoronaVac+ one dose of BioNTech vaccines (2.7%) was considerably lower than those without vaccination (26.2%) (p < 0.05). The transmission rate was lowest among those vaccinated with two doses of CoronaVac+ one dose of BioNTech. Hospitalization was not required in fully vaccinated HCWs. The lymphocyte count was found to be significantly higher in fully vaccinated patients than incompletely vaccinated and unvaccinated patients. Although C‐reactive protein (CRP), d‐dimer, and ferritin values were higher in unvaccinated and partially vaccinated patients than in fully vaccinated patients, the differences were not statistically significant. As a result, the transmission rate of COVID‐19 was lowest in fully vaccinated HCWs and in those vaccinated with two doses of CoronaVac+ one dose of BioNTech. In fully vaccinated HCWs, hospitalization was not needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: It is very important to ensure the professional quality of life of healthcare workers in combating the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) outbreak. It is therefore necessary to determine what factors may lead to compassion satisfaction (CS), burnout (BO) and compassion fatigue (CF) in order to ensure the professional quality of life in healthcare workers, and to develop institutional and national strategies and policies to eliminate these factors. Therefore in this study, we aimed to determine the levels of CS, BO and CF among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the influencing factors. Methods: A descriptive, descriptive-relational and cross-sectional study was conducted, using the Professional Quality of Life scale, with 796 Turkish healthcare workers after the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the study, the Professional Life Quality of healthcare workers was examined in three dimensions including CS, BO and CF. Results: The results indicated that while 77.8% of healthcare workers were above the mean CS level, 62.8% of them were below the mean BO level and 87.3% of them were below the mean CF level. Their title, department, professional working year and workmates' diagnosis with COVID-19 were found to affect the CS, BO and CF of healthcare workers. Conclusion: We found that workers had good levels of CS and low levels of BO and CF during the study period. Therefore, we can say that the quality of work life is good. However, due to the increase in the number of cases, we recommend that the study be repeated in future, to continuously evaluate the psychological state of healthcare workers and, using the resulting comparisons, to implement the necessary arrangements timeously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has resulted in huge psychological distress, especially for people working under risky conditions, such as healthcare workers. We aimed to investigate the psychological challenges of Turkish healthcare workers during the outbreak and discuss the factors that increase their burden, including stigmatization. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey composed of sociodemographic data, questions about perceived stigma, and concerns about working conditions was completed. Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) was also used. Results: 634 participants completed the survey and the prevalence of moderate to severe depression, anxiety, and stress-related symptoms were 36%, 35%, and 22%, respectively. Being female, working with close contact with patients with COVID-19 and having a psychiatric disorder history were risk factors for psychological distress. The healthcare workers with significantly higher depression, anxiety, and stress scores described having less amount of personal protective equipment, lower support from their supervisors, and more unsafe working conditions. Additionally, 7% of the participants stated that they perceived stigmatization by their families and close friends, 14% perceived stigmatization by their neighbours, relatives, and less intimate friends; and 7% perceived stigmatization by unfamiliar people. Healthcare workers who perceived other people as more dismissive had significantly higher depression and anxiety scores. Conclusion: Our study shows that healthcare workers are at risk of developing psychological disturbances during infectious outbreaks. To minimize the psychological impact, additional risk factors such as having a previous psychiatric disorder, working under unsafe conditions, and stigmatization should be taken into account and a more supportive and safer environment should be provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All healthcare workers (HCWs) encounter stress during in their working lives, and are constantly exposed to adverse conditions. The present study evaluates the relationship between burnout syndrome, anxiety levels and insomnia severity among healthcare workers, who mostly work in shifts. The Maslach Burnout Inventory, the Insomnia Severity Index and the Beck Anxiety Inventory were used to measure burnout, insomnia severity and anxiety status, respectively. This cross sectional study included a total of 1,011 HCWs and 679 (67.2%) of the study respondents were women. The respondents were aged 20–72, with a mean age of 35.67 ± 8.61 years. Fifty-eight percent (n = 589) of the participants were rotating shift workers. Working on-call led to a significant difference in all burnout parameters (for each, <0.001). Age and on-call duty were seen to lead to a significant difference in the severity of insomnia (p = 0.028, p < 0.001, respectively). The total ISI score was found to be statistically significant positively correlated with the MBI subscales and the total BAI score (for each, <0.001). An increased awareness of the impact of sleep deprivation, burnout and anxiety among HCWs and meaningful interventions promoting change within the healthcare system are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to examine the associations between perceived coronavirus risk, coronavirus fear, mental well-being and parental coronavirus anxiety, as well as the mediating role of coronavirus fear and moderating role of mental well-being. The sample comprised 189 healthcare workers (M = 33.06 ± 6.92), who were treating patients with COVID-19 in a pandemic hospital in Turkey. Ninety-one participants were males and 98 females. Participants completed measures of perceived coronavirus risk, coronavirus fear, mental well-being and parental coronavirus anxiety. Parental Coronavirus Anxiety Scale had a one-factor structure, with satisfactory reliability. Main findings showed that coronavirus fear mediated the relationship between coronavirus risk and parental coronavirus anxiety. Mental well-being moderated the effect of coronavirus risk on parental coronavirus anxiety. The mediation effect of coronavirus fear was moderated by mental well-being. These findings explain why and when mental well-being-based interventions could be effective in reducing perceived coronavirus risk, fear and parental coronavirus anxiety about their children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused serious concerns and psychological distress globally. Healthcare workers remain one of the most affected groups due to life threatening risks in addition to increased working hours and labor intensity. All these factors may affect sleep quality of this population. The aim of this study is to evaluate the sleep behaviors of healthcare professionals working in secondary and tertiary hospitals in a large population in Turkey and to show how sleep quality is affected during the pandemic process using the easily applicable Jenkins Sleep Scale (JSS). The population of this cross-sectional descriptive study consists of two pandemic hospitals determined in Kahramanmaraş province. In our questionnaire, we asked subjective sleep quality, sleep time, time to fall asleep, total sleep time, and medication use. We also used JSS Turkish version (JSS-TR) to assess sleep quality and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) for increased daytime sleepiness. Results: Healthcare workers who participated in our survey reported that they started to go to bed later, fell asleep later (mean: 41.75 ± 35.35 min), their total sleep time (mean: 6.67 ± 1.88 h) was shortened, and they needed medication to sleep more (5.7%) after the COVID-19 pandemic. During the COVID-19 pandemic, bedtime behavior after 24:00 decreased from 80.1 to 43.9% of those who previously went to bed before 24:00. For those who went to bed after 24:00 before, it increased from 19.9 to 56.1%. In addition, sleep quality as assessed by subjective and JSS significantly deteriorated after the COVID-19 pandemic. Excessive daytime sleepiness increased. Those with ESS > 10 before and after COVID-19 were 3.9% and 14.1%, respectively (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly adversely affected the sleep behavior and sleep quality of healthcare professionals. The JSS is an easily applicable scale for assessing sleep quality in large population studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

EMS (Call number: 112 in Turkey) encompasses services provided by professional healthcare teams in case of diseases and injuries emerging acutely, accessed expediently following the event, using specialized equipment as necessary. The main purpose of this study is to determine the difficulties faced by 112 pre-hospital healthcare workers (HCWs) in the transfer of patients to hospital, during the COVID-19 pandemic period, and to examine ways to cope with these difficulties, with a case study method that examines unique cases. The study group of the research consists of Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) (n = 15; 30.6%), paramedics (n = 19; 38.8%) and doctors (n = 15; 30.6%). The forty-nine participants who comprise the study group were selected from 'HCWs who worked in the ambulance service during the transportation of patients with COVID-19 to hospital'. Based on the narratives of the participants, two main themes were determined as difficulties experienced and strategies of coping with these difficulties. Under the theme of difficulties experienced, three subthemes and a total of thirty-one codes were created as problems originating from society, the system and the employee himself. The theme of the strategies used to cope with the difficulties experienced was determined under three subthemes; professional equipment and personal precautions, professional measures and system support. A total of twelve codes were created. The pandemic period has been a time when boundaries and durability have been questioned. The experience obtained during this period is a great knowledge base for future global and mass epidemics, attacks and disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Trauma & Emergency Surgery / Ulusal Travma ve Acil Cerrahi Dergisi is the property of KARE Publishing 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.)

BACKGROUND: This study is the second leg of a two-leg project. In the first leg, the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare workers (HCWs) was investigated in the period between the first case in Turkey and the arrival of the first case in the hospital. OBJECTIVE: In this second leg, three months after the first evaluation, we aimed to investigate whether psychological effects of COVID-19 such as stress, anxiety, depression, and sleep quality have been changed on HCWs. METHODS: This was a 3-month observational study. 169 hospital staff who participated in the first leg of the study were reached and asked to participate in the second leg evaluation in Gaziantep University Medical Faculty Hospital.110 HCWs accepted to participate. Impact of Event Scale (EIS-R), Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were used to assess in both two legs. Paired Sample T-test was used for comparison of normally distributed variables. Wilcoxon test was used for the comparison of abnormally distributed variables. SPSS 22.0 software was used in the analysis of variables. RESULTS: Of the HCWs with an average age of 33.9±6.6 years, 59% (65) were males. There was no significant difference between the two legs in terms of IES-R, DASS-21, and PSQI scales. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on HCWs started with the pandemic, before the arrival of the first case in the hospital. Also, these psychological effects continued similarly without significant change after the initiation of direct contact with COVID-19 patients and even after the increase in COVID-19 patients in a hospital which in they work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The attitudes of healthcare workers toward COVID‐19 vaccines ensure that health services are able to run without interruption and potentially have a role in the messaging about vaccination that they convey to the public. Hence, healthcare workers' attitudes ultimately have a significant role in controlling the pandemic. This study aimed to qualitatively investigate the attitudes of healthcare workers in Turkey in relation to COVID‐19 vaccines. Methods: The study used the phenomenological approach. The sample consisted of 36 healthcare workers who were employed during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Data were collected online using focus group interviews. A total of four focus group interviews were conducted. Findings: Following analysis of the data, the attitudes of healthcare workers in Turkey toward the COVID‐19 vaccine were divided into three themes: "influencing factors," "priority group" and "trust." Conclusions: Vaccination was found to create negative emotions among some of the healthcare workers. Their opinions about the COVID‐19 vaccines were affected by the negative emotions and burnout they experienced during the pandemic. In addition, they saw the vaccination process as impacted by contraindications and uncertainty about the duration of the protection, the balance of the benefits and harm of the vaccines, and by vaccine myths and prejudices about the country where the vaccine was developed. Healthcare professionals expressed the need for trust to be established in the whole vaccination process. They suggested that different vaccine options should be offered, that the appointment and process notification system for vaccination should be improved, that evidence‐based information about vaccines should be provided and that a safe environment should be created. Practice Implications: Vaccine hesitancy can be addressed by careful attention to the application of vaccination programs, correct and effective use of social media, transparent, and precise management of political processes, and the provision of evidence‐based information about the vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 pandemic significantly affects the mental health of the personnel working in the frontline of the healthcare system. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of anxiety and risk factors in people who served in the emergency health system during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was designed as a cross-sectional online survey conducted on healthcare staff working in emergency services throughout the country between May 15 and June 15, 2020. The questionnaire form consisted of two parts. The first part included sociodemographic questions (13 questions), while the second part consisted of 20 questions found in STAI (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) anxiety. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the potential risk factors for anxiety symptoms in the participants. Relationships between risk factors and their consequences were stated as rates (ORs) and 95% CI. A total 1014 completed the survey. Among the respondents, 54.3% male, 41.3% 18-29 age group, 60.4% married, 44.9% doctors, and 63.4% working in the city center. Analysis showed that anxiety triggering factors included being a female (OR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.13-1.99; p = 0.004), working as an emergency medical technician (OR, 7.42; 95% CI, 1.09-50.53; p = 0.041), large family (OR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.06-2.70; p = 0.041), few children (OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 0.84-2.15; p = 0.068), and working in the town center (OR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.06-1.93; p = 0.017). Our results showed that the anxiety level is high for a significant portion of the emergency staff during the pandemic and that risk-enhancing factors exist in their home and work lives during this period. It is important to carry out supportive administrative studies aimed at reducing stress and anxiety levels, especially for the health staff working in the frontline during the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: During pandemic periods, mental health issues are highly prevalent, particularly among healthcare workers who are at a higher risk of developing psychiatric disorders. The aim of this study is to evaluate the mental health status of the intensive care unit (ICU) healthcare workers, who play a vital role in managing the COVID-19 pandemic, in terms of the quality of sleep, levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms, stress and to determine the factors that affect their mental health., Methods: The research was conducted in April 2020 and incorporated a total of 79 participants working in an university hospital ICUs in Turkey. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 42 (DASS-42), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) were applied., Results: Among the participants, 58 individuals comprising 73.4% of the cohort were working in the ICUs, managing patients infected with COVID-19. Those working in ICUs with COVID-19 patients had significantly higher DASS-S, BAI, and BDI scores. Doctors' BDI scores were significantly lower compared to both nurses and other healthcare workers. Participants exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms manifested significantly higher BAI scores in compared to those without such symptoms., Conclusion: Healthcare workers involved in ICUs with COVID-19 patients were more significantly affected psychologically, doctors had lower depressive symptoms as compared to other healthcare workers. In addition, individuals with COVID-19 symptoms demonstrated significantly higher levels of anxiety. The findings of our study emphasize the significance of providing psychological support to healthcare workers throughout pandemics., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Meriç Özgündüz, Bıçakçıoğlu, Sahin Tutak and Özgündüz.)

Background: This study is aimed at providing information about the timing of booster doses and antibody kinetics in healthcare workers., Methods: This research extends a prospective cohort study conducted at Dokuz Eylul University Hospital in Turkey, covering the period from March 2021 to December 2021. During this timeframe, the antibody levels of the health workers were measured at four different time points. The associations of antibody levels with gender, age, occupation, body mass index (BMI), chronic disease, and smoking were analyzed., Results: There was a significant difference between antibody levels in all four blood draws (p < 0.001). Antibody levels decreased in both those vaccinated with BNT162b2 (p < 0.001) and those vaccinated with CoronaVac (p = 0.002) until the fourth blood draw. There was a significant difference between those vaccinated with one and two doses of booster BNT162b2 before the third blood draw (p < 0.001), which continued at the fourth blood draw (p < 0.001). The antibody levels of those with an interval of 41-50 days between two vaccinations decreased significantly at the fourth blood draw (p < 0.001)., Conclusions: This study provides insight into the dynamics and persistence of antibody response after additional COVID-19 vaccine doses among healthcare workers. The longer the interval between booster doses may result in greater antibody levels being maintained over time, allowing for longer durations of protection., (© 2024 The Author(s). Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: COVID-19 pandemic affected the mental health of healthcare workers (HCWs) as well as their physical health. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the anxiety, depression and burnout levels of Turkish HCWs after the first period of the pandemic. Methods: The participants filled sociodemographic data form, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Results: In this study, 221 HCWs (68.8% female) with a median age of 28 (20-66) years were included. Concerning HADS cut-off points, 39.8% of the participants scored above the depression cut-off point, while 26.2% scored above the cut-off point for anxiety. The anxiety (HADS-A) and depression (HADS-D) scores of nurses and medical secretaries were significantly higher than the physicians. Also, the anxiety and depression rates of nurses were higher than both physicians and medical secretaries. Emotional exhaustion (MBI-EE) and depersonalization (MBI-D) scores were highest in nurses, followed by medical secretaries and physicians, respectively. In multivariate analysis, being a nurse (OR: 4.671, p = 0.044) or medical secretary (OR: 4.013, p = 0.048), requirement of using a mental health support line (OR: 4.641, p = 0.005), having any kind of addiction (OR: 2.562, p = 0.019) and being under antidepressant therapy (OR: 3.096, p = 0.036) significantly increased the risk of anxiety. However, in multivariate analyses, the only requirement of using a mental health support line significantly increased the risk of depression (OR: 8.542, p = 0.001). Conclusion: Female HCWs, nurses and medical secretaries experienced higher levels of mental health symptoms than male HCWs and physicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As in the whole world, the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic poses many threats to healthcare workers in our country too, which leads to anxiety in healthcare workers. This study was conducted to explore the anxiety levels of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study is a cross-sectional study. The population consisted of health care workers employed in hospitals in seven regions in Turkey. All volunteer healthcare workers were included in the study, and 356 healthcare workers responded to the questionnaire. The data were collected using the State Anxiety Inventory and a questionnaire created by the researchers using an online questionnaire between 10 May 2020 and 15 May 2020. In the evaluation of the data, mean, standard deviation, percentages, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis were used. 33% of healthcare workers did not have anxiety, 50% had mild, and 17% had severe anxiety. The anxiety scores of those who were nurses (p < 0.001), who were working in the emergency room (p < 0.001), who were involved in treatment for COVID-19 patients (p = 0.040), who left their homes to prevent transmission to their families and relatives during the pandemic (p = 0.038), and whose working hours had changed (p = 0.036) were found to be significantly higher. It was observed that there was a positive and significant relationship between the fear of death and disease transmission, uncertainty, loneliness, anger, and hopelessness, and anxiety levels in healthcare workers. The main factors that significantly affected the anxiety levels of healthcare workers were male gender, weekly working hours, the presence of chronic diseases, and feelings of anger and uncertainty. In conclusion, during the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers experienced some negative emotions, their anxiety levels increased, and they were psychologically affected. Planning psychosocial interventions for healthcare workers in the high-risk group will make significant contributions to the health system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Healthcare workers (HCWs) were among the first groups to be vaccinated in Turkey. The data to be obtained by the vaccination of HCWs would guide wide spread vaccination programs. The study included 330 HCWs working at Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa, Cerrahpaşa Medical Faculty Hospital and vaccinated with inactive CoronaVac (Sinovac Life Sciences, China) SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in two doses (28 days apart). Anti-Spike /RBD IgG levels were measured 14 days after the first dose and 28 days after the second dose. Chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA) (ARCHITECT IgG II Quant test, Abbott, USA), which is 100% compatible with plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT), was used. Of the participants, 211 (63.9%) were female, 119 (36.1%) were male, and mean age was 39.6 ± 7.7 years. In those without prior COVID-19 history; (n = 255) antibody positivity was detected as 48.2% (95% CI: 42.1–54.3) 14 days after the first dose of vaccine, and 99.2% (95% CI: 98.1–100) at day 28 after the second dose. Antibody titers were significantly lower in patients with hypertension (p = 0.011). In those with prior history of COVID-19 (n = 75); both the antibody positivity rates after the first vaccine (48.2% vs 100%, p = 0.000) and the anti-spike/RBD antibody levels after the second vaccine (with a ≥ 1050 AU/mL titer equivalent to PRNT 1/80 dilution) was significant than infection-naive group (25.9% vs. 54.7%, p = 0.000). Antibody positivity after two doses of vaccination for all study group was 99.4% (95% CI: 98.6–100). Two doses CoronaVac produce effective humoral immunity in HCWs. Antibody response is significantly higher in those with prior history of COVID-19 than infection-naive group. Given no significant benefit of the second dose, a single shot of vaccination may be sufficient for those with prior history of COVID-19. Monitoring humoral and cellular immune responses, considering new variants, is required to validate this approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the psychological impact of the COVID-19 outbreak in terms of stress, anxiety, depression, sleep quality and affecting factors on healthcare workers (HWs) without secondary trauma thus far in the period between the first cases in Turkey and the arrival of the first case in ahospital. This descriptive cross-sectional study included 169 HWs. We used Impact of Event Scale (IES-R), Depression Anxiety Stress Scale and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) for assessment. The mean age of HWs was 33.9±6.9 years and 56.2% were males. Of the HWs; 20.7% were nurses, 33.7% doctors and 45.6% staff members. IES-R classified the HWs as follows: 15.4% of them were affected mildly, 4.7% moderately and 9.5% of them were affected severely. 42.6% of HWs had apoor sleep quality. This study shows that how HWs were affected when the outbreak had not yet reached the hospital in which they work. In total, 29.6% of the HWs were psychologically affected by mild to severe levels from the outbreak in this period. The most prevalent psychological impact was poor sleep quality. Psychological impact on HWs may have begun before the outbreak reached the hospitals; therefore, necessary measures should be taken as early as possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]