Caner Fidaner

Bio: Caner Fidaner is an academic researcher. The author has contributed to research in topics: Turkish & Cancer. The author has an hindex of 5, co-authored 8 publications receiving 276 citations.

[The reliability and validity of the Turkish Version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument-Older Adults Module (WHOQOL-Old)].

Abstract: Methods: The Turkish version of the WHOQOL-OLD was administered to 527 older (> 65 years) adults living in urban, suburban, and rural areas of Manisa Province, Turkey. The WHOQOL-OLD module consists of 24 items assigned to 6 facets (sen sory abilities, autonomy, past, present and future activities, so cial participation, death and dying, and intimacy) and is a supplementary module of WHOQOL-BREF. The WHOQOL-BREF and GDS-30 were also administered to the participants. A confirmatory approach was used during reliability and validity analysis. SPSS v.10.0 and LISREL v.8.54 were used for analysis. Results: Mean age of the participants was 71.06 ± 5.20 years and the overall WHOQOL-OLD score was 56.02 ± 11.86. In all, 54.5% of the participants were female and 60.5% reported to be in poor health. Both ceiling and floor effects of the WHOQOL-OLD were satisfactory ( 0.70), and item total correlations and overall scale success were satisfactory. As a measure of the construct validity of the scale, confirmatory factor analysis showed very high CFI values (range: 0.9360.999) for each of the domains. Convergence of WHOQOL-OLD facet scores on WHOQOL-BREF domains and WHOQOL-OLD were very fine in general. Conclusions: The psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the WHOQOL-OLD were acceptable, indicating that the scale is reliable and valid for use with older Turkish adults (> 65 years).

Perception of quality of life by a sample of turkish older adults: whoqol-old project turkish focus group results

Abstract: Purpose: The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the decisions and attitudes of the Turkish older adults on the pre-defined dimensions related with health and being and old person, during the development process of WHOQOL-OLD (World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument , older Adults Module). Methods: This study is qualitative study based on the results of Izmir, one of 23 centers of WHOQOL-OLD Project supported by European Union Framework 5 program. Each center carried our six focus groups. Four of these six focus groups composed of older persons. Each of the focus group sessions were performed in an independent room, under the management of one focus group moderator, one inspector and 4 to 6 older persons between the age range 62-85. The focus group discussions were carried out in Izmir, Ankara and Manisa city centers between the time period 25th December 2001 and 4th Februray 2002. Findings: The mostly agreed quality of life concepts were: being healthy, independence (the ability of organising everyday activities without any support from others), being physically active, peace of mind and happiness, having economic independence, and right of resting. When all 24 fields of WHOQOL-100 were probed one by one, 14 facets were regarded as “very important”, six facets “somewhat important” and four facets “not important at all”. “Work Capacity”, “Dependence on Medical Substances and Medical Aids” (except for insulin) were regarded as “not important” or “almost not important” for both male and female participants and sexual activities for women and bodily image for men only. All of the additional items extracted by the co-ordinating center (Edinburg) (e.g. Sensory functions, Cognitive capacity, Social support/relations, Living situation, Social isolation/ lonliness, The financial and economic issues, Coping with loss and Significant life events) were considered as “very important” by all of the Turkish focus group participants. Among the items stated as “somewhat important” during the other centers’ focus groups, Feelings about hospitalisation/institutionalisation, Grief over lost abilities, Relevance of family communications , Freedom of decision-making and choice and Importance of role as grandparent and Eating well/appetite were the items that most of the Turkish focus groups found important or very important. On the other hand Importance of perceived achievement/recognition for contribution to community/society, Concern about ageing/ perceived impact of negative discrimination and Importance of voluntary occupations were the items found not important by the majority of the Turkish groups. Conclusion: The WHOQOL-100 was regarded as a very long quality of life instrument. Turkish older adults’ sociological norms reflects the properties of Eastern cultur mostly with a difference between rural and urban originated ones. These aspects should be taken into account during the preventive, curative and rehabilitative services given to the elderly in Turkey and in case of subjective evaluations such as quality of life assessments, short, clear forms should be applied by using interviewer administration (face to face administration).

Psychometric properties of the turkish version (ayta-tr) of the who-europe attitudes of aging (eaaq) questionnaire

Abstract: Introduction: This study was carried out for psychometric analysis of the Turkish version of the WHO – Atittudes of Aging Questionnaire (AAQ). Materials and Method: AAQ consists of 24 items classified in three domains (Psychosocial Loss-PL; Physical Change-PC and Psychological Growth-PG) with 8 items each (min8 max40). Turkish centre results are presented in this EU FP 5th funded international project (n=833). Internal consistency analysis, Construct validity, Convergent Divergent validity and Known Groups validity were used. Results: 38.7 % of the sample was male, with a mean age 72.7± 6.1. Alpha values of the domains PL, PC ve PG were 0.75, 0.74 and 0.62 respectively. 7th item of the PC and 4th item of the PG violate the internal consistency. BD was the most affected domain by income and objective health (ES=0.50). PL and PC scores were higher among married and who received support(p>0.05). CFA resulted acceptable fit for PC domain (RMESEA= 0.09;CFI=0.93); borderline for PC domain and a poor fit for PG domain. Satisfactory covergent-divergent validity results were obtained between WHOQOL and AAQ scales. Conclusion: Results revealed that psychometric properties of Turkish version of theAAQ can be used for the assessmnet of the attitudes of aging but Psychosocial domain results should be interpreted with caution.

Cancer Incidence in Tehran Metropolis: The First Report from the Tehran Population-Based Cancer Registry, 1998 - 2001

Abstract: Background: There are no population-based data available for cancer in Tehran, a city that includes almost 10% of the Iranian population. This is the first report of cancer incidence in Tehran from a population-based cancer registry for the period of 1998 – 2001. Methods: The cancer registry collects data on all new cases of cancer diagnosed in the resident population of Tehran metropolitan area. Data collection is active and trained abstractors visit close to 120 data sources comprising cancer diagnostic laboratories, secondary- and tertiarycare hospitals, and imaging centers to abstract cancer cases. Results: During the period of 1998 – 2001, a total of 34,318 eligible cases were abstracted of which 24% were identified just by death certificates. The overall age-standardized rates (ASR) (adjusted to the world population structure) were 163.0 per 100,000 males and 141.8 per 100,000 females. The most frequently reported malignancies in males were stomach cancer (ASR 19.8), followed by cancers of the prostate (ASR 15.6), lung (ASR 14.9), bladder (ASR 13.3), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (ASR 7.1), and esophagus (ASR 6.8). In females, the most frequently reported malignancies were breast cancer (ASR 31.4), followed by cancers of the stomach (ASR 10.0), lung (ASR 7.0), ovary (ASR 6.8), and esophagus (ASR 5.3). Conclusion: The data reported by the Tehran Cancer Registry provide information on the cancer profile in Tehran metropolitan area. It clearly shows the breast and stomach, prostate, and tobacco-related cancers as major cancer in this population. The observed cancer rates indicate that Helicobacter pylori eradication, tobacco control measures, and early detection of breast cancer are of importance for cancer control in this population.

Health-related quality of life after kidney transplantation in comparison intermittent hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and normal controls.

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to compare the quality of life (QOL) in renal transplantation patients. QOL is one of the important indicators of the effects of medical treatment. In this cross-sectional study, QOL was analyzed in 302 renal transplant recipients compared with 64 hemodialysis (HD) patients, 207 (PD) peritoneal dialysis patients, and 278 normal controls (NC) matched as closely as possible to the grafted patients regarding age, gender, education, and occupation. All groups were asked to estimate their subjective QOL by responding to sociodemographic data, Turkish adapted instruments of the Nottingham Health profile (NHP), and the Short-form 36 (SF-36). Transplant recipients were significantly younger than the HD and PD patients (P < .0001). There was no statistically significant differences between normal controls and transplant patients ages. Among the three renal replacement methods, QOL in transplants was clearly better than that in HD or PD patients (P < .0001). The QOL measured by the NHP and SF-36 scale showed that the normal population was statistically significantly better than the transplant recipients (P < .0001). Transplant renal replacement therapy provides a better QOL compared with other replacement methods.