Başkent University

About: Başkent University is a education organization based out in Ankara, Turkey. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Transplantation & Population. The organization has 4652 authors who have published 10380 publications receiving 143117 citations. The organization is also known as: Başkent Üniversitesi.

Testicular Cancer Awareness and Testicular Self-Examination among University Students

Abstract: Background: This study was planned to determine the knowledge of testicular cancer (TC), risk factors and testicular self-examination (TSE) among university students Methods: A survey study was conducted at a university located in Ankara, Turkey with 634 male students Results: Almost half of them (44%) heard TC during their education and life but majority of participants has lack of knowledge about sign and symptoms of TC Only 59 % of them (n=38) indicated they received information on TSE and 177 % have performed the practice of TSE before; only one in a forth (n=21) performed monthly The reason for not doing TSE was mostly (834%) “not having knowledge” and “not seen as important” (557%) Conclusions: Adding the education on TC, risk factors and TSE into their curriculum is proposed

Postpartum sacral stress fracture: an unusual case of low-back and buttock pain.

Abstract: Low-back and buttock pain is a common complaint during pregnancy and the postpartum period and is usually attributable to mechanical lesions of the pelvis. Sacral stress fractures are unusual but important causes that should be considered in differential diagnosis. To date, only eight postpartum sacral stress fractures have been reported in the literature. A 32-yr-old woman presented with low-back and right buttock pain that started 15 days after uneventful cesarean section delivery. Imaging studies revealed a right sacral stress fracture. Lumbar spine and femoral neck bone mineral density were normal and, except for pregnancy and lactation, no risk factors for osteoporosis were identified. There was no history of trauma, excessive weight gain, strenuous physical activity, or contribution of mechanical factors. The question remains whether this is an insufficiency fracture or a fatigue fracture. Clinicians should consider sacral fracture during pregnancy and the postpartum period as a diagnostic possibility in patients with low-back and/or buttock pain.

Exploring Communication Difficulties in Pediatric Hematology: Oncology Nurses

Abstract: Background: Communication plays an important role for the well being of patients, families and also health care professionals in cancer care. Conversely, ineffective communication may cause depression, increased anxiety, hopelessness and decreased of quality life for patients, families and also nurses. Objective: This study aimed to explore communication difficulties of pediatric hematology/oncology nurses with patients and their families, as well as their suggestions about communication difficulties. Materials and Methods: It was conducted in a pediatric hematology/oncology hospital in Ankara, Turkey. Qualitative data were collected by focus groups, with 21 pediatric hematology/oncology nursing staff from three groups. Content analysis was used for data analysis. Results: Findings were grouped in three main categories. The first category concerned communication difficulties, assessing problems in responding to questions, ineffective communication and conflicts with the patient’s families. The second was about the effects of communication difficulties on nurses and the last main category involved suggestions for empowering nurses with communication difficulties, the theme being related to institutional issues. Conclusions: Nurses experience communication difficulties with children and their families during long hospital stays. Communication difficulties particularly increase during crisis periods, like at the time of first diagnosis, relapse, the terminal stage or on days with special meaning such as holidays. The results obtained indicate that pediatric nurses and the child/family need to be supported, especially during crisis periods. Feeling of empowerment in communication will improve the quality of care by reducing the feelings of exhaustion and incompetence in nurses.

Factors effecting influenza vaccination uptake among health care workers: A multi-center cross-sectional study

Abstract: The present study aimed to identify factors affecting vaccination against influenza among health professionals. We used a multi-centre cross-sectional design to conduct an online self-administered questionnaire with physicians and nurses at state and foundation university hospitals in the south-east of Turkey, between 1 January 2015 and 1 February 2015. The five participating hospitals provided staff email address lists filtered for physicians and nurses. The questionnaire comprised multiple choice questions covering demographic data, knowledge sources, and Likert-type items on factors affecting vaccination against influenza. The target response rate was 20 %. In total, 642 (22 %) of 2870 health professionals (1220 physicians and 1650 nurses) responded to the questionnaire. Participants’ mean age was 29.6 ± 9.2 years (range 17–62 years); 177 (28.2 %) were physicians and 448 (71.3 %) were nurses. The rate of regular vaccination was 9.2 % (15.2 % for physicians and 8.2 % for nurses). Increasing age, longer work duration in health services, being male, being a physician, working in an internal medicine department, having a chronic disease, and living with a person over 65 years old significantly increased vaccination compliance (p < 0.05). We found differences between vaccine compliant and non-compliant groups for expected benefit from vaccination, social influences, and personal efficacy (p < 0.05). Univariate analysis showed differences between the groups in perceptions of personal risks, side effects, and efficacy of the vaccine (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis found that important factors influencing vaccination behavior were work place, colleagues’ opinions, having a chronic disease, belief that vaccination was effective, and belief that flu can be prevented by natural ways. Numerous factors influence health professionals’ decisions about influenza vaccination. Strategies to increase the ratio of vaccination among physicians and nurses should consider all of these factors to increase the likelihood of success.

Hamsi scoring in the prediction of unfavorable outcomes from tuberculous meningitis: results of Haydarpasa-II study.

Abstract: Predicting unfavorable outcome is of paramount importance in clinical decision making Accordingly, we designed this multinational study, which provided the largest case series of tuberculous meningitis (TBM) 43 centers from 14 countries (Albania, Croatia, Denmark, Egypt, France, Hungary, Iraq, Italy, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Syria, Turkey) submitted data of microbiologically confirmed TBM patients hospitalized between 2000 and 2012 Unfavorable outcome was defined as survival with significant sequela or death In developing our index, binary logistic regression models were constructed via 200 replicates of database by bootstrap resampling methodology The final model was built according to the selection frequencies of variables The severity scale included variables with arbitrary scores proportional to predictive powers of terms in the final model The final model was internally validated by bootstrap resampling A total of 507 patients’ data were submitted among which 165 had unfavorable outcome Eighty-six patients died while 119 had different neurological sequelae in 79 (16 %) patients The full model included 13 variables Age, nausea, vomiting, altered consciousness, hydrocephalus, vasculitis, immunosuppression, diabetes mellitus and neurological deficit remained in the final model Scores 1–3 were assigned to the variables in the severity scale, which included scores of 1–6 The distribution of mortality for the scores 1–6 was 34, 82, 206, 31, 30 and 401 %, respectively Altered consciousness, diabetes mellitus, immunosuppression, neurological deficits, hydrocephalus, and vasculitis predicted the unfavorable outcome in the scoring and the cumulative score provided a linear estimation of prognosis