Is Waterpipe Smoking Becoming Increasingly Widespread Among the Youth?

Cinar, Nursan,Cakmak, Vahide Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.18

Effect of Web-supported Health Education on Knowledge of Health and Healthy-living Behaviour of Female Staff in a Turkish University

Nurgul, Keser,Nursan, Cinar,Dilek, Kose,Over, Ozcelik Tijen,Sevin, Altinkaynak Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2015 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.16 No.2

Background: Once limited with face-to face courses, health education has now moved into the web environment after new developments in information technology This study was carried out in order to give training to the university academic and administrative female staff who have difficulty in attending health education planned for specific times and places. The web-supported training focuses on healthy diet, the importance of physical activity, damage of smoking and stress management. Materials and Methods: The study was carried out in Sakarya University between the years 2012-2013 as a descriptive and quasi experimental study. The sample consisted of 30 participants who agreed to take part in the survey, filled in the forms and completed the whole training. The data were collected via a "Personel Information Form", "Health Promotion Life-Style Profile (HPLSP)", and "Multiple Choice Questionnaire (MCQ). Results: There was a statistically significant difference between the total points from "Health Promotion Life-Style Profile" and the total points from the sub-scale after and before the training (t=3.63, p=0.001). When the points from the multiple choice questionnaire after and before training were compared, it was seen that the average points were higher after the training (t=8.57, p<0.001). Conclusions: It was found that web-supported health training has a positive effect on the healthy living behaviour of female staff working at a Turkish university and on their knowledge of health promotion.

Effects of Nursing Education on Awareness of Risk Factors for Colorectal Cancer

Akduran, Funda,Cinar, Nursan Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2015 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.16 No.14

Background: The objective of this study is to determine the effect of nursing education on awareness of risk factors for colorectal cancer. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study, the sample is consisted of 132 volunteer students studying in the 1st and 4th grades of School of Health Nursing Department during the fall semester of 2014-2015. Data were collected via a questionnaire including information on the socio-demographic features of the participants and the correlating risk factors of colorectal cancer, prepared by researchers in view of the literature. The questionnaire was distributed to students and completed during class time. Before presenting the questionnaires to the respondents, informed consent was obtained from each. The data obtained were analyzed with a statistical package (SPSS). At first, a Kolmogorov-Smirnow test was performed on the research data. However, since it was seen that variables did not have a normal distribution, the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test was applied. P values of <0.05 were considered statistically significant. Percentages, means and standard deviations were also utilized for evaluation. Results: Of the total of 132 students participating in this study, 85.6% (n=113) were female, and 14.4% (n=19) were male. The average age was $20.5{\pm}2.04$. 54.5 % of the students (n=72) were 4th graders and 45.5 % (n=60) were first graders. Total score averages of first graders on risk awareness was $X=12{\pm}7.24$, and fourth graders was $X=16.93{\pm}7.71$. The difference between these two scores were found to be statistically significant (Z= -9,333; p=0.000). Conclusions: Nursing education was found out to have a positive influence on the students' awareness of risk factors for colorectal cancer.

Fallacies about Water Pipe Use in Turksih University Students - What Might Be the Consequences?

Alvur, Muge Tuncay,Cinar, Nursan,Akduran, Funda,Dede, Cemile Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.5

Background: The popularity of the narghile waterpipe, also referred to as hookah, shisha or hubble-bubble has increased tremendously during the past few decades. The aim of this study was to expose perception of narghile among a representative sample of university students in Sakarya University campus. Materials and Methods: Written approval was taken from the local education authority. An anonymous questionnaire which was prepared by the investigators and contained 17 questions was administered. Nine of the questions were related to socio-demographic characteristics and eight were related to the students harm perceptions about waterpipe. A total of 1,320 questionnaries were received and after preliminary evaluation 1,255 (95.7%) were found to be suitable for evaluation. The data was evaluated in SPSS program by using percentages and averages. Results: The $mean{\pm}SD$ age of the students was $20.8{\pm}2.29$ years (min 18, max 32). There were 864 (68.8%) females and 391 (31.2%) males. A total of 6.3 % of the students (n=79) believed that waterpipe is not harmful because its smoke does not burn the lungs. Almost one-third (n=318) think that the carcinogenic chemicals are filtered while waterpipe smoke passes from the water; 12.1 % of the students (n=152) checked "true" for the statement of "waterpipe smoke contains no nicotine". It is seen that 14.0 % of the students (n=176) think waterpipe with fruit/aroma is healthier than plain waterpipe. Conclusions: As a result of this study, it is found out that a substantial number of university students have false beliefs on harmful effects of waterpipe smoking.

Trends in Smoking among University Students between 2005-2012 in Sakarya, Turkey

Alvur, Tuncay Muge,Cinar, Nursan,Oncel, Selim,Akduran, Funda,Dede, Cemile Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.11

Turkey protects its entire population of 75 million people with all the MPOWER measures at the highest level. The aim of this study is to make a comparison of smoking and addiction data obtained from Sakarya University students in 2005-6 and 2012-13. A total of 4,200 (2,500 and 1,700 for each academic year) students at Sakarya University in Sakarya, Turkey, were randomly selected for sampling purposes. The selected participants represented Sakarya University students. Data were collected using a pretested anonymous and confidential, self-completed questionnaire which took 15-20 minutes to complete and Fagerstrom Test for nicotine dependence. Chi-squared, Spearman correlation, and binary logistic regression tests were used to define associations, if any. The level of significance was kept at alpha=0.05. Smoking prevalance dropped by 8.5% (from 26.9% to 18.5%). Male gender, older age, high family smoking index, low self-rated school success, and high peer smoker proportion were common variables that have correlation with smoking status. In the binary logistic regression test the highest contributor to "being a smoker" was found to be the rate of peer smokers. Having all friends smoking puts the student a a 47.5 and 58.0 times higher risk for smoking for males and females, respectively. Our results suggest an admirable diminution of smoking prevalance among Sakarya University students, which can be attributed to MPOWER protection.

Perceptions of Turkish University Students about the Effects of Water Pipe Smoking on Health

Sahin, Sevil,Cinar, Nursan Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2015 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.16 No.11

Background: The popularity of the water pipe, also referred to as hookah, narghile, shisha or hubble-bubble, has increased tremendously during the past few decades. This study was conducted to determine student water pipe smoking status and perceptions about the effects of water pipe smoking on health in a state university in Ankara. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between September 2014 and January 2015. The data were collected with a questionnaire and "The Scale of Perception about the Effects of Water Pipe Smoking on Health". The data obtained were evaluated in IBM SPSS (version 20.0) statistical package program in computer. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used for the analyses by checking homogeneity of variances and Student's t-test. Values of p<0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: The total mean score obtained by young people who took part in the study was determined as ($\bar{X}=65.20{\pm}1.25$, min=33, max=75). Upon comparison of the total mean scores obtained by young people from the Scale of Perception about the effects of water pipe smoking on health and gender variable, the scores obtained by the females students were higher than those of the male students with a statistically significant difference (t=7.525, p<0.05). A statistically significant difference was observed between the total mean scores obtained by young people with cigarette and water pipe smoking status (for each, t=-3.731, p<0.05; t=-13.987, p<0.05). Conclusions: In conclusion, university students have wrong knowledge on the dangers of water pipe smoking. There was a high prevalence of using water pipes among university students. Gender significantly affected the perceptions about the effect of water pipe smoking on health in our sample.

Turkish Adolescent Perceptions about the Effects of Water Pipe Smoking on their Health

Cakmak, Vahide,Cinar, Nursan Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2015 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.16 No.18

Background: Consumption of tobacco in the form of a water pipe has recently increased, especially among young people. This study aimed to develop a scale which would be used in order to detect perceptions about the effects of water pipe smoking on health and to test its validity and reliability. Our scale named "a scale of perception about the effects of water pipe smoking on health" was developed in order to detect factors effecting the perception of adolescents about the effects of water pipe smoking on health. Materials and Methods: The sample consisted of 150 voluntary students in scale development and 750 voluntary students in the study group. Data were collected via a questionnaire prepared by researchers themselves and 5-pont Likert scale for "a scale of perception about the effects of water pipe smoking on health" which was prepared through the literature. Data evaluation was carried out on a computer with SPSS. Results: The findings of the study showed that "a scale of perception about the effects of water pipe smoking on health" was valid and reliable. Total score average of the adolescents participated in the study was $58.5{\pm}1.25$. The mean score of the ones who did not smoke water pipe ($60.1{\pm}11.7$) was higher than the mean score of the ones who smoked water pipe ($51.6{\pm}13.8$), the difference being statistically significant. Conclusions: It is established that "a scale of perception about the effects of water pipe smoking on health" was a reliable and valid measurement tool. It is also found out that individuals who smoked a water pipe had a lower level of perception of water pipe smoking effects on health than their counterparts who did not smoke a water pipe.

Mothers' Knowledge and Attitudes about HPV Vaccination to Prevent Cervical Cancers

Kose, Dilek,Erkorkmaz, Unal,Cinar, Nursan,Altinkaynak, Sevin Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.17

Background: Cervical cancer which is one of the most preventable cancers is an important public health problem worldwide, and especially in developing countries. The aim of this study was to determine knowledge and attitudes about the HPV vaccination of mothers with 0- to 18-year old children. Materials and Methods: Written approval was taken from the local authorities. The study subjects consisted of 799 mothers who agreed to participate. The data were collected via a "Personal Information Form" which included 30 questions that were prepared by the researchers themselves in line with the literature. The data were collected by face to face interviews with the mothers. Analyses were performed using commercial software. Results: The mean age of the mothers who participated in the study was $32.0{\pm}6.52$, and 88.1% reported no information about HPV, and 83.5% no information about HPV vaccination. Only 0.7% of the mothers had daughters who had HPV vaccination, and 44.3% of the mothers who had sons were found out to be indecisive about having HPV vaccination. There was a significant corelation between the educational status of the mothers and their knowledge about HPV vaccination (p<0.05). However, there was no significant correlation in terms of economic conditions (p>0.05). Conclusions: This study suggested that mothers had very little information on HPV and HPV vaccination. Knowledge of the disease and its vaccination is an essential factor for the success of the vaccination program. It is of great importance that mothers are trained in this subject by health professionals.