Healthcare workers are among risk groups in the COVID-19. Even if they are not infected with the disease, they witness the effects of the pandemic. The aim of the study is to determine the factors affecting COVID-19 vaccination status and reasons for vaccine hesitancy of healthcare personnel in our hospital. Firstly, the vaccination status and demographic characteristics of all healthcare personnel was evaluated. After that, a survey was applied to 408 vaccinated and 297 nonvaccinated personnel. Within the first month after the beginning of vaccination, 66% of 3937 healthcare personnel received a COVID-19 vaccine. The number of vaccinated personnel was higher among doctors, master graduates or higher educational levels and basic science-laboratory unit workers. In the surveyed group, being under the age of 50 (OR:1.85), being nondoctor healthcare personnel (nurse/midwife OR:1.78, administrative personnel OR:3.42, patient attendant/cleaning staff OR:4.11, security guard/other OR:2.96), having had the disease before (OR:2.36), not having the flu vaccine (OR:3.24) and hesitancy about other vaccines (OR:6.61) were found to be independent risk factors for not having a COVID-19 vaccine or having it late. The three most common reasons for not getting vaccinated were doubt on the efficacy of the vaccine, distrust of its content, and fear of side effects. Taking steps by considering the main factors of hesitancy among healthcare personnel will increase the vaccine acceptance.

Healthy lifestyle behaviors encompass activities aimed at promoting, maintaining, or reclaiming health. Evaluating these behaviors accurately requires comp

The evidence on the waning protection of COVID-19 vaccines has been reviewed by the World Health Organization and has led to consideration of the need for booster doses. This study aimed to evaluate vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19, and the COVID-19 infections among healthcare workers who received various types (inactive or m-RNA) and doses (2 to 4 doses) of the COVID-19 vaccine. The study was conducted with a total of 3,009 healthcare workers between August 1 and November 30, 2021 at a university hospital. Six different vaccination statuses were evaluated in the study. The effectiveness for COVID-19 infection, after adjusting for age, sex, and position, was highest in those who received two doses of CoronaVac and two doses of BNT162b2 (89.3%, 95% CI 72.2-95.9%) and was lowest in those who received two doses of CoronaVac (29%, 95% CI - 8-53%). The adjusted effectiveness of two doses of CoronaVac for COVID-19 infection was not significant (21.0%, 95% CI - 20.7-48.3%) but increased significantly with a booster dose of CoronaVac or BNT162b2. One or two doses of the BNT162b2 booster demonstrated higher effectiveness in comparison to a single dose of the CoronaVac booster. These results indicate the need for a booster dose, and heterologous boosting with BNT162b2 may be a better option for higher effectiveness for those who received two doses of CoronaVac. Future studies should evaluate the need for further booster doses and their long-term effects.

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of internet addiction among university students and its relationships with quality of life, life satisfaction, and depression. This cross-sectional study included 394 students from the Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa faculties of Engineering, Health Sciences, Sport Sciences, and Education. The self-report questionnaires included questions assessing sociodemographic factors, quality of life, life satisfaction, the Chen Internet Addiction Scale, and the Beck Depression Inventory. The prevalence of internet addiction (IA) was 18.3%, and depression was 60.9%. IA was more common among students with severe (OR = 7.10; 95% CI: 2.94–17.10) and moderate (OR = 3.43; 95% CI: 1.56–7.51) depressive symptoms than among those with minimal symptoms. Income less than expenses (OR = 2.03; 95% CI: 1.09–3.78) and reading books less than once per month were positively associated with IA. Reading 1–3 times/month (OR = 0.30; 95% CI: 0.14–0.65) and once/week or more (OR = 0.36; 95% CI: 0.19–0.70) were negatively associated with IA. No significant associations were found between IA and either quality of life or life satisfaction. In this study, depression, low income, and limited reading habits were identified as significantly associated variables for internet addiction. To protect university students from internet addiction and develop healthy behaviors, it is necessary to develop prevention strategies, design, and implement awareness and education programs that consider preventive factors.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the short-term outcomes of infants from our level IIIC neonatal intensive care unit in 2 different periods. Materials and Methods: In this cohort study, data from preterm infants (≤29 weeks and birth weight <1500 g) registered in the Vermont Oxford Network system were divided into 2 periods, the first period between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2009, and the second between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2019. Results: There was no difference in the distribution of preterm infants according to their gestational age subgroups (P = .169). Although the survival rate increased significantly in the second period (48.1% vs. 64.3% (P < .001), there was no difference in terms of survival without morbidity (P = .480). The frequency of antenatal care (P < .001), antenatal maternal steroid use (P < .001), cesarean section (P = .025), and small for gestational age (P < .003) increased in the second period. Surfactant treatment in the delivery room (P < .003), neonatal intensive care unit (P < .001), and nasal continuous positive airway pressure use before intubation as a part of initial resuscitation (P < .001), nosocomial infections (P = .001), patent ductus arteriosus requiring medical treatment (P = .011), and necrotizing enterocolitis (P = .014) were significantly more common, but early neonatal sepsis (P = .002) and discharge home with only formula (P = .010) were less in the second period. Conclusion: Differences were noted in the prognosis and treatment choices of preterm infants in the same unit between 2 periods. The analysis of neonatal intensive care unit data, through rigorous methods, may provide opportunities for the development of quality improvement projects to improve the quality of health care in developing countries. Cite this article as: Yılmaz A, Kaya N, Alp Ünkar Z, et al. Evaluation of short-term outcomes of preterm infants in 2 periods: Vermont Oxford Network results of a developing country’s single-center level IIIC neonatal intensive care unit experience. Turk Arch Pediatr. 2023;58(2):159-167.