Objective: This study aimed to determine the level of anxiety in elderly individuals during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Ankara province of Turkey and determine its associated factors.Methods: A quantitative, qualitative mixed‐method study performed in 1–10 June 2020 during the compulsory home‐stay for elderly people in Turkey. The quantitative study was conducted using a structured online questionnaire with 278 participants aged 65 or older. The Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI) was used to assess the anxiety. An in‐depth interview with 20 participants was used to fill the gap of face‐to‐face interview due to pandemic situation and strengthen the results of quantitative survey. Qualitative and quantitative data were analyzed separately.Results: Of all participants, 88 (31.7%) had a score above the cut‐off point for GAI. The prevalence of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) was significantly higher in female (37.8%) than in male (23.8%). Female gender, economic loss, uncertainty, and the time participants expend to follow news about COVID‐19 pandemic were risk factors of GAD. On the other hand, higher education level, hobbies, and regular physical activity were protective factors against GAD.Conclusion: During the pandemic, social isolation and lockdown for elderly people make serious risk factor for their mental well‐being. Measures must be taken to support the psychological well‐being of elderly by promoting physical activity and hobbies at home, and reducing their economic concerns.

Ülkemizde yeni gelişen ve önemli bir kavram olan sağlık okuryazarlığı ile ilgili araştırmaların sınırlı sayıda olması sebebiyle meslek yüksekokulu öğrencilerinde sağlık okuryazarlığı düzeyinin ve ilişkili faktörlerin belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Kesitsel türde planlanan bu araştırmanın evrenini oluşturan Fırat Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Meslek Yüksek Okulu’ndaki öğrencilerin %86,6’sı (n=1299) araştırmaya katılmıştır. Katılımcılar Sağlık Okuryazarlığı Anketi, sosyodemografik veri formu, kişisel sağlık algısı, sağlık çıktıları ve sağlık hizmetleri ile ilgili soruları yanıtlamışlardır. Veriler SPSS v 25.00 paket programı ile değerlendirilmiştir. Öğrencilerin Genel Sağlık Okuryazarlığı (SOY) İndeksi puan ortalaması 33,81±7,81 olup kadınlarda, ekonomik durumu iyi olanlarda, annenin öğrenim durumu ‘üniversite ve üzeri’ olanlarda, sigara kullanmayanlarda istatistiksel olarak anlamlı düzeyde daha yüksek bulunmuştur. Genel olarak toplumumuzda düşük olan sağlık okuryazarlığı düzeyi çalışmamıza katılan gençlerde de benzer olarak görülmektedir. Genel SOY düzeyini etkileyen faktörler arasında cinsiyet, anne öğrenim durumu, gelir durumu ve sigara kullanımı saptanmıştır. SOY düzeyinin “hastalıktan korunma” ve “sağlığın iyileştirilmesi” başlıkları altında en düşük olduğu görülmektedir. Bu da birincil korunma kapsamında sağlığın geliştirilmesi için çok sektörlü sağlık yaklaşımına ihtiyaç duyulduğunu ortaya koymaktadır. Gençlerin sağlık okuryazarlığı hakkında farkındalıklarının artırılmasına yönelik akran eğitimleri, programlar, projeler geliştirilmelidir.

Background: Home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) is commonly used to diagnose hypertension (HT), with a diagnostic threshold of ≥135/85 mm Hg, the same as daytime ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM). This study hypothesizes that training and adherence to HBPM guidelines will yield more accurate BP readings compared to ABPM. Methods: The study involved 129 patients with elevated office BP but no prior HT diagnosis. After a two-week observation period with lifestyle advice, HBPM was conducted over a week before and after structured measurement training, with ABPM performed in each period. Adherence to instructions post-training was also assessed. Results: Post-training, mean systolic and diastolic home BP values significantly decreased (from 128 ± 13.1/84.9 ± 8.2 to 122.6 ± 12.7/81.8 ± 7.8; P < 0.001 for both), while daytime ABPM values remained unchanged (131.7 ± 11.1/86.7 ± 9.3 before vs. 130.7 ± 11.7/85.9 ± 8.6 after; P = 0.185). Although HBPM values were consistently lower than ABPM values, the discrepancy grew post-training. The number of patients reaching the HT threshold via HBPM decreased significantly post-training [71 (55%) to 54 (41.9%); P = 0.006], whereas the number via daytime ABPM remained similar [82 (64.3%) vs. 84 (65.1%); P = 1.000]. Conclusion: Training and adherence to HBPM guidelines led to lower BP readings and fewer HT diagnoses. Contrary to the hypothesis, this method under “ideal conditions” underestimated HT prevalence when compared to daytime ABPM. Further studies with clinical endpoints are needed to refine HBPM methods and establish new BP thresholds for more accurate HT detection.

Digital technologies greatly affect many aspects of our lives and make life easier in every way. Nowadays, more than half of the world's population uses digital technology. Continuous and excessive use of digital technological tools or applications can lead to digital addiction. Presently, digital addiction is considered as a behavioral addiction, although there seems to be a lack of consensus on its definition. Effects of digital addiction on individuals are physical, mental, cognitive, behavioral, etc. Also, digital addiction, characterized by excessive and compulsive use of digital technologies, can have significant effects on society. Those are social, economic, legal and ethical, educational, cultural and societal norms, healthcare, environmental, privacy, security, and mental health, impacts. From a public health perspective, the priority is to prevent the prevalence of digital addiction. Effective programs in prevention and treatment should include a multi-sectoral and interdisciplinary approach and be methodologically strong, evidence-based programs.

Background/aim: It was aimed to evaluate the positive effects of health behaviors (general hygiene, wearing face masks, physical distancing, and travel restrictions) acquired during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the prevention of other infectious diseases in Ankara Province, Türkiye. Materials and methods: This study was designed retrospectively. Among the notifiable group A infectious diseases, acute intestinal infections (AIIs) with International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision diagnosis codes A09 (diarrhea and gastroenteritis presumed to be of infectious origin), R11 (nausea and vomiting), and K52 (other noninfectious gastroenteritis and colitis) , as well as influenza, tuberculosis, measles, varicella, malaria, and meningococcal meningitis were included in the scope of this study. The data of the selected infectious diseases in Ankara Province for the last 2 years before the pandemic (January 2018-December 2019) and for the 2-year period of the pandemic (January 2020-December 2021) were analyzed after checking the data. The number of cases were presented as frequencies, the 1-sample chi-squared test was used in the statistical analysis and the statistical significance level (α) was taken as 0.05. Results: The findings for each disease/disease group were discussed under separate headings. Comparing the prepandemic period (2018-2019) with the pandemic period (2020-2021), the decreases in the number of cases of selected infectious diseases, except influenza, were statistically significant. Conclusion: Undoubtedly, the experience gained from the pandemic struggle will guide us in shaping our future lives. From this point forward, we should be aware that living in crowded environments and as a highly mobile population, that unhygienic habits are unfavorable for the spread of all infectious diseases, and we should take care to continuously apply the precautions for healthy living in our new lifestyle.