Karakurt, Papatya; Ünsal, Ayla

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine the fatigue, anxiety and depression levels, activities of daily living of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (n=255). It was found that there was significant difference between Visual Analogue Scale for Fatigue (VAS-F) point averages and gender, education levels, marital status and economical status of patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Among the participants in this study, 36.5% had an anxiety disorder whereas 69.0% exhibited depression. In the study, it was determined that 85.5% of those were independent in their Katz's Index of Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and 49.4% of those were independent in their Lawton and Brody's Index of Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs). This study has shown that VAS-F, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, ADL and IADL instruments that measure the various aspects of health-related quality of living can contribute considerably to a more diversified understanding of the patients' situation with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Yildirim, Arzu; Hacihasanoǧlu Aşilar, Rabia; Bakar, Nihal; Demir, Nilay

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affects the lives of individuals in a number of ways; it causes an increase in the need for help and support and a decline in self-care agency and quality of life. This research has been conducted in patients with COPD hospitalized in the Pulmonary Department of Erzincan State Hospital in the eastern Turkey to examine the effect of anxiety and depression on self-care agency and quality of life (n=135). The results showed that 69.6% and 85.6% of the patients were at risk for anxiety and depression, respectively, and that the mean scores of self-care agency and quality of life decreased as the mean scores of anxiety and depression increased. It was also established that the mean score of the quality of life increased as the mean score of self-care agency went up. It could be concluded that the majority of the patients are at risk for anxiety and depression and that presence of anxiety or depression has a negative effect on the self-care agency and the quality of life. The recognition and treatment of depression and anxiety in patients with COPD provide significant improvements in self-care agency and quality of life of patients.

Karakurt, Papatya; Kaşikçi, Maǧfiret Kara

This research was performed as a single group pretest-posttest experimental design to determine the effect of education given to patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus on self-care. The research was performed between October 2007 and June 2008 in the Internal Medicine Outpatient Clinics located in A and B Blocks of Erzincan State Hospital. The research population included 100 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who attended the above mentioned units between the specified dates and met the inclusion criteria. Patients were subjected to a pretest using a patient identification form, Diabetes Self-Care Scale (DSCS) form in Turkish language and metabolic control parameters. A statistically significant difference was found between the mean values of pre-education and posteducation DSCS scores with an increase in mean posteducation scores. These results demonstrate that the education given to patients improves their self-care and metabolic control variables.

Hacihasanoǧlu, Rabia; Yildirim, Arzu; Karakurt, Papatya; Saǧlam, Rabia

Hacihasanoǧlu R, Yildiri{dotless}m A, Karakurt P, Saǧlam R. International Journal of Nursing Practice 2011; 17: 43-51 Healthy lifestyle behaviour in university students and influential factors in eastern Turkey This research was carried out to determine the healthy lifestyle behaviour of university students receiving education in central Erzincan. The population of this descriptive and cross-sectional research included a total of 4506 students receiving education at Erzincan University in the city centre, and the sampling included 981 students selected by a simple random sampling method from these schools. Data were collected between April and May 2008 by using an identification form and the Health Promotion Life-Style Profile (HPLP) Scale. Healthy lifestyle behaviour point averages of students were detected to be at medium level (118.41±20.90). It was established that student's grade, educational level of parents, economic status of the family and the student, the place where the student stays and smoking status of the student resulted in a significant difference in HPLP Scale total score average and the mean score of the majority of subscales.