Self-Rated Health and Associated Factors in Older Turkish Adults With Type 2 Diabetes: A Pilot Study

Changing perceptions of general health in the Kayseri Province, Turkey in 2004 and 2017: A population-based study

Aim

Self-rated health (SRH) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) have closely related outcomes in measuring general health status in community-based studies. The aim of this study is to determine changes in the self-perceived overall health of people and affected factors by comparing the findings of two studies conducted in the same research area.

Methods

Both studies were conducted using the same measurement tools in households determined by random sampling techniques in the same research areas. The first and second studies were conducted with 1,304 and 1,533 people residing in 501 and 801 households in 2004 and 2017, respectively. The demographic data form, the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP), and a single-item SRH questionnaire were used for data collection.

Results

The rate of good SRH increased from 56% to 70% while the average NHP score decreased from 30.87 to 20.34. The predictors of negative health perceptions were the presence of chronic diseases (OR 3.4-2.7-times higher), being female (OR.1.4-1.5 times higher), and the completion of primary education only (OR. 2.7-2.8 times higher) both 2004 and 2017. Living 500-1,000 m from the nearest healthcare facility was the main protective variable against poor SRH.

Conclusions

Good SRH and HRQoL have increased significantly over time. Chronic diseases, education, and gender are the strongest predictors of poor SRH.

Do postponed dental visits for financial reasons reduce quality of life? Evidence from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe

Background

There is a lack of studies investigating the impact of postponed dental visits due to financial constraints on quality of life.

Aims

The aim of this study was to identify whether these factors are associated longitudinally.

Methods

Data were derived from waves 5 and 6 of the “Survey of Health Ageing and Retirement in Europe” (SHARE). The analysis focused on Germany (n = 7506). The widely used CASP-12 was used to quantify the quality of life. Postponed dental visits for financial reasons in the preceding 12 months (no, yes) were used as the main explanatory variable. Socioeconomic and health-related covariates were included in regression analysis.

Results

Gender stratified regression analysis showed that quality of life decreased with the presence of postponed dental visits due to financial reasons in men. Furthermore, quality of life decreased with the worsening of self-rated health in both men and women. The outcome measure was not associated with age, marital status, income, and chronic diseases in both sexes.

Discussion

Study findings suggest that postponing dental visits due to financial constraints contributes to a decreased quality of life among older men.

Conclusion

Efforts to avoid these circumstances might help to maintain the quality of life in older men.

What Factors Shape Self-Reported Health Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults? A Scoping Review

Self-reported health is a predictive measure of morbidity and mortality across populations. A comprehensive understanding of the factors that shape self-reported health among community-dwelling older adults, a growing population globally, is lacking. The aim of this review was to summarize the factors that are associated with self-reported health among this population and identify key areas for future research. Accordingly, we conducted a scoping review using the stage-wise framework developed by Arksey and O'Malley. We summarized 42 factors, as identified in 30 publications, and organized them into four categories. Key factors shaping self-reported health included the presence of chronic conditions and depressive symptoms. As the population of community-dwelling older adults continues to increase, there remains a need to understand how these identified factors shape self-reported health. To date, empirical research has been limited to observational and cross-sectional designs. There is a need to further explore these factors in longitudinal data.

Use of complementary medicine among people with diabetes in eastern Turkey: A descriptive study

PURPOSE

To measure the frequency, type, purpose of complementary medicine (CM) use among people with diabetes mellitus.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The population of this descriptive study consisted of the patients hospitalized in the endocrine clinic of a university hospital in Eastern Turkey who were diagnosed with diabetes. Data were collected from 316 patients.

RESULTS

43.0% of the patients were using CM, and 97.0% of those using CM tried herbal methods. The patients who had variable glycated haemoglobin values (60.3%) and those who had DM-related complications (60.3%) used CM more.

CONCLUSION

It was determined that CM usage was prevalent among the patients. The most frequently used CM method was herbal therapy. We found that the use of CM was more common in patients with poor metabolic control. Therefore, healthcare professionals must be assess use of CM and provide suitable counseling.

Determinants of thirst distress in patients on hemodialysis

PURPOSE

Thirst sensation can induce nonadherence with fluid restriction in patients on hemodialysis (HD) and may lead to large interdialytic weight gain (IWG). This study aimed to evaluate thirst distress and its determinants and to explore fluid management strategies used by patients on HD.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample of 203 patients who were followed in three HD centers in Turkey, from January 2015 to June 2015. Data were collected by a personal information form, the Thirst Distress Scale (TDS) and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for thirst and xerostomia. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, Student's t test, the one-way analysis of variance, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and linear regression analysis.

RESULTS

The mean TDS score was 20.71 ± 8.34, which is a higher than moderate level of thirst distress. The significant determinants of thirst distress of the patients were the VAS thirst score (unstandardized β = 1.73, p < 0.001), the VAS xerostomia score (unstandardized β = 0.42, p < 0.001), and the IWG values (unstandardized β = 1.20, p = 0.003), after controlling for specific variables. The most common strategies used to reduce fluid intake or relieve thirst were avoiding salty foods (70.9 %), limiting salt on food (70.9 %), and spacing liquids over the entire day (57.6 %).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with higher levels of thirst and xerostomia and those with a high IWG were more likely to have higher thirst distress. A greater understanding of thirst distress and its related factors could contribute to more effective interventions that improve health and well-being in patients on HD.