Background: Increasing breastfeeding duration may help physician mothers better counsel their patients. To improve the breastfeeding duration of physician mothers, the factors that may influence their breastfeeding duration should be known. Research Aim: To investigate the breastfeeding behavior and duration among physician mothers and to determine the factors that influence breastfeeding practices. Methods: This was an online prospective cross-sectional self-report survey. A 26-item author-created data-collecting tool inquiring sociodemographic and work characteristics, medical history of delivery, and breastfeeding history was sent to female physicians who had infants between 12 and 60 months of age via an online social group, “Physician Mothers,” with 11,632 members. Participants ( N = 615) responded, and descriptive statistics were analyzed. Results: Participants’ mean duration of exclusive breastfeeding was 4.8 months ( SD = 1.9). The total breastfeeding length was a mean 15.8 months ( SD = 7.6). The rate of breastfeeding duration for at least 24 months was 17.8% ( n = 75). The most common reason for weaning from breastfeeding was workplace-related conditions (23.6%, n = 145). Participants reported that the mean time of resuming night shifts after delivery was 8.6 months ( SD = 4.7). The rate of participants who were unable to use their breastfeeding leave rights partially or completely was 43.6% ( n = 268). Conclusion: Although legislation is in place to allow working mothers to breastfeed their infants, these legal rights were not used properly. Physician mothers should be fully supported in using their breastfeeding leave rights, and workplace conditions should be improved to enable physician mothers to breastfeed their infants for extended periods.

Öz Amaç: Amacımız Sivas ili kırsalında bulunan bir ilçede, 6-18 yaş okula giden çocuk ve adölesanların obezite sıklığını belirlemek ve buna etki eden faktörleri tespit etmektir. Materyal ve Metot: Tanımlayıcı kesitsel tipteki çalışmamızın evrenini Sivas Akıncılar ilçesinde eğitim gören 485 öğrenci oluşturmakta idi. Çalışma 1-8 Haziran 2018 tarihinde, çalışmaya katılmayı kabul eden ve çalışmaya dahil edilme kriterlerini karşılayan 449 öğrenci üzerinde gerçekleştirildi. Onam formunu imzalayan velilerin çocuklarının boy, kilo, bel çevresi ve kalça çevresi araştırmacı tarafından ölçüldü ve 24 sorudan oluşan standardize anket formu velilere ulaştırıldı. Ölçümlerin değerlendirilmesinde Olcay Neyzi standartları (ulusal çalışma verileri ile oluşturulan) ve Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC standartları kullanıldı.

Introduction and Aim: In a medical school, to determine whether students have the necessary infrastructure for distance education, students’ access to educational materials, the concerns and expectations of students about the process. Methods: First, second, third, fourth and fifth-year students, continue through distance education in the pandemic process in Cumhuriyet University Medical School, were included in the study. 336 students volunteered to participate in this descriptive research. The data collection tool used in research was created by the researchers. The data collection tool created by the researchers consists of 24 questions that the descriptive variables of students, their study status and problems in distance education process. Results: Students’ 91.4% entered the university’s distance education module. 82.1% of them stated that they studied less than the old working program during this process. Participants’ 19.3% did not have a suitable study environment at home, 19.6% of them did not have a computer and 12.2% of them had an irregular internet connection. There were significant differences between the presence of a suitable environment for home study (p=0.001), the internet access status (p=0.004) and the frequency of study. The answers given by students to the question of their concerns/problems related to this process; concerns about the distance education module (not getting feedback, problems with material adequacy, etc.) (42.3%), the lack of training (39.0%), concerns about the exam (28.9%), decreased will to study (16.7%), fail the class/low grades (14.6%) were gathered in these main categories, respectively. Participants’ 76.5% felt the lack of occupational practice. 61.6% of them demanded the increase of multimedia items in the materials uploaded to the system. Conclusion: Depending on the pandemic, the duration of distance education process remains uncertain. In this process, especially in occupational practice-oriented faculty such as medical faculties, students have concerns related to these deficiencies. In addition, when planning distance education, faculties should consider students’ availability of having devices and internet access.

Objective: To determine the knowledge and behaviors of the patients applying to family medicine clinic in a rural area about traditional and complementary medicine (TCM) applications. Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study. A 13-question survey, created by the researchers, was applied to the participants. The research was carried out in a family medicine clinic in B. district of A. province. Volunteers 18 years and above who agreed to participate in the study were included. For statistical analysis of the data, Shapiro-Wilk, Mann-Whitney U and Chi-square tests were applied using SPSS program. Results: A total of 256 individuals volunteered to participate in the study. The mean age was 58.8±15.0 years. Of the participants, 52% (n=133) were female and 48% (n=123) were male. The most common TCM methods known by the participants were leech (70.3%; n=180), cupping (54.7%; n=140) and acupuncture (50%; n=128). While the most frequent source of information on this subject was media (64%; n=146), the rarest information source was the doctor (11.8%, n=27). Of the participants, 14.8% (n=38) had any TCM treatment method before. The most common TCM methods they had were cupping (7%; n=18), leech (3.5%; n=9) and acupuncture (3.5%; n = 9). Of those who had TCM application, 60.5% (n=23) had this treatment done at home environment. Conclusion: TCM methods are interested, becoming more and more popular practices in the world. These practices are recognized by the Ministry of Health and have relevant regulation on this issue. Despite these regulations, it is worrisome that the public chooses the media to reach the right information about TCM and that the place where they have done this application most often is the home environment. It will be beneficial to organize educations and publications by the Ministry of Health on this issue. In addition, healthcare professionals should be more actively involved in training and implementation.

Aim: To determine the COVID-19 fear level of family physicians during the pandemic working in Sivas and its relationship to their experienced problems. Methods: This descriptive study was delivered to 225 family physicians in Sivas between December-January 2021 via an online survey containing 24 questions of participants' sociodemographic data, the problems they experienced in family medicine, and the COVID-19 Fear Scale. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were used to analyze thedata. Results: A total of 138 family physicians whose mean age was 37.6±7.3, with 52.2 % males and 47.8% females, included. Participants’ 16.7% had the COVID-19 infection. COVID-19 Fear Scale mean score of 18.3±6.5, appearing significantly higher in females (19.6±5.8) than in males (17.2±6.9). 28.3% of subjects needed taking professional psychological support, on which increase of working period in family medicine and COVID-19 Fear Scale Score and being single had a positive effect. Also, 86.2% experienced primary health care services problems, most frequently ranked as cancer screening, mobile service, and chronic illness follow-up. Conclusion: Necessary psychosocial support should be provided to all healthcare workers, especially family physicians, during the pandemic. So, we recommend authorities take proper precautions to continue without interruption for primary preventive health services. Keywords: COVID-19, fear, family practice, COVID-19, fear, primary care physicians