This article describes a study designed to test a method for assessing the cost to the health services of illegally induced abortion and the feasibility of estimating the incidence of induced abortion by a field interviewing approach. The participating centers included three hospitals in Ankara, Turkey; three hospitals in Ibadan, Nigeria; one hospital in Caracas and one in Valencia, Venezuela; and two hospitals in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Hospitalized abortion cases were classified as induced or spontaneous or as "probably induced," "possibly induced," or "unknown" according to a classification scheme comprising certain medical criteria. The sociodemographic characteristics of induced and spontaneous abortion cases were subjected to discriminant function analysis and the discriminating variables best characterizing the induced versus the spontaneous abortion groups were identified for each center. On the basis of this analysis, the "probably" and "possibly" induced and "unknown" categories were further classified as induced or spontaneous abortion, with stated probabilities. Thus an overall estimate is made of the proportion of all hospitalized abortions that can be considered illegally induced outside the hospital. Selected results on costs of induced and spontaneous abortion are shown. The method further tested the feasibility of obtaining valid survey data on abortion from the communities studied by re-interviewing the women hospitalized for induced and spontaneous abortion six months later in their homes. This exercise showed a degree of under-reporting of abortion that varied widely among centers, even among women who had admitted illegal induction at the time of hospitalization. The feasibility of estimating the incidence of illegal abortion by field studies is discussed in the light of these findings.

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OBJECTIVES:Smoking is an important public health issue in Turkey. This study set out to investigate the smoking prevalence among first and fourth grade university students as well as the associated socio-demographic variables. MATERIAL AND METHODS:A survey was carried out by the International Children's Centre (ICC) in the faculties of Science and Literature, Education and Medicine of nine Turkish Universities to determine the knowledge and life styles of the 1st and 4th grade university students in adolescence (2009). A total of 5.221 students were evaluated. Data were analysed using SPPS 16.0-9907290 statistical package program. RESULTS:The first grade students with illiterate mothers (23.0%), those who were living alone at home (37.7%) and those who considered receiving inadequate pocket money (24.9%) had a higher level of smoking prevalence (p<0.05). The fourth grade students with illiterate mothers (34.9%), those who were living with their friends (34.0%), those who perceived their economic situation bad (37.7%) and those who considered receiving inadequate pocket money (36.3%) had a higher level of smoking prevalence (p<0.05). CONCLUSION:A relationship between smoking habits of university students and some socio-demographic characteristics was found. We believe that more priority should be given to health promotion interventions among university students, especially among those of low socioeconomic status. On the other hand, in order to monitor the efficacy of smoking-related interventions among young people, there is a need for early detection of young individuals who are at risk and urgent interventions should be carried out.KEY WORDS: University students, smoking, sociodemographic characteristics INTRODUCTIONThe World Health Organization defines adolescence as the period between 10 and 19 years and youth as the period between 15 and 24 years [1]. Adolescence is a specific process with the highest rate of growth and development of an individual and it is the transition from childhood to adulthood. This process is a period including physical and sexual growth and development accompanied by numerous social changes. Quest for identity and effort to gain acceptance are experienced intensively in adolescence [2][3][4]. It is expected that the changes occurring in adolescence would be completed and the plans for the future would be developed in youth. Numerous behaviours that determine the life style are also gained in youth. Whilst some of these behaviours are positive, some of them negatively influence the health. Accidents, suicide, sexually transmitted infections, violence and substance abuse that are brought along with behavioural problems negatively influence health in youth. Behaviours acquired from family, as well as the effects of the social environment and friends, have a role in forming these behaviours [5].Studies demonstrate that the majority of smokers in many countries begin smoking before the age of 18 years [6,7]. According to the 2008 data of the World Health Organization, approximately one f...

Meningiomas are relatively uncommon in childhood. They represent 1 to 2% of all intracranial tumours of infancy and childhood. During the last 30-year period, from 1964 to 1993, 13 children with a diagnosis of meningioma were operated on at the Department of Neurosurgery, Hacettepe University School of Medicine. The meningiomas in the paediatric age group were characterized by multiplicity (23%), frequent association with neurofibromatosis (23%), intraventricular location (8%), and the presence of a cystic component in the tumour tissue (23%). These findings in children differ from those in adults. This study constitutes a retrospective analysis of these cases and a review of the literature.