• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.11
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• pp.4527-4533
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• 2014

Background: This descriptive and cross-sectional study aimed to investigate effects of cigarette smoking across three generations and perceptions of the smoking-cancer relationship on the cigarette smoking status of Turkish university students. Materials and Methods: The study sample comprised of 434 university students studying in different departments of a university. Data were collected using a socio-demographic data collection form and the Decisional Balance Scaleqand evaluated using the Mann-Whitney U test, CHAID and multiple regression analyses. Results: The average age of the students participating in the study is 19.6+.5.0, some 11.3% of the students reporting that they smoked cigarettes. No statistically significant relationship was ascertained between the cigarette smoking statuses of the students based on the cigarette smoking status of their grandparents (p=0.144). but there was alink to that of their parents (p=0.002). The difference between the cigarette smoking ratios of the students based on their perceptions of smoking-cancer relationship was statistically significant (p<0.001). Believing that there is a relationship between smoking and cancer decreased likelihood of cigarette smoking 3.7 fold. Cigarette smoking by grandparents, and believing that there is a relationship between smoking and cancer, and cigarette smoking by parents explained 8.3% of the cigarette smoking status of the students. Conclusions: While cigarette smoking by grandparents only indirectly influences cigarette smoking by the students, believing that there is a relationship between smoking and cancer, and cigarette smoking by parents are influential variables in determining cigarette smoking by Turkish students.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.332-339
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• 2023

Background: The aim of the study was to test the validity and reliability of the Perceived Future Decent Work Securement Scale for Turkish nursing students. Methods: A cross-sectional, methodological study design was used. The study was carried out at three nursing undergraduate programs in Turkey during the academic year of 2020-2021 with 336 senior nursing students. Language validity and content validity analyses were performed for the scale adaptation, followed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) for construct validity. The reliability of the scale was determined using the test-retest and Cronbach's alpha internal consistency coefficient. Results: The scale-content validity index score was 0.988. In CFA, all goodness-of-fit indices verified the acceptable fit of the model; its root mean square error of approximation was 0.076; the normed fit index was 0.909; the standardized mean square residual was 0.097; the relative fit index was 0.881; the goodness-of-fit index was 0.915; the adjusted goodness-of-fit index was 0.872 and χ²/df = 2.932. The overall reliability was α = 0.86. The item-total correlations of the scale were above the acceptable level, and the test-retest analysis had a high correlation. The access to healthcare (14.68, SD 3.53) obtained the highest average score, and the adequate compensation (8.52, SD 3.76) was the lowest rated by the senior nursing students. Conclusion: The Perceived Future Decent Work Securement Scale is a valid and reliable scale to assess nursing students' future decent work securement.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.17
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• pp.7731-7736
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• 2015

Background: Breast cancer usually shows a slow development rate and when it is recognized in early stages very successful treatment results can be achieved. This research was planned to research the health beliefs of nursing faculty students about breast cancer and breast self-examination (BSE). Materials and Methods: The first class students of nursing faculty formed the basis for this descriptive research (N=347). Sample selection was not made and all female students who wanted to participate voluntarily in the research during March-May of 2014 were included (n=331). Results: It was determined that 85.5% of students had knowledge about cancer, 79.5 % knew of breast cancer, and 65.3% were aware of how BSE is performed. According to the responses of students to the scale of the health belief model that is used to determine the health beliefs of students, item-point averages of trust and obstacle sub-dimensions were high. Conclusions: It is determined that more than half of students had knowledge about breast cancer and breast self-examination. Their health beliefs were affected by trust and obstacle perceptions, knowledge level about cancer, and awareness about how BSE is done. These factors should be considered in planning trainings that will be given to students. Social responsibility projects should have designed to create the awareness that cancer is a treatable disease.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.1275-1280
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• 2014

Purpose: To define factors that affect the performance status of BSE and confidence of student nurses. Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was conducted in the academic year 2010-2011 in a nursing faculty in $\dot{I}$zmir, Turkey. "Informative data form" and "Champion's Revised Health Belief Model Scale (CHBMS)" were used as data collection forms. Results: The mean age of the participant nurses was $21.0{\pm}1.49$. The mean CHMS scores of the student nurses were as follows: perceived susceptibility regarding breast cancer, $7.78{\pm}2.46$; perceived seriousness regarding breast cancer, $22.4{\pm}5.43$; perceived benefit regarding BSE application, $20.5{\pm}4.45$; perceived barriers regarding BSE application, $23.8{\pm}7.13$; perceived confidence regarding BSE application, $36.3{\pm}7.78$; the mean score of health motivation sub-scale, $25.7{\pm}4.59$; and mean of the total score of the scale, $36.5{\pm}15.01$. Conclusions: The outcomes obtained in this study indicated the importance of better education to student nurses, who have a key role in teaching preventive health behaviour including BSE to society and other university students as colleagues.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.1307-1312
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• 2014

Background: The objective of this study was to examine the effect of self-concept levels and perceived academic achievements of sixth, seventh and eighth grade primary school students upon their perceptions about smoking. Method: The data were collected with the Socio-Demographic Data Collection Form, Pier-Herris Self-Concept scale and Children's Decision Balance Scale. The study sample consisted of 374 students receiving education in the sixth, seventh and eighth grades of three primary schools, which were selected among primary schools of Izmir Provincial Directorate for National Education representing three socio-economic groups with a simple random sampling method. The data were collected in December 2012-January 2013. Percentages and the t test were used in the evaluation of the data. Results: While students with a positive self-concept had score averages of $7.12{\pm}2.18$ regarding the lower dimension of smoking pros and $29.0{\pm}2.47$ regarding the lower dimension of smoking cons, their counterparts with a negative self-concept had score averages of $8.61{\pm}3.76$ (p=0.000) and $28.1{\pm}3.49$ (p=0.004), respectively. According to self-perception, there was statistical difference between perceptions of students regarding smoking (p<0.01). While students perceiving themselves successful had score averages of $7.81{\pm}3.13$ and $28.5{\pm}3.19$ regarding the lower dimension of smoking benefit and harm, students perceiving themselves unsuccessful had score averages of $8.27{\pm}3.39$ (p=0.333) and $29.01{\pm}2.05$ (p=0.235), with no difference determined. Conclusion: Students with a positive self-perception had a low perception of smoking pros and a high perception of smoking cons. Perception of academic achievement did not affect the pros and cons perceptions of children regarding smoking.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.795-798
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• 2012

Objective: This descriptive, cross sectional study was conducted to examine the effect of levels of self-efficacy on children's perceptions of pros and cons of smoking. Methodology: The sample was 233 fifth-grade students. Data were collected in September 2010 using the Socio-Demographic Data Collection Form, Self Efficacy Scale Child Form and Child Decision Balance Scale and analyzed via percentage calculations and t test with the SPSS 11.00 statistical package program. Results: Average age of the students participating in the research was $11.1{\pm}0.41$, 49.8 % (n: 116) being female and 50.2 % (n:117) male. The difference between the score averages of the pros of smoking perceptions of children with a high self-efficacy level and of those with a low self efficacy level (t=2.117, p=.042) and the difference between the score averages of the cons of smoking perceptions of children with a high self-efficacy level and of those with a low self-efficacy level (t=2.206, p=.035) were found to be statistically significant. Conclusions: Children's positive perceptions of smoking were low and negative perceptions high when their self efficacy levels were high. Conversely, children's positive perceptions of smoking were high when their self efficacy levels were low.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.2515-2519
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• 2015

Purpose: To determine knowledge levels of working and student nurses about cervical cancer and prophylactic cancer vaccines. Materials and Methods: This study was performed on 259 nursing students in the Department of Nursing and 137 nurses working in Health Research and Practice Center, approved to participate in the study between April-June 2012. The study was performed universally without selecting a sample. A questionnaire that was prepared for evaluating participants' knowledge and attitudes about human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine was distributed to the nurses and data obtained from the forms were transferred to SPSS 15.00 program and statistically analyzed. Results: It was found that 54.8% of the student nurses were between 21-24 years old and 13.1% of working students were between 25-28 years old. When student nurses and working nurses were compared in terms of their knowledge about the causes of cervical cancer, their ideas about prevention from cervical cancer with HPV vaccine, their ideas about possible risks of HPV vaccine and conservation ratios of HPV vaccine, it was observed that there were no statistically significant differences (p>0.05). When student nurses and working nurses were compared in terms of the information-source about HPV, ways of HPV contamination, awareness about people who are susceptible to HPV contamination and age of HPV vaccination, it was determined that there was a statistically significant difference (p<0.05). Conclusions: It was found that all nurses had some knowledge about cervical cancer and HPV vaccine, but this was not sufficient. Therefore; it is recommended to use verbal, written and visual communication tools intensively in order to have topics on cervical cancer, early diagnosis and prevention in bachelor and master programs for nurses, to inform society about cervical cancer and HPV vaccine for public health and to teach precautions for its prevention.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.6775-6778
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• 2013

Human papilloma virus (HPV) is one of the most common sexually transmitted agents and its infection is the most established cause of cervical cancer. Midwives play a key position in the implementation of cervical cancer. This descriptive study aimed to determine the level of knowledge concerning HPV and HPV vaccination among 268 midwifery students. Data were collected between November 15 and 30, 2011, through a self-reported questionnaire. The mean age of participants was $20.75{\pm}1.60$. Among all students, 44.4% had heard of HPV, while 40.4% had heard of HPV vaccinatiob. The relationship between the midwifery student knowledge on HPV and HPV vaccine and their current educational year was significant (p=0.001). In conclusion midwifery students have moderate level of knowledge about HPV and its vaccine and relevant information should be included in their teaching curriculum.