Background: Chronic pain (CP) and mental disorders are common among active military personnel (AMP) due to their potential exposure to various physical and psychological stressors. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate pain perception and beliefs regarding their pain among AMP suffering from CP using self-reported measures, and to understand the development and persistence of pain in AMP. Methods: Sixty male AMP outpatients suffering CP were included. All participants completed the following forms and questionnaires: Oswestry Disability Index(ODI), Visual Analogue Scale(VAS), Neck Disability Index(NDI), Bournemouth Questionnaire for neck(BQN), International Physical Activity Questionnaire(IPAQ), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Index(HADS), 36-item Short Form Survey(SF-36), Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire(ATQ), and Pain Belief Questionnaire(PBQ). Results: The mean age of the participants was 22.85±3.50 years, the median duration and frequency of pain were 12 months and 14.5 days in a month, respectively. The median of ODI scores was 26; three of patients were evaluated as crippled while 8 patients had severe disability. The HADS and PBQ-psychological scores were high in the patient group. Positive correlations were found between pain frequency and the ODI, VAS, NDI and PBQ-psychological scores. Relationships were also shown between PBQ-psychological and the VAS and ATQ scores. Correlations between ODI scores and ATQ scores were also revealed. Conclusions: Our results suggest that, in addition to the organic basis of pain, there is strong evidence for significant contribution from the psychological characteristics and pain-related beliefs of the patients. Physicians may choose a multi-dimensional perspective in the diagnosis and treatment of pain, especially in patients suffering from CP.

Background: Based on the available evidence, the COVID-19 virus is transmitted through close contact and droplets, not in the form of airborne transmission (airborne) among humans. People at risk of infection are those who are in close contact with or looking after COVID-19 patients. Preventive and mitigation measures are key in both the healthcare sector and the community. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is mandatory to protect healthcare workers from the new coronavirus, but healthcare workers may have skin damage especially associated with long-term use of PPE. Objective: The main purpose in this study is to forward the effects of PPE and disinfectants on health care workers skin health. Methods: From March to May 2020, self-administered face to face questionnaires were distributed to 200 individuals, consisting of healthcare workes who served in the designated departments of tertiary hospitals Famagusta /Cyprus. The questionnaire included questions about the condition of skin damage and the frequency or duration of several infection-prevention measures. Results: The most common protection equipment were surgery mask (91.5%), gloves (87.5%) and hand sanitizer (52.0%). In addition, 141 (70.5%) individuals stated take a bath/shower frequently as a protection method from COVID and135 (67.5%) individuals stated air conditioning. Most individuals use latex gloves with powder (65.0%) or powder free (62.0%). Mean daily duration of wearing mask was 7.32 ± 4.54 (range 0–24) hours, wearing visor or glasses was 3.16 ± 3.97 (range 0–24) hours, wearing protective apron was 4.20 ± 4.57 (range 0–24) hours and wearing gloves was 5.33 ± 4.03 (range 0–24) hours. Eighty (40.0%) individuals bought personal protective equipment for COVID. Most individuals (73.0%) did not see a COVID patient while 18 (9.0%) individuals sampled from a COVID patient. None of the individuals was COVID positive. Mean stress level was 70.24 ± 23.58 (range 0–100). Most individuals (92.0%) stay at home except working times. Fifty-two (26.0%) individuals had hand dryness (xerosis cutis), 38 (19.0%) individuals had body itching or exanthema, 41 (20.5%) individuals had facial wounds because of mask, visor etc. and 68 (34.0%) individuals had rhinitis. Twenty-nine (14.5%) individuals had treatment because of dermal problems. Conclusion: Atopy, winter season, low humidity frequency of hand washing with detergents / disinfectants can disrupt the hydro-lipid cover of the skin surface and also cause irritation and even the development of contact dermatitis. Two-thirds of healthcare workers wash their hands 10 times a day, but only 22% applied skin protective cream. Also, according to a study, prophylactic dressings have been shown to alleviate pressure injuries associated with the device. Also, longer exposure time is an important risk factor. Latex-free gloves are now a mandatory standard in many hospitals and clinics and have t...

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All procedures in this study involving human participants were performed in accordance with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments. Etik Kurul Onayı: Bu çalışma için onay Haydarpaşa Numune Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi Klinik Araştırmalar Etik Kurulu'ndan alınmıştır (karar numarası: 2017/07). İnsan katılımcıların katıldığı çalışmalardaki tüm prosedürler, 1964 Helsinki Deklarasyonu ve daha sonra yapılan değişiklikler uyarınca gerçekleştirilmiştir.

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