No abstract

A community disaster training program focused on earthquakes, floods, and landslides was implemented in Cankiri, Turkey, in 2002. It covered mitigation, preparedness, and response aspects of natural disaster management. Four thousand community members participated in the training program delivered by 95 local trainers. In this study we evaluated the impact of participation in this program. One year later, 400 randomly selected participants in the training program and a comparable sample of 400 community members who did not participate in any disaster training program (nonparticipants) were surveyed. Disaster-related cognitions (i.e., disaster expectation, worry about future disasters, loss estimations if a disaster occurs, beliefs in the possibility of mitigation, and preparedness) and reported preparedness behaviors were assessed. The relationship of sociodemographic, previous disaster experience, anxiety, and locus of control variables with disaster-related cognitions and behaviors was examined. Results showed that participants in the training program had more disaster expectation, worry and loss estimation, and more preparedness behaviors. Results of regression analyses, examining the relationship of the variables of the study with disaster cognitions, affect, and actual preparedness behaviors showed that gender, education, being a participant in the training program, anxiety, and locus of control are important variables related to different kinds of disaster-related cognitions. However, reported preparedness behaviors were quite low and this result needs to be viewed with caution. These results have important implications for the modification of programs for targeting sustainable behavioral change, which is likely to reduce the impact of future disasters.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, deteriorative disease, which can cause great psychological distress. Although RA has negative psychological consequences, it may also lead to positive changes, which has been given relatively little attention in the research literature. The Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) has been used to evaluate growth in survivor's thinking, feeling and/or behavior following the experiencing of traumatic or severely adverse life events. The purpose of the current study was to examine the domains of the PTGI and to identify variables related to Posttraumatic Growth (PTG) in 117 RA patients from Turkey, a secular, Islamic, non-western developing country. Results showed that the PTGI has three domains: relationship with others; philosophy of life; and self-perception. Regression analyses showed that problem-focused coping had significant contributions to the total PTG levels and PTGI domains of relationship with others and self-perception. Perceived social support appeared as a significant associate for the total PTG levels and for all three domains. In addition, age and perceived disease severity were found to be significantly related to some domains of PTG. Clinicians, aiming to increase positive experience of RA patients, may need to focus on and facilitate perceived social support and problem-focused coping to facilitate growth experiences.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic disease, which can lead to considerable psychological distress. The present study evaluated anxiety and depression symptoms for this chronic and painful illness within the framework of the conservation of resources (COR) theory. Coping strategies, coping self-efficacy, religiousness and social support are very important personal resources, which have been found to protect individuals from psychological distress. The aim of the present study was to examine the predictive values of socio-demographic and illness-related variables, perceived social support, ways of coping, religiousness, arthritis self-efficacy and resource loss for psychological distress in a sample of 117 RA patients from Turkey, a secular, Islamic, non-western developing country. The results revealed that RA patients experience considerable anxiety and depressive symptoms. The results of the regression analysis showed that gender, helplessness coping and resource loss are significant predictors of anxiety, whereas arthritis self-efficacy and resource loss are significant predictors of depression. Resource loss appeared as an important predictor for both anxiety and depression. This finding was consistent with the COR theory. The clinical implications of these findings are discussed.

Denture wearing is a stressful life event which can cause anxiety and depression. Patients' adaptation to dentures may be hindered by their emotional reactions. The present study examined the variables related to anxiety and depression symptoms among 158 adult complete dental prosthesis patients. The results showed that the participants had mild to moderate depression and moderate state anxiety symptoms. The results of the regression analyses showed that treatment duration, perceived burden due to teeth loss and expected benefits of new dentures were related to anxiety. Age, burden of teeth loss and perceived social support from the dentist were related to depression symptoms. Therefore, these variables need to be considered in the management of prosthesis patients.