Sürdürülebilir Kalkınma Amaçları

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• MakaleAçık Erişim2026/r/gumushane/10617
  Short-Term Inspiratory Muscle Training Enhances Functional and Metabolic Health in Older Adults

  Konca, Erkan; Yilmaz, Coskun; Bayrakdaroglu, Serdar; Ceylan, Halil Ibrahim; Arslan, Ayla; Ocak, Hakan; Karakulak, Izzet; Sari, Rifat; Uzun, Recep Nur; Soylu, Hakan Huseyin

  Background: Age-related declines in respiratory muscle strength and ventilatory efficiency can impair functional capacity and metabolic health in older adults. Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) has been proposed as a practical intervention to counteract these changes, yet its systemic effects remain unclear. This study aimed to examine the effects of short-term IMT on functional capacity, diaphragm thickness, and liver tissue characteristics in healthy elderly men. Methods: Thirty community-dwelling men aged 60-80 years were randomly assigned to an IMT or control group. The IMT group performed four weeks of breathing exercises using a POWERbreathe (R) device at 40% of maximal inspiratory pressure, with a weekly 10% increase in pressure. Pre- and post-intervention assessments included the six-minute walk test (6MWT), diaphragm thickness and liver density via computed tomography, and quality of life (QoL; SF-12). Results: Four weeks of inspiratory muscle training significantly improved diaphragm thickness (11.7%), fatty liver density (FLD) (+16.7%), and six-minute walk performance (+5.3%), with large time x group effects favoring the IMT group. While the physical quality of life showed modest, comparable improvements, mental health outcomes demonstrated a moderate, time-dependent improvement without a significant group-by-time interaction. Conclusions: Short-term IMT improved diaphragmatic function and functional capacity in older men and was associated with favorable changes in a liver-related biomarker; however, given that only a single liver-related metric was assessed, these findings should not be interpreted as evidence of overall improvements in liver health.

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• MakaleAçık Erişim2026/r/gumushane/14215
  Measuring Perceived Social Support After Disaster: Development and Validation of the Perceived Social Support in Disasters Scale (PSSDS-28)

  Oruç, Abdurrahman; Cengiz, Ekrem

  Background/Objectives: Measuring perceived social support after disaster remains an unresolved psychometric problem. Most instruments do not jointly capture the source of support (from whom it comes) and its function (how it operates). None has been validated in a disaster-survivor sample with retrospectively framed items. We developed and validated the Perceived Social Support in Disasters Scale (PSSDS-28), a 28-item measure integrating both dimensions. Methods: In Phase 1, a PRISMA 2020-guided systematic review; a two-round Delphi with eight experts, cognitive interviews (n = 12); and a pilot study (N = 150) produced a 31-item form. In Phase 2, face-to-face data were collected from 607 adults affected by the 6 February 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes (Türkiye). Multiple analytic frameworks converged on a five-factor, 28-item structure comprising family–relative, social environment, institutional, emotional, and instrumental–informational support. Results: The correlated five-factor model fit the independent validation sample well (CFI = 0.954, RMSEA = 0.076, and SRMR = 0.072) and outperformed a one-factor alternative (ΔCFI = 0.222). Blocks showed strong internal consistency (ordinal α = 0.852–0.949), composite reliability (0.865–0.950), and adequate test–retest stability (ICC = 0.542–0.909). Scalar measurement invariance held across six groupings, with no meaningful differential item functioning. Convergent and discriminant evidence supported construct validity, and common-method variance was negligible. Institutional (M = 3.29) and instrumental–informational support (M = 2.99) scored lowest—a profile a global score would conceal. Conclusions: The PSSDS-28 provides promising initial psychometric evidence for a multidimensional post-disaster assessment instrument situated at the perceived–received interface, a target that general-purpose scales are not designed to capture. Criterion-related validity, cross-cultural validity, and cross-disaster replicability remain to be demonstrated.

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• MakaleAçık Erişim2025/r/gumushane/14050
  Invisible Warriors in the Struggle Against Cancer: Social Support and Spiritual Care—A Phenomenological Study on Patient Experiences †

  Özmaya, Esma; Uzun, Sevda

  Objective: The aim of this study is to examine the effect of social support on the mental state of cancer patients using a phenomenological approach. Materials–Methods: In this study, a phenomenological research orientation was used, and semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 14 people diagnosed with cancer living in a province in central Turkey. The criterion sampling method, one of the purposeful sampling methods, was used for the sample group. The interviews continued until data saturation was achieved, and all interviews were recorded and later transcribed verbatim. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis, and the study was conducted and reported according to the COREQ checklist. Results: Two categories (effects of cancer and needs of the cancer patient (invisible components)) and five themes (psychological effects, social effects, physical effects, social support, and spiritual care) were identified in the analysis of the data. Conclusions: It has been determined that individuals are affected by cancer mentally, physically, and socially, and have difficulty coping. In particular, it has been found that social support and thinking about the purpose of life, supporting hope, and self-acceptance are quite important in increasing individuals’ spirituality.

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  İncele
• MakaleAçık Erişim2024/r/gumushane/14454
  Effects of Swedish Massage at Different Times of the Day on Dynamic and Static Balance in Taekwondo Athletes

  Bayrakdaroğlu, Serdar; Eken, Özgür; Bayer, Ramazan; Yagin, Fatma Hilal; Kızılet, Tuba; Kayhan, Recep Fatih; Ardigò, Luca Paolo

  The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of different durations of Swedish massage on the static and dynamic balance at different times of the day in taekwondo athletes. Twelve taekwondo athletes who had been practicing on a regular basis for more than 5 years participated in this study. Taekwondo athletes completed static and dynamic balance tests either after a no-massage protocol (NMP), a five-minute massage protocol (5MMP), a ten-minute massage protocol (10MMP), or a fifteen-minute massage protocol (15MMP) two times a day in the morning (08:00–12:00) and in the evening (16:00–20:00), on non-consecutive days. The findings of this study suggest that the duration of the massage has a discernible impact on dynamic balance, particularly with regard to the right foot. Taekwondo athletes who received a 10MMP or 15MMP displayed significantly improved dynamic balance compared to those in the NMP. Importantly, these improvements were independent of the time of day when the massages were administered. It underscores the potential benefits of incorporating short-duration Swedish massages into taekwondo athletes’ pre-competition routines to enhance dynamic balance. These findings highlight the potential benefits of incorporating short-duration Swedish massages into taekwondo athletes’ pre-competition routines to enhance dynamic balance, a critical component of their performance, regardless of the time of day.

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