title: Knowledge, attitudes, and opinions of Turkish private school principals regarding substance abuse.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the knowledge, attitude, and opinion of private school principals in Kocaeli, Turkey regarding substance abuse.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data of this descriptive study was collected by questionnaires in December 2008. The questionnaire, developed based on Turkey's "substance abuse regulations," was applied to the principals of private schools in Kocaeli affiliated with the Ministry of National Education. A survey was conducted and risk factors for these schools were determined. The data was analysed with Pearson correlation test, Spearmen correlation test and Kruskal-Wallis one way analysis used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Principals of 27 of 31 schools were reached. Six (22.2 %) were women; 21 (77.8 %) were men. Average age was 43.37 +/- 10.08 years. Average years of teaching was 21.55 +/- 10.77 years. Mean period as a school principal was 9.42 +/- 9.36 years. Seventy-one percent of the principals who participated in the survey were non-smokers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of principals considered substance abuse as a problem in Turkey and believed it to be more among primary and high school students.
authors.affiliation: Kocaeli University, College of Hereke Omer Ismet Uzunyol, Marshall Campus, Korfez, 41800-Kocaeli, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ozlem Nazan
authors.initials: ON
authors.lastname: Erdogan
authors.forename: Mehmet Sarper
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Erdogan
authors.forename: Safiye
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.forename: Tumer
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ulus
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004335:Drug and Narcotic Control / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D005178:Faculty; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007881:Legislation, Food; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017149:Private Sector / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012574:Schools / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey