Estimated Risk for Altered Fetal Growth Resulting from Exposure to Fine Particles during Pregnancy: An Epidemiologic Prospective Cohort Study in Poland

The purpose of this study was to estimate exposure of pregnant women in Poland to fine particulate matter [≤2.5 μm in diameter (PM(2.5))] and to assess its effect on the birth outcomes. The cohort consisted of 362 pregnant women who gave birth between 34 and 43 weeks of gestation. The enrollment included only nonsmoking women with singleton pregnancies, 18–35 years of age, who were free from chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. PM(2.5) was measured by personal air monitoring over 48 hr during the second trimester of pregnancy. All assessed birth effects were adjusted in multiple linear regression models for potential confounding factors such as the size of mother (maternal height, prepregnancy weight), parity, sex of child, gestational age, season of birth, and self-reported environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). The regression model explained 35% of the variability in birth weight (β = −200.8, p = 0.03), and both regression coefficients for PM(2.5) and birth length (β = −1.44, p = 0.01) and head circumference (HC; β = −0.73, p = 0.02) were significant as well. In all regression models, the effect of ETS was insignificant. Predicted reduction in birth weight at an increase of exposure from 10 to 50 μg/m(3) was 140.3 g. The corresponding predicted reduction of birth length would be 1.0 cm, and of HC, 0.5 cm. The study provides new and convincing epidemiologic evidence that high personal exposure to fine particles is associated with adverse effects on the developing fetus. These results indicate the need to reduce ambient fine particulate concentrations. However, further research should establish possible biologic mechanisms explaining the observed relationship

Pharmacological supplements intake during pregnancy : survey conducted in Krakow

Praca przedstawia suplementację preparatami farmakologicznymi w okresie ciąży. Badaniem objęto 406 niepalących kobiet w ciąży zamieszka­łych w Krakowie. Suplementację mul- tiwitaminami stosowało 79,1% kobiet z tej grupy, 41,4% przyjmowało suple­mentację kwasem foliowym, 23,9% ma­gnezem a jedynie 14,5% preparatami żelaza. Wyniki potwierdzają, że suple­mentacja witaminami i składnikami mineralnymi w ciąży, a w szczególno­ści preparatami żelaza, kwasu foliowe­go i magnezu jest niewystarczająca w stosunku do zalecanej. Zwiększone ryzyko wystąpienia niepełnej suple- mentacji lub jej braku stwierdzono u kobiet z wykształceniem niższym (lsz=5,74; 95% PU: 1,41-23,5 dla suple- mentacji preparatami wielowitamino­wymi oraz lsz=2,11; 95% PU: 1,22-3,66 dla kwasu foliowego) natomiast nieko­rzystna przeszłość położnicza i pierw­sza ciąża zmniejszały to ryzyko (odpo­wiednio lsz=0,45; 95% PU: 0,21-0,97 i lsz=0,57; 95% PU: 0,32-0,99). Wyniki badań pozwalają na sformu­łowanie wniosków, że należy wzmoc­nić programy edukacyjne dotyczące konieczności i celowości suplementa- cji witaminami i składnikami mineral­nymi już od najmłodszych lat.The aim of this study was to de­scribe pharmacological supplements during pregnancy in the sample of 406 nonsmoking women, residents of Krakow. Multivitamins' supplements were taken by 79.1%, folic acid by 41.4%, magnesium by 23.9% and iron only by 14.5% of the study group. Our results confirm that vitamin and min­eral supplements, ferrum, folic acid and magnesium in particular, are in­adequate in comparison to recom­mended intakes. Women with lower education (secondary school or lower) failed to supplement diet with multivitamins (OR=5.74; 95%CI: 1.41- 23.5) and folic acid (OR=2.11; 95%CI: 1.22-3.66). Otherwise, health problems during the previous pregnancies and nulliparity have lowered pharmacologi­cal folic acid supplements (OR=0.45; 95%CI: 0.21-0.97 and OR=0.57; 95%CI: 0.32-0.99, respectively). Results of our study show that diet assessed for pregnancy period does not meet nutritional requirements. Pharmacological supplementary in­take of vitamins and minerals is also insufficient. It is advisable to populari­ze education concerning necessity and usefulness of vitamin and microele­mentsupplementation during medical examinations in the childbearing age

Alcohol Consumption and Risky Drinking Patterns among College Students from Selected Countries of the Carpathian Euroregion

Reduction of excessive alcohol consumption still remains a significant challenge to the actions in the scope of public health of European citizens. The aim of this study is to present the prevalence of alcohol consumption and to estimate the occurrence of risky drinking among college students from the Polish, Slovak, Romanian, and Ukrainian parts of the Carpathian Euroregion, taking social contexts into account. The consumption of alcohol was estimated on the basis of the respondents’ statements regarding the quantity and frequency of their consumption of beer, wine, and vodka. The study included people from the first year of undergraduate studies. The analysis used the Chi-square independence test and odds ratios (ORs). There were significant differences in the frequency of alcohol consumption, as well as the individual types consumed, among the respondents from the analyzed countries. Of the examined college students, 70% admit to occasional drinking. The pattern of dangerous alcohol consumption occurs in the case of approximately every seventh person. Risky drinking occurs with much greater frequency among male students rather than their female counterparts. In Romania, a very small percentage of female students engage in risky drinking. The analysis did not show statistically significant differences in the frequency of risky drinking between countries. The coexistence of other adverse health behaviors, such as smoking and alcohol abuse, was confirmed

Intensive care nurse managers' experiences during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic: Implications for future epidemiological crises.

BackgroundNurse managers play an important role in coordinating the multidisciplinary teamwork, which is specifically important in emergency and crises situations like the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this qualitative study is twofold: (1) to explore the experiences of the Intensive care units (ICU) nurse managers regarding their work during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, and (2) to analyse what implications might be provided based on experiences of nurse managers for future possible epidemiological crises.MethodsIn-depth phone interviews were conducted to explore the experiences of ward managers-nurses (n = 15) working in different hospitals across Poland. Interviews were taped and transcribed verbatim, and then qualitatively analysed.ResultsThree main categories were identified: (1) Challenge of working with the unknown, (2) Nurse managers' expectations, and (3) Methods of coping and received support. The COVID-19 pandemic strongly affected the work of ICU nurse managers and uncovered the malfunctioning of the healthcare system.ConclusionIt is important to improve the knowledge and competence of hospital management personnel through exercises and in-service training on how to handle emergencies in order to improve the management of healthcare facilities, increase the safety of patients and employees, and the quality of healthcare

Samoocena postrzegania zawodu pielęgniarki oraz zdolności rozumienia empatycznego innych ludzi przez studentów pielęgniarstwa

Introduction. Professional activity of medical staff is connected with demonstrating the interest and compassion for suffering people and making an effort for helping them. Aim of the study. Our objective was to analyze nurses&#8217; self-evaluation of their profession perception, reasons for choosing to study nursing, bachelor of nursing students&#8217; emphatic abilities and to assess whether there is any difference in emphatic abilities depending on the year of study and the motivation underlying the choice of a nursing school. Material and methods. The study group included 237 bachelor of nursing students. Questionnaire consisted of a general part (6 questions) and a basic part (questionnaire of empathic understanding other people by Węglikowski) was used. Results. The students chose nursing faculty independently (51.9%), because they weren&#8217;t accepted for other faculties (27%), coaxed by friends or family (19.8%), expecting to find a job easily after graduation, felt pressed to continue a family tradition or wanted to attain higher education (1.6% each). In the opinion of the most respondents a nurse should be a person of vocation and patience, who wants to help people. For the most of respondents nurse&#8217;s work was involved with being needed (75.9%), with being close to suffering patients (64.1%) and with kindness (59.9%). In the majority of opinions a nurse should be a thorough, conscientious, disciplined and empathic person. The third-year nurses had the highest empathy scores (70.5 &#177; 8.3). The differences were statistically significant between particular years of study. Significant differences in empathy scores were detected between students who chose their faculty independently and those who studied nursing because they weren&#8217;t accepted for other faculties (p < 0.01) and between students, who chose bachelor of nursing program as a result of coaxing by a friend or a family. Conclusions. The majority of students chose nursing faculty independently. The most respondents said that a nurse should be a person of vocation. In majority of opinions a nurse should be conscientious, thorough, disciplined and empathic. The highest empathy scores had the third-year students and those, who chose the nursing faculty independently. Nursing Topics 2010; 1 (1): 1-10Wstęp. Sprawowanie funkcji zawodowych pracowników ochrony zdrowia wiąże się z okazywaniem współczucia cierpiącym oraz zainteresowaniem i podejmowaniem trudu pomagania ludziom. Cel pracy. Analiza wyników samooceny postrzegania zawodu pielęgniarki, motywów wyboru kierunku studiów, zdolności rozumienia empatycznego innych ludzi przez studentki pielęgniarstwa oraz stwierdzenie, czy istnieje różnica w poziomie empatii w zależności od roku studiów i motywu ich wyboru. Materiał i metody. Badania przeprowadzono wśród 237 studentek licencjatu pielęgniarstwa. Do badań użyto kwestionariusza złożonego z części ogólnej (6 pytań) i zasadniczej (Kwestionariusz Rozumienia Empatycznego Innych Ludzi wg Węglińskiego). Wyniki. Studentki wybierały kierunek pielęgniarstwa: samodzielnie (51,9%), ponieważ nie dostały się na inne studia (27%), w wyniku namowy kolegów, koleżanek lub rodziny (19,8%), sądząc, że po ich skończeniu będą miały zapewnioną pracę, czuły potrzebę kontynuowania tradycji rodzinnej lub po prostu chciały mieć jakieś wykształcenie wyższe (po 1,6% wskazań). W opinii 65,4% respondentów pielęgniarką powinna być osoba z powołaniem, która chce pomagać i jest cierpliwa. Praca pielęgniarki kojarzyła się badanym przede wszystkim z byciem potrzebną (75,9%), ze stycznością z cierpieniem (64,1%) oraz z dobrocią (59,9%). W opinii większości powinna to być osoba sumienna, dokładna, zdyscyplinowana oraz empatyczna. Najwyższy poziom empatii wykazywali studenci III roku i wynosił on średnio 70,5 &#177; 8,3. Zależności te były istotnie statystycznie między poszczególnymi latami studiów. Istotne statystycznie były także różnice w poziomie empatii pomiędzy studentkami, które samodzielnie zdecydowały o wyborze kierunku studiów a osobami, które studiują pielęgniarstwo, ponieważ nie dostały się na inny kierunek (p < 0,01), oraz pomiędzy studentkami, które podjęły studia licencjackie na kierunku pielęgniarstwo w wyniku namowy kolegów, koleżanek lub rodziny a osobami, które studiują pielęgniarstwo, ponieważ nie dostały się na inny kierunek (p < 0,01). Wnioski. Większość studentek wybrała kierunek pielęgniarstwo w wyniku samodzielnej decyzji. W opinii większości respondentów pielęgniarką powinna być osoba z powołaniem. Praca pielęgniarki, bez względu na rok studiów, kojarzyła się badanym przede wszystkim z byciem potrzebną, ze stycznością z cierpieniem oraz z dobrocią. W opinii większości badanych pielęgniarka powinna być sumienna, dokładna, zdyscyplinowana oraz empatyczna. Najwyższy poziom empatii wykazywały studentki III roku oraz te, które samodzielnie zdecydowały o wyborze kierunku studiów. Problemy Pielęgniarstwa 2010; 1 (1): 1-1