Environmental Lead Exposure in Polish Children: Blood Lead Levels, Major Sources and Principles of the Lead Poisoning Prevention

In Poland, children are exposed to lead from the combustion of leaded gasoline and industrial processes. Since the early 1990s, emission levels have declined, and a ban on leaded petrol is anticipated in 2005. Major industrial sources are located in Silesia Province and the copper mining centre (Legnica region). Concerns about, lead exposure in children date back to the 1980s; mean blood lead levels (BILL)reported in children living near lead smelters in Silesia exceeded 20ug/dl. in the 1990s, mean BLLs were decreasing, both in urban children and those living near lead industry. Lower than the CDC action level of 101ug/dl, they were however higher than mean values in children from the other countries, where leaded gasoline had already been banned. Childhood lead poisoning prevention requires a comprehensive approach, involving different sectors. Medical prevention focuses on the early detection of exposed child by the blood lead testing and individual case management. An increasing body of evidence, indicating adverse effects even below the current “safe” level of 101ug/dl, argues for intensification of the primary prevention, which requires legal, economic and technical measures. Public health efforts should contribute to the reduction and elimination of sources of exposure in child’s environment and public education campaigns

Access to Public Information in the Context of Abuse of the Right to Public Information

W opracowaniu wskazano, czym jest i na czym polega problem nadużywania prawa w kontekście dostępu do informacji publicznej. Dokonano analizy uregulowań zawartych w ustawie o dostępie do informacji publicznej (u.d.i.p.), orzecznictwa Naczelnego Sądu Administracyjnego, wojewódzkich sądów administracyjnych, poglądów doktryny. Przedstawiono też i oceniono opinie organów administracji zawarte w treści pism procesowych składanych w toku postępowania sądowoadministracyjnego. Na podstawie badań systemów informatycznych sądów administracyjnych i Centralnej Baz Orzeczeń i Informacji o Sprawach zaprezentowano rekordzistów, jeśli chodzi o liczbę składanych skarg na decyzje o odmowie udostępnienia informacji publicznej, skarg na bezczynność lub przewlekłe prowadzenie postępowania. Przedstawiono również problemy, z jakimi borykają się organy administracji, które obowiązane są do udostępniania informacji publicznej w terminie 14 dni od pozytywnego rozpatrzenia wniosku. Rozważono problem wpływu, jaki na funkcjonowanie i pracę organów administracji ma składanie znacznej liczby wniosków o informację publiczną. Wyjaśniono, co konkretnie może kryć się pod pojęciem nadużycia prawa do informacji publicznej. Przedstawiono także rozważania dotyczące wyważenia dobrodziejstw, jakie niesie obecne unormowanie ustawy o dostępie do informacji publicznej, jak i negatywnych konsekwencji w odniesieniu do pracy organów administracji. Sformułowane zostały krytyczne oceny niektórych wniosków de lege ferenda w związku z problemem nadużywania prawa do informacji publicznej.The paper indicates what is and what is the access to public information. The view of the doctrine and jurisprudence of the objective scope of the Act on Access to Public Information was discussed, hereinafter referred to as the u.d.i.p. The subject-object criteria that must be met by public information were analyzed - the analysis was made in the context of the regulations contained in the Constitution of the Republic of Poland and in the jurisprudence of the Supreme Administrative Court, hereinafter referred to as the Supreme Administrative Court and Voivodeship Administrative Courts, hereinafter referred to as the Voivodship Administrative Court. The issue of the limitation in the scope of providing public information was discussed (Article 5 of the Act on Public Information Act). The next part of the paper presents practical issues and problems faced by entities - applicants and authorities obliged to disclose public information. The issue of the widely challenged inaction of the public administration body was raised to the voivodeship administrative courts. The most common problems arising from the analysis of such complaints are presented. Problems concerning the abuse of the right of access to public information by the parties were considered. The analysis was made on the basis of court-administrative jurisprudence, but also on the content of pleadings submitted by the parties to court proceedings. The problem of more and more frequent lodging of complaints by a large group of applicants regarding the same category of judgments to many courts in Poland was pointed out. The analysis was made on the basis of the Central Database of Decisions and Information on Cases and on this basis the scale of abuse of the right to public information was explained. In the last part of the paper, the issue of the benefit of the possibility of exercising the right of access to public information in the context of the possibility of abuse of this right was presented

Ocena różnych form aktywności fizycznej pracowników umysłowych

Background: The appropriate level of physical activity according to WHO recommendations for adults aged 18–64 years is 150 minutes per week in multiple shorter bouts of at least 10 minutes each: e.g., 30 minutes of moderateintensity activity 5 times per week. Regular physical activity is essential for health and well-being at any age. Many studies conducted among residents of the Silesian province have confirmed that their physical activity is insufficient. Data from a survey conducted in 2004 by the Central Statistical Office of Poland showed that the surveyed residents of the Silesian province older than 15 years of age spent their leisure time mostly in a passive way, or took activities not requiring intense physical effort. Therefore, we undertook a study evaluating physical activity in a selected group of white-collar workers who spent most of the time during the day in a seated position. Objective of the study: The objective of the study was to evaluate various forms of physical activity undertaken by white-collar workers. Material and methods: In the project, a questionnaire survey was conducted in a selected group of white-collar workers which consisted of employees of the City Office of Sosnowiec. A total of 191 persons took part in the survey: 57 (29.8%) men and 134 (70.2%) women. Survey questions concerned different forms of physical activity taken by white-collar workers. Results: Physical activity in the study group of whitecollar workers varied significantly depending on the gender. Males more willingly engaged in various forms of sports activity than women. Men were found to jog, play ball games and tennis, and exercise in the gym more readily than women. However, women reported taking walks, exercising, or riding on rollers significantly more often than men. The activity of women was associated with housework, such as cleaning, doing laundry, shopping, or cooking, to a greater extent than that of men. Men more often than women travelled by car, and this difference was statistically significant. By contrast, women more often than men travelled to work on foot or by public transport. Conclusions: The majority of respondents (80.1%) declare taking physical activity. However, the analysis of questionnaire data shows that respondents spend their leisure time mainly in a passive way or on low-intensity activities, which do not require substantial physical effort, such as walks, gymnastics, activities at the swimming pool, or cycling. The results point to the need for more effective promotion of physical activity (particularly in the leisure time) amongst white-collar employees who spend most of the time at work in a seated position

Ocena różnych form aktywności fizycznej pracowników umysłowych

Background: The appropriate level of physical activity according to WHO recommendations for adults aged 18– 64 years is 150 minutes per week in multiple shorter bouts of at least 10 minutes each: e.g., 30 minutes of moderateintensity activity 5 times per week. Regular physical activity is essential for health and well-being at any age. Many studies conducted among residents of the Silesian province have confirmed that their physical activity is insufficient. Data from a survey conducted in 2004 by the Central Statistical Office of Poland showed that the surveyed residents of the Silesian province older than 15 years of age spent their leisure time mostly in a passive way, or took activities not requiring intense physical effort. Therefore, we undertook a study evaluating physical activity in a selected group of white-collar workers who spent most of the time during the day in a seated position. Objective of the study: The objective of the study was to evaluate various forms of physical activity undertaken by white-collar workers. Material and methods: In the project, a questionnaire survey was conducted in a selected group of white-collar workers which consisted of employees of the City Office of Sosnowiec. A total of 191 persons took part in the survey: 57 (29.8%) men and 134 (70.2%) women. Survey questions concerned different forms of physical activity taken by white-collar workers. Results: Physical activity in the study group of whitecollar workers varied significantly depending on the gender. Males more willingly engaged in various forms of sports activity than women. Men were found to jog, play ball games and tennis, and exercise in the gym more readily than women. However, women reported taking walks, exercising, or riding on rollers significantly more often than men. The activity of women was associated with housework, such as cleaning, doing laundry, shopping, or cooking, to a greater extent than that of men. Men more often than women travelled by car, and this difference was statistically significant. By contrast, women more often than men travelled to work on foot or by public transport. Conclusions: The majority of respondents (80.1%) declare taking physical activity. However, the analysis of questionnaire data shows that respondents spend their leisure time mainly in a passive way or on low-intensity activities, which do not require substantial physical effort, such as walks, gymnastics, activities at the swimming pool, or cycling. The results point to the need for more effective promotion of physical activity (particularly in the leisure time) amongst white-collar employees who spend most of the time at work in a seated position

Guidelines for the use of the International Classification of Radiographs of Pneumoconioses of the International Labour Office (ILO): Substantial changes in the currrent edition

The International Classification of Radiographs of Pneumoconioses is the scheme worked out by the International Labour Office in Geneva (ILO), to register radiographic chest abnormalities in a well-ordered, reproducible and comparable way. It is used for diagnosing abnormalities caused by dust exposure. Guidelines for the use of the ILO International Classification of Radiographs of Pneumoconioses contain detailed information and recommendations on how to use the classification, as well as how the chest X-ray examination should be performed and recorded. To facilitate the diagnosis of observed abnormalities the classification is completed by the set of standard radiograms illustrating typical irregularities referring to lungs and pleura, included in the classification. The article presents the key information on classification and the most important amendments adopted in the 2000 and 2011 ILO guidelines revisions. These changes refer to radiographs quality assessment, the way of presenting abnormalities registered in standard radiographs (QUAD set, digital images) and registration of failures not related to dust exposure. Particularly important complements result from the development of radiological imaging techniques. They are concerned about the classification of radiographic images of the chest recorded digitally. Med Pr 2016;67(6):833–83

The prevalence of psychoactive substances use among secondary school students from selected cities of Upper Silesia

Background: The prevalence of psychoactive substances among teenagers in Poland has grown for several years. Statistics maintain at a lower level than in the western Europe, however it is necessary to conduct its permanent monitoring. The work presents results of the questionnaire study carried out in IOMEH in years 2010–11. Objective: The aim of this paper is to present the scale of psychoactive substances prevalence among teenagers from Silesian cities. Materials and methods: The programme was carried out by use of modified questionnaire of the ESPAD study. Questions related to characteristics of the examined person, dissemination, accessibility, awareness of risk and problems associated with the use of psychoactive substances. 928 teenagers: students of IIIrd grade of secondary schools and Ist and IInd grades of high schools from Sosnowiec and Chorzów (62% boys and 38% girls) participated in the study. Results: 86,9% girls and 89,8% boys confirmed contact with the alcohol at least once in the lifetime and it is the most widespread psychoactive substance in the study group. Out of the other substances, cannabis use was confirmed by 40,7% of students (34,7% girls and 44,3% boys), designer drugs use - by of 21,8% pupils (17,5% girls and 24,5% boys). The distribution within the limits of 10% has been observed in the case of soothing/sleeping pills (also together with alcohol), and amphetamine. The prevalence of contact with other substances was at the level *10%. Boys more often than girls used the respective psychoactive substances (statistically significant differences). Conclusions: Results of the study confirm observation concerning the entire country that drinking alcohol by the young adolescents is becoming the statistical norm. The frequency of other psychoactive substances use demonstrates also concerning levels. There is a need of systematic education among teenagers at school, with particular emphasis on issues related to addiction and restrictive limitations of the availability of alcoholic and other psychoactive substances for them

The impact of the environmental and socio-economic factors to the occurrence of symptoms and diseases of the respiratory system in school children from Sosnowiec

Background: Objective of the study was to assess the impact of environmental and socio-economic factors to the occurrence of symptoms and diseases of the respiratory system in school children from Sosnowiec, based on the questionnaire data. Materials and methods: The crosssectional epidemiological questionnaire study was performed in the years 2005–2006. Parents of 709 primary school children aged 7–12 years took part in the study. Questionnaire was completed by parents to collect information on children health status, particularly respiratory symptoms, chronic diseases of respiratory system, allergic diseases, use of medical services, children dietary habits and family socio-economic status. Results: In the study group the statistical significance was found for the incidence of respiratory symptoms in children and housing conditions, i.e.: the number of people sleeping together with a child in the same room and dampness in the dwelling. Results of the study showed, that incidence of whizzing differed statistically significantly in the groups of different professional status of the parents. It is difficult to estimate if this is only the influence of socio-economic conditions or any other environmental factors as well. Conclusions: Results of the study demonstrated statistical significance between the status of respiratory system in children and housing occupancy rate (the number of people sleeping together with a child in the same room) and dampness in the dwelling. Relation between respiratory symptoms in children, parents education and professional status was analyzed, but findings of the conducted studies do not give explicit evidence of such a relation

Long-Term Productive, Competitive, and Economic Aspects of Spring Cereal Mixtures in Integrated and Organic Crop Rotations

Cultivation of spring cereal mixtures (SCMs) is one of the ways to increase the yield of crops in mountainous areas of Poland. There are only a few current long-term studies on this topic. Our study aimed at analyzing yield and competitiveness as well as the economic indicators of spring cereals in pure or mixed sowings in integrated or organic crop rotations over nine years. A field experiment including pure sowings of oats, spring barley, or spring triticale and their two-component SCMs, each in two systems, organic and integrated crop rotation, was carried out in the Mountainous Experimental Station in Czyrna, Poland, in the years 2011–2019. On average, cereals in the pure sowings and mixtures yielded 18% lower in the organic rotations compared with the integrated ones. However, SCMs yielded higher than the pure sowings, and displayed a higher leaf area index and land equivalent ratio. The average gross margin without subsidies was almost two times higher in the organic crop rotations than in the integrated ones, which was influenced mainly by the cultivation of barley in pure sowing. Summing up, the cultivation of SCMs in the mountainous areas of southern Poland is advised because of both productive and economic factors