Television as a source of information on health and illness – review of benefits and problems

Despite the dominating and expansive role of the Internet, global reports on mass media still find television as the most popular source of information on health. The following paper is an attempt to systematize the knowledge concerning television broadcast dedicated to the subject of health and illness. The authors aimed to identify the benefits and limitations resulting from the use of the audiovisual means to convey information on health; diagnosing potential threats and explaining trends and possibilities of making use of the television to educate and improve health awareness of the viewers. A critical review of 47 papers published in Polish and international scientific journals in years 2010 – 2014 has been performed. They were categorized into 8 following sections: 1) health information in medical television series; 2) subject of health in reality television programmes and medical talk-shows; 3) health in television news programmes; 4) television and the issue of physical activity and nutrition; 5) television and selected stimulants (cigarettes/alcohol); 6) television and information about cancer and other diseases; 7) public service announcements concerning health/PSA; 8) television and health education/ edutainment. In the light of the conducted review, the television presents itself as a promising source of information on the topic of health and illness which, provided one maintains a cautious attitude as well as moderation, influences the level of knowledge of the viewers, identification of simple symptoms and constitutes an important source of education in terms of prevention and avoiding risk behaviours

Tobacco smoking among first year students of Rzeszow universities

Wstęp. Uzależnienie od wyrobów tytoniowych jest poważnym problemem w skali globalnej. Jest również głównym czynnikiem ryzyka w zakresie chorób układu krążenia, nowotworów czy chorób układu oddechowego. Z badań przeprowadzonych przez WHO wynika, że na świecie z powodu chorób odtytoniowych umiera 6 mln osób, zaś w 2030 liczba ta przekroczy 8 mln. W Polsce pali papierosy 31% obywateli. Niepokoi fakt, iż po produkty tytoniowe coraz częściej sięga nie tylko młodzież szkół średnich, ale również młodzież gimnazjalna oraz ze szkół podstawowych. Zasadne wydaje się zatem poznanie zachowań ryzykownych wśród młodzieży akademickiej w zakresie używania produktów tytoniowych. Cel pracy. Celem pracy była ocena rozpowszechnienia palenia tytoniu wśród studentów pierwszego roku uczelni rzeszowskich. Materiał i metoda. Badaniami objęto ogółem 924 studentów pierwszego roku Uniwersytetu Rzeszowskiego oraz Politechniki Rzeszowskiej, studiujących na kierunkach: medycznym, humanistycznym i ścisłym. Badania przeprowadzono metodą sondażu diagnostycznego z wykorzystaniem techniki ankiety. W opracowaniu statystycznym wykorzystano test niezależności chi-kwadrat. Wyniki. W wyniku przeprowadzonych badań stwierdzono, iż ponad połowa badanej młodzieży akademickiej (67,4%) nie paliła papierosów (kierunek medyczny 71,6%, kierunek ścisły 67,7%, kierunek humanistyczny 66,0%). Okazjonalne palenie deklarowało 14,9% ankietowanych, codzienne 11,9%, kilka razy w tygodniu 3,6% respondentów. Ankietowani studenci za najczęstszą przyczynę palenia produktów tytoniowych podawali spotkania towarzyskie (15,4%) oraz uczucie przyjemności (8,0%). Większość respondentów (84,1%) uważała, iż palenie tytoniu powoduje choroby, zaś palenie w obecności innych osób jest bardzo szkodliwe (79,8%). Badani studenci (78,5%) uznali, iż zakaz palenia w miejscach publicznych jest słuszny. Wnioski. Niniejsza praca ukazała, iż palenie produktów tytoniowych staje się coraz mniej atrakcyjne w kręgach studenckich. Ankietowana młodzież pali papierosy najczęściej podczas spotkań towarzyskich, pomimo twierdzenia, że palenie w obecności innych osób jest bardzo szkodliwe.Introduction. Addiction to tobacco products is a serious global problem. It is also a main risk factor of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, or respiratory diseases. Studies conducted by the WHO show that 6 million people worldwide die due to tobacco-related diseases, and in 2030 this number will exceed 8 million. In Poland, 31% of citizens are smokers. It is an alarming fact that increasingly more frequently not only secondary school adolescents, but also those attending junior high and primary schools, reach for cigarettes. Therefore, it seems justifiable to recognize risky behaviours in the area of the use of tobacco products among university students. Aim of research. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of smoking among first year students of Rzeszow universities. Material and methods. The study covered a total of 942 first year students from the University of Rzeszów and Rzeszów University of Technology, studying the following disciplines: medical, humanities and exact sciences. The study was performed by the method of a diagnostic survey using a questionnaire technique. Statistical analysis was performed by chi-square test for independence. Findings. The results of the study showed that more than a half of the students examined (67.4%) did not smoke cigarettes (71.6% students of medical disciplines, 67.7% from exact sciences and 66.0% students of humanistic disciplines). Occasional smoking was declared by 14.9% of respondents: 11.9% – daily, several times a week – 3.6%. The students in the survey indicated as the most common cause of smoking tobacco products: socializing (15.4%), and the feeling of pleasure (8.0%). The majority of respondents (84.1%) believed that smoking causes diseases and, in the presence of others, is very harmful (79.8%). The students (78.5%) agreed that prohibition of smoking in public places is right. Conclusions. The study showed that smoking tobacco products is becoming increasingly less attractive among students. The young people in the survey most often smoke cigarettes during social gatherings, despite their declarations that smoking in the presence of others is very harmful

Smoking habits in French farmers: a cross-sectional study

Abstract Background Farmers are exposed to multiple air contaminants that may interact with tobacco smoking in the development of respiratory diseases. Farmers are currently considered to smoke less than non-farmers, but precise data in different categories of age and farming activities are lacking. Methods Smoking habits were studied in a cross-sectional study involving 4105 farmers and 996 non-farming controls aged 40–74 years in 9 French departments between October 2012 and May 2013. Three age groups were defined (40–54, 55–64 and 65-74years). Farmers were divided into four activity groups, namely cattle breeders, livestock farmers working in confined spaces, crop farmers and others. Smoking prevalence was compared between farmers and controls, and odds ratios (ORs) for smoking adjusted for age were calculated. Results The adjusted OR for ever-smoking was lower among farmers than among non-farmers in all age categories, but the ORs for current smoking were similar in farmers and controls. Smoking prevalence varied according to the type of farming activity, and was lower than in non-farming controls only among cattle breeders and confined livestock farmers. In farmers, the proportion of smokers was higher in the youngest age categories compared with the older age classes. Conclusions Our results confirm that the prevalence of ever-smokers is lower in farmers than in non-farmers. Nevertheless, our data show that active smoking prevalence is similar in farmers and in non-farmers. This suggests that farmers, just like non-farmers, should be targeted by primary prevention campaigns against smoking