COVID-19 Vaccination Intention Associated with Behaviors towards Protection and Perceptions Regarding the Pandemic

Background: The impressively rapid availability of different types of COVID-19 vaccines and, on the other hand, the degree of their effectiveness as opposed to the likelihood of serious or non-serious side effects place a fairly large percentage of the population at a crossroads regarding the choice to get vaccinated or not, hence threatening achievement of total immunization coverage and full immunity. This study aimed to assess COVID-19 vaccination intention in Greece regarding protection behaviors and perceptions of the pandemic. Methods: A total of 3753 participants completed a specially designed electronic questionnaire anonymously and voluntarily. The study population consisted of healthcare workers, students, members of professional societies, teachers, and professors. The questionnaire was composed of four parts pertaining to demographic data and possible changes in hygiene attitudes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: In total, 43.3% of the participants stated that SARS-CoV-2 poses a significant risk. The most widespread protection practice was avoiding crowded places (90.1%), followed by reducing the use of public transport (86.1%) and washing their hands with soap and water more often than usual (84.2%). Women undertook significantly more behavioral changes than men and participants of other nationalities. About half of the participants (44%) implemented seven behavioral changes. Lower personal and general perceived risk due to COVID-19 was significantly associated with lower intention to get vaccinated. Conclusion: Strong hesitancy was observed towards COVID-19 vaccination. There is a need for further studies to be conducted to investigate the benefits and safety of vaccines for the purpose of better informing the public. Healthcare personnel can and should play a key role in this process

THE TRAINING OF THE DIABETIC CHILD IN THE REGULATION OF DIABETES MELLITUS IN RELATION WITH THE PHYSICAL EXERCISE

ΣΚΟΠΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΔΙΑΤΡΙΒΗΣ ΕΙΝΑΙ Η ΕΚΠΑΙΔΕΥΣΗ ΤΩΝ ΠΑΙΔΙΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΕΦΗΒΩΝ ΣΤΗ ΡΥΘΜΙΣΗ ΤΟΥ ΙΝΣΟΥΛΙΝΟΕΞΑΡΤΩΜΕΝΟΥ ΣΑΚΧΑΡΩΔΟΥΣ ΔΙΑΒΗΤΗ (ΙΕΣΔ) ΣΕ ΣΧΕΣΗ ΜΕ ΤΗ ΣΩΜΑΤΙΚΗ ΑΣΚΗΣΗΚΑΙ Η ΜΕΤΡΗΣΗ ΤΩΝ ΜΕΤΑΒΟΛΙΚΩΝ ΣΤΟΙΧΕΙΩΝ ΠΡΙΝ ΚΑΙ ΜΕΤΑ ΤΗΝ ΚΑΘΕ ΣΥΝΕΔΡΙΑ ΑΣΚΗΣΗΣ. ΜΕΘΟΔΟΛΟΓΙΑ: ΜΕΛΕΤΗΘΗΚΑΝ 31 ΠΑΙΔΙΑ ΚΑΙ ΕΦΗΒΟΙ. Η ΜΕΛΕΤΗ ΠΡΑΓΜΑΤΟΠΟΙΗΘΗΚΕ ΣΕ ΤΡΙΑ ΣΤΑΔΙΑ. ΣΤΟ ΠΡΩΤΟ ΣΤΑΔΙΟ ΕΓΙΝΕ ΚΑΤΑΓΡΑΦΗ ΔΙΑΦΟΡΩΝ ΔΗΜΟΓΡΑΦΙΚΩΝ ΣΤΟΙΧΕΙΩΝ, ΣΩΜΑΤΟΜΕΤΡΙΚΩΝ ΠΑΡΑΜΕΤΡΩΝ, ΜΕΤΡΗΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΓΛΥΚΟΖΥΛΙΩΜΕΝΗΣ ΑΙΜΟΣΦΑΙΡΙΝΗΣ ΚΑΙ ΕΚΤΙΜΗΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΓΝΩΣΗΣ. ΣΤΟ ΔΕΥΤΕΡΟ ΣΤΑΔΙΟ ΠΡΑΓΜΑΤΟΠΟΙΗΘΗΚΕ Η ΘΕΩΡΗΤΙΚΗ ΕΚΠΑΙΔΕΥΣΗΚΑΙ ΕΦΑΡΜΟΓΗ ΣΤΗΝ ΠΡΑΞΗ ΤΟΥ ΠΡΟΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΟΣ ΑΣΚΗΣΗΣ, ΜΕ ΤΗ ΣΥΓΧΡΟΝΗ ΜΕΤΡΗΣΗ ΔΙΑΦΟΡΩΝ ΠΑΡΑΜΕΤΡΩΝ ΟΠΩΣ ΓΛΥΚΟΖΗΣ ΑΙΜΑΤΟΣ, ΟΞΟΝΗΣ ΟΥΡΩΝ, ΜΟΝΑΔΕΣ ΙΝΣΟΥΛΙΝΗΣ/ΗΜΕΡΑ,ΠΡΟΣΘΕΤΕΣ ΘΕΡΜΙΔΕΣ, ΣΥΜΠΤΩΜΑΤΑ ΥΠΟΓΛΥΚΑΙΜΙΑΣ, Κ.Λ.Π. ΣΤΟ ΤΡΙΤΟ ΣΤΑΔΙΟ ΠΡΑΓΜΑΤΟΠΟΙΗΘΗΚΑΝ ΟΙ ΕΠΑΝΑΛΗΠΤΙΚΕΣ ΜΕΤΡΗΣΕΙΣ ΤΟΥ ΠΡΩΤΟΥ ΣΤΑΔΙΟΥ. Η ΑΝΑΛΥΣΗ ΤΩΝ ΔΕΔΟΜΕΝΩΝ ΕΓΙΝΕ ΜΕ ΤΗ ΜΕΘΟΔΟ "T-TEST" ΚΑΤΑ STUDENT, ΜΕ ΤΗΝ ΑΝΑΛΥΣΗ ΜΕΤΑΒΛΗΤΟΤΗΤΑΣ, ΜΕ Χ2 ΚΑΙ ΤΗΝ ΠΟΛΛΑΠΛΗ ΕΞΑΡΤΗΣΗ ΚΑΙ ΣΥΣΧΕΤΙΣΗ. ΑΠΟΤΕΛΕΣΜΑΤΑ: ΑΠΟ ΤΑ 31 ΠΑΙΔΙΑ ΚΑΙ ΕΦΗΒΟΥΣ ΠΟΥ ΜΕΛΕΤΗΘΗΚΑΝ ΤΑ 17 ΗΤΑΝ ΑΓΟΡΙΑ (54,8%) ΚΑΙ ΤΑ 14 ΗΤΑΝ ΚΟΡΙΤΣΙΑ (45,2%) ΜΕ ΜΕΣΗ ΗΛΙΚΙΑ 13 ΕΤΗ ΚΑΙ ΜΕΣΗ ΔΙΑΡΚΕΙΑ ΔΙΑΒΗΤΗ 4 ΕΤΗ. ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΜΕ ΤΟ ΕΙΔΟΣ ΑΣΚΗΣΗΣ ΠΟΥ ΕΦΑΡΜΟΣΑΝ ΤΑ ΠΑΙΔΙΑ ΚΑΙ ΟΙ ΕΦΗΒΟΙ ΤΗ ΠΡΩΤΗ ΚΑΙ ΔΕΚΑΤΗ ΗΜΕΡΑ,ΔΙΑΠΙΣΤΩΘΗΚΕ ΟΤΙ ΤΗ ΠΡΩΤΗ ΜΕΡΑ ΑΣΚΗΘΗΚΑΝ ΕΝΤΟΝΟΤΕΡΑ ΣΕ ΠΟΣΟΣΤΟ 67,7% ΕΝΩ ΤΗ ΔΕΚΑΤΗ ΗΜΕΡΑ ΑΣΚΗΘΗΚΑΝ ΕΝΤΟΝΑ ΣΕ ΠΟΣΟΣΤΟ 52%. Η ΑΞΙΟΛΟΓΗΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΓΝΩΣΗΣ, ΠΟΥ ΜΕΤΕΔΩΣΕ ΤΟ ΠΡΟΓΡΑΜΜΑ ΑΣΚΗΣΗΣ ΣΤΑ ΠΑΙΔΙΑ, ΠΡΟΗΛΘΕ ΑΠΟ ΤΟ 96,8% ΤΩΝ ΠΑΙΔΙΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΕΦΗΒΩΝ ΠΟΥ ΑΠΑΝΤΗΣΑΝ ΟΤΙ ΘΕΩΡΟΥΝ ΣΗΜΑΝΤΙΚΗ ΤΗ ΣΩΜΑΤΙΚΗ ΑΣΚΗΣΗ ΣΤΗΝ ΡΥΘΜΙΣΗ ΤΟΥ ΙΕΣΔ. (ΠΕΡΙΚΟΠΗ ΠΕΡΙΛΗΨΗΣ)PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY IS THE TRAINING OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS IN CONTROLLING INSULIN DEPENDENT DIABETES MELLITUS (IDDM) IN RELATION TO EXERCISE AND THE MEASUREMENT OF THE METABOLIC ELEMENTS BEFORE AND AFTER EXERCISE. METHODOLOGY: THIRTY ONE CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS THAT WERE FOLLOWED UP AT THE DIABETES CENTER WERE INCLUDED IN THE STUDY. THE STUDY WAS DIVIDED IN THREE PARTS. IN THE FIRST PART, A COMPLETE HEALTH HISTORY WAS OBTAINED, BODY WEIGHT, HEIGHT, BLOOD PRESSURE AND GLYCOSYLATED HAEMOGLOBIN WERE MEASURED AND THE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THEBENEFITS OF PHYSICAL EXERCISE IN THE METABOLIC CONTROL WERE ASSESSED. IN THE SECOND PART OF THE STUDY, THE THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF THE TRAINING PROGRAM OF THE PHYSICAL EXERCISE WAS ACHIEVED WITH THE SIMULTANEOUS MEASUREMENT OF VARIABLES SUCH AS: BLOOD GLUCOSE, KETONES, UNITS OF INSULIN/DAY, SNACKS, SYMPTOMS OF HYPOGLYCAEMIA E.T.C. IN THE THIRD PART WAS MEASURED THE VARIABLES OF FIRST PART. THE DATA WERE ANALYSED BY THE STATISTICAL METHODS OF "T-TEST" ACCORDING TO STUDENT, CHI-SQUARE (X2) AND MULTIPLE REGRESSION AND CORRELATION ANALYSIS. RESULTS: THIRTY ONE CHILDREN, 17 DOYS (54,8%) AND 14 GIRLS (45,2%) WITH AN AVERAGE AGE 13 YEARS AND AVERAGE DURATION OF IDDM 4 YEARS WERE STUDIED. IN RELATION WITH TYPE OF PHYSICAL EXERCISE THAT CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS PERFORM IT WAS FOUND THAT 67,7% OF THEM EXERCISED THEMSELVES MORE INTENSIVELY IN THE 10TH DAY. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED

Anxiety, Stress and the Resilience of University Students during the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on everyone’s daily lives with short-term or long-term consequences. Among the affected population, university students were studied by researchers specifically due to the total change to their educational way of learning and the courses they attended. The present study aimed to assess the psychological difficulties experienced by the university students of Greece during the first wave of the outbreak. Methods: 288 university nursing students completed an electronic questionnaire after consent. The sample included students from all years of study. The questionnaire included demographic data and questions about mental health status, resilience level, coping strategies, positive and negative emotions and an optimism assessment. Results: Depression (44.8%), anxiety (36.8%) and stress (40.3%) were experienced by the students. Females had significantly greater anxiety and stress signs compared to males (p p = 0.016) or second year of study (p = 0.005). Conclusion: Several students experienced serious mental disorders during the first period of the COVID-19 outbreak. Variables such as gender, year of study, age, positive and negative affect score, life orientation test score and coping strategies were identified as factors contributing to this situation. Special attention must be paid to female students as they mentioned negative emotions more frequently than males. Further research on the academic population could be beneficial to university administrators

Investigation of Mental and Physical Health of Nurses Associated with Errors in Clinical Practice

Background: Errors are common among all healthcare settings. The safety of patients is linked directly with nursing errors because nurses stand by them more often than any other healthcare professional. The role of mental and physical health of nurses is of great interest for a good and efficient job performance, but also for maintaining good patient care delivery. This study aimed to investigate the association between nurses’ general health and making errors during clinical practice. Methods: A total of 364 nurses completed a specially designed questionnaire anonymously and voluntarily. The sample consisted of nurses with all educational degrees. The questionnaire included demographic data and questions about general health issues, resilience status and nurses’ possible experience with errors within a hospital. Results: 65,8% of the participants stated that at least one error had happened at their workplace, and 49,4% of them reported that the error was caused by them. Somatic symptoms were found to have a positive correlation with making errors (p p < 0.001) when correlated with all aspects of general health (anxiety/insomnia, severe depression, somatic symptoms), but not with social dysfunction. Conclusion: Nurses are affected by their somatic symptoms in their daily clinical practice, making them vulnerable to making errors that compromise patient safety. A high resilience level could help them cope with unfavorable situations and prevent them from doing harm to a patient or themselves

COVID-19 Vaccination Intention Associated with Behaviors towards Protection and Perceptions Regarding the Pandemic

Background: The impressively rapid availability of different types of COVID-19 vaccines and, on the other hand, the degree of their effectiveness as opposed to the likelihood of serious or non-serious side effects place a fairly large percentage of the population at a crossroads regarding the choice to get vaccinated or not, hence threatening achievement of total immunization coverage and full immunity. This study aimed to assess COVID-19 vaccination intention in Greece regarding protection behaviors and perceptions of the pandemic. Methods: A total of 3753 participants completed a specially designed electronic questionnaire anonymously and voluntarily. The study population consisted of healthcare workers, students, members of professional societies, teachers, and professors. The questionnaire was composed of four parts pertaining to demographic data and possible changes in hygiene attitudes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: In total, 43.3% of the participants stated that SARS-CoV-2 poses a significant risk. The most widespread protection practice was avoiding crowded places (90.1%), followed by reducing the use of public transport (86.1%) and washing their hands with soap and water more often than usual (84.2%). Women undertook significantly more behavioral changes than men and participants of other nationalities. About half of the participants (44%) implemented seven behavioral changes. Lower personal and general perceived risk due to COVID-19 was significantly associated with lower intention to get vaccinated. Conclusion: Strong hesitancy was observed towards COVID-19 vaccination. There is a need for further studies to be conducted to investigate the benefits and safety of vaccines for the purpose of better informing the public. Healthcare personnel can and should play a key role in this process