Wiedza kobiet i mężczyzn na temat profilaktyki raka piersi

Objectives: To assess the level of knowledge of men and women about the importance of mammography in preventing breast cancer. Material and methods: The study group comprised 100 men and 100 women of the Provincial Hospital in Biała Podlaska. We used original questionnaires designed by the authors of the present study. Results: Only 14% of women and 20% of men knew that over 4,000 women in Poland die of breast cancer annually. The respondents declared cervical cancer (88% of women and 76% men) and breast cancer (84% of the women and men) to be the major threat and health issue for women. Forty-eight percent of women reported that they had a check-up at their gynecologist in the past six months. Sixty-four percent of women declared that they performed breast self-examination, and 44% of women had examined the breasts more than a year ago. Thirty-eight percent of men did not know when their wife/partner had their breasts examined. Respondents from both groups knew most of the symptoms of suspected cancer. Ninety-seven percent of woman and 78% of man were able to indicate genetic factors that increase the risk of breast cancer. Fifty-two percent of women had a mammogram and 56% had a breast ultrasound. According to the men - 51% and 54% of women (wives/partners) had a mammogram and ultrasound, respectively. Only 47% of women received an invitation for a mammogram and 68% did not respond to it. According to men, 39% of their wives/partners received such as invitation and 68% of them did not use it. Seventy-four percent of the surveyed woman did not have a mammogram and 64% did not undergo a breast ultrasound in the last year. Seventy-six percent of women and 83% of men did not know the contraindications to mammography. Seventy percent of women and 68% of men argued that in order to perform a mammogram, one should consult a doctor for a referral. Sixty-six percent of women and 72% of men thought mammogram was the most effective method of detecting breast cancer. Thirty-two percent of women declared that they possessed knowledge about mammography. According to 65% of women and 66% of men, fear and fear of disease are the factors preventing patients from having a mammogram. Sixty-seven percent of women and 53% of men were of the opinion that the awareness of Polish women about breast cancer is average. Ninety percent of respondents supported the idea of bus mammography. The most well-known organizations involved in prevention of breast cancer proved to be the Amazons (86% of women and 84% men) and the AVON pink ribbon campaign (71% of women and 46% of men). Forty-six percent of women and 65% of men derived their knowledge about cancer from television and 47% of women and 46% of men from newspapers. Half of women and men thought that education about cancer should be initiated as early as middle school. According to the surveyed women the arguments that might convince women to participate in the exam were: the chance to take care of one’s health (63%), possibility to have the test performed close to home (44%), no charge for the test (32%), or other unspecified factors (5%). According to respondents, men and women often would benefit from mammography if they could perform it in their neighborhood (62%) or if the mammogram could be performed free of charge (51%). Conclusions: Only half of the women ever had a mammogram, and only one-third of the surveyed females received invitations. As the most important barriers to preventive action, they reported lack of knowledge, lack of financial resources and limited access to mammography. Knowledge of men and women about mammography as a breast cancer prevention method is unsatisfactory. We should make an effort to increase the awareness of women and men about the importance of breast self-exam and participation in organized screening programs.Cel pracy: Ocena poziomu wiedzy kobiet i mężczyzn na temat znaczenia mammografii w profilaktyce raka piersi. Materiał i metody: Badanie przeprowadzono w grupie 100 pacjentek oraz 100 pacjentów Wojewódzkiego Szpitala Specjalistycznego w Białej Podlaskiej. W badaniu wykorzystano autorskie kwestionariusze ankietowe skonstruowane specjalnie dla potrzeb obecnego badania. Wyniki: 48% kobiet deklarowało, że u lekarza ginekologa były w ciągu ostatnich sześciu miesięcy. 64% kobiet deklarowało, że przeprowadza samobadanie piersi. 38% mężczyzn nie wiedziało, kiedy ich żona/ partnerka miała badane piersi. Badani z obu grup znali większość objawów świadczących o podejrzeniu choroby nowotworowej. 52% kobiet poddało się badaniu mammograficznemu i 56% badaniu USG piersi. Jedynie 47% ankietowanych kobiet dostało zaproszenie na badanie mammograficzne i aż 68% nie skorzystało z niego. 76% ankietowanych kobiet i 83% ankietowanych mężczyzn nie znało przeciwwskazań do wykonania mammografii. 32% kobiet uważało, że posiadana przez nie wiedza na temat mammografii jest dobra. Zdaniem 65% kobiet i 66% mężczyzn przed zgłoszeniem się na badania mammograficzne pacjentki powstrzymuje lęk przed chorobą. Wnioski: Jedynie połowa ankietowanych kobiet miała kiedykolwiek wykonywaną mammografię, a z zaproszenia do wykonania badania skorzystała tylko, co trzecia ankietowana kobieta. Za najważniejsze przeszkody w działaniach profilaktycznych ankietowani podawali brak wiedzy, brak środków finansowych oraz utrudniony dostęp do mammografii. Wiedza kobiet i mężczyzn na temat mammografii, jako metody profilaktyki raka piersi jest niezadowalająca. Należy podjąć wszelkie starania zmierzające do podwyższenia świadomości kobiet i mężczyzn odnośnie przeprowadzania samokontroli piersi i ich udziału w zorganizowanych programach przesiewowych

Pregorexia – anorexia of pregnant women

Eating disorders represent a serious and complex health and social problem which is encountered by many medical professionals in their practice, including by family doctors. An increasing number of individuals are affected by these disorders. The media, which promote slim figure as fashionable or perfect, are a contributing factor. Pregnant women are a group which is especially vulnerable to eating disorders. Their bodies are subject to dynamic changes; as a result, these are often far from the widely promoted ideal. Malnutrition in women planning to conceive a child and in pregnant women is a risk factor for abnormal course of pregnancy and poor health status of the newborn child. Therefore, it is important for women who are planning pregnancy to change their lifestyle and follow the rules of appropriate, balanced diet. The aim of the paper was to review the available publications on pregorexia, i.e. an eating disorder which involves self-starvation and/or inducing vomiting during pregnancy. The article presents the current recommendations concerning body mass of a woman during pregnancy and the consequences of pregorexia for the mother and the unborn child as well as discussing the role of medical professionals regarding this non-specific eating disorder. Based on the available sources it may be concluded that there is a need for wider education concerning diet and physical activity provided by medical professionals to higher-risk groups. Early intervention by an interdisciplinary therapeutic team contributes to better treatment results with appropriate health education being of key importance

Relationships Between Sleep Problems and Stress Coping Strategies Adopted by Nurses Including Socio-Occupational Factors

Introduction: The health of nurses has a direct impact on the quality of care and health outcomes for patients. The length and quality of sleep as well as the intensity of perceived stress have an impact on the health of nurses. An appropriate stress coping strategy can reduce the impact of stress and mitigate its negative consequences.Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between excessive sleepiness and insomnia in interaction with selected socio-occupational factors and stress coping strategies among nurses.Material and Method: The cross-sectional study was conducted among 448 nurses working in hospitals in Podlasie Province in Poland. Mini-Cope inventory - the polish adaptation of Carver's BriefCope was used for measuring coping with stress. Sleep problems were assessed using the Athens Insomnia Scale and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale.Results: The most frequent used coping strategies were active strategies (active coping, planning). The least-used were avoidant strategies (behavioral disengagement, substance use). Excessive sleepiness affected 38% of surveyed, while insomnia 33%. Excessive sleepiness was most strongly related with behavioural disengagement (R2 = 18.6%), substance use (R2 = 17.5%), humour (R2 = 13.8%) and denial (R2 = 12.0%) while insomnia with substance use (R2 = 17.5%) and self-blame (R2 = 15.9%). Nurses with tertiary education experiencing sleep problems less frequently used the strategy of humour, behavioural disengagement, substance use and religion than with lower education. Nurses working in interventional wards experiencing excessive sleepiness used the strategy of humour, religion and positive reframing less often than those working in other wards while those suffering from insomnia used the strategy of humour more often than those working in other wards.Conclusions: The implementation of avoidant and support-seeking and emotion-oriented stress coping strategies by nurses were associated with the sleep problems. Tertiary education discourages nurses with sleep problems from using avoidant coping strategies and devoting themselves to religion. Education and improvement of the quality of sleep may prevent nurses from resorting to stress coping strategies that have a detrimental effect on their health and well-being

Ocena zaufania pacjent lekarz na oddziałach położniczo-ginekologicznych w Polsce i Grecji

Summary Aim: To evaluate patient trust in their physicians of the obstetrics and gynecology departments. Material and Methods: We used the Trust in Physician Scale comprising 11 - items. Data were collected from 150 women hospitalized in the obstetrics and gynecology departments in Poland and 109 in Greece. Results: Of the surveyed, 25.3% from Poland and 47.4% from Greece did not doubt their doctor’s proper care. Almost 90% of the respondents from Poland and 58.8% from Greece agreed with the statement “I trust my doctor very much, that is why I always comply with his/her advice”. More than 68% of the patients from Poland and 56.9% from Greece were convinced that “if my physician tells me something, this has to be the truth”. Almost 77 % of patients from Poland and 43.1% from Greece declared trust in their physician’s therapy. Eighty-four percent of women from Poland and 49.55% from Greece were convinced that their doctor is a true expert in the treatment of their diseases. Nearly 97% of the patients from Poland and 35.8% from Greece did not declare fear of their physician not keeping the professional secret. Conclusions: The Trust in Physician Scale is an appropriate tool for assessing levels of patient trust in their gynecologist. Patients reported a relatively high degree of trust in their gynecologists. Women from Greece more often than from Poland did not trust their physicians, and declared that doctors did not do all for their care.Streszczenie Cel pracy: Ocena zaufania jakim darzą pacjentki swoich lekarzy z oddziałów położniczo-ginekologicznych. Materiał i metody: Materiał zebrano w grupie 150 kobiet z Polski i 109 z Grecji hospitalizowanych na oddziałach położniczo- ginekologicznych. W badaniu wykorzystano standaryzowaną skalę zaufania pacjent - lekarz, obejmującą 11 zagadnień. Wyniki: We właściwą opiekę lekarza nad pacjentem nie wątpiło 25,3% badanych w Polsce i 47,4% w Grecji. Ze stwierdzeniem „ufam bardzo mojemu lekarzowi, dlatego zawsze stosuję się do jego rad” zgodziło się 90% kobiet w Polsce i 58,8% w Grecji. O tym, że „jeżeli mój lekarz coś mówi zawsze musi być to prawdę” przekonanych było 68,7% badanych w Polsce i 56,9% w Grecji. Co do sposobu prowadzonej terapii zaufanie do lekarza miało 77,3% pacjentek z Polski i 43,1% z Grecji. O tym, że ich lekarz jest prawdziwym ekspertem w leczeniu chorób, było przekonanych 84% chorych w Polsce i 49,5% w Grecji. Nie obawiało się dochowania przez lekarza tajemnicy zawodowej 96,7% badanych z Polski i 35,8% z Grecji. Wnioski: Respondentki z Grecji, częściej niż z Polski nie ufały swojemu lekarzowi i twierdziły, iż nie robi on wszystkiego dla dobra ich opieki. Respondentki z Polski częściej, niż z Grecji ufały swoim lekarzom i były przekonane, że zawsze mówią prawdę i są ekspertami w leczeniu ich chorób

Ability to control emotions of nurses in relation to their jobs

Introduction: The profession of nursing requires mental toughness, stress resistance and ability to cope with difficult situations.Target:  Evaluation of the ability to control emotions by nurses, according to their place of work and selected aspects of the nursing proffesion.Material and Methods:  The respondents of the survey were 570 nurses. It was performed by diagnostic questionare with a standardized scale of emotional control  CECS (Courtauld Emotional Control Scale), Watson and Greer, a Polish adaptation by Juczyński.Results: The average level of anxiety and depression, is about 18 pts., and a little bit less  for anger 17 points. It shows few statistically significant connections between evaluation of subjective anger management, anxiety and depression in difficult situations, and the level of satisfaction with some aspects of being a nurse. The only correlations, which have occurred were between being sure about the job security and the level of depression, which was - R = -0.21, between the reconciliation of work and family matters, and the level of depression - R = -0.16, and the evaluation of the relationships with colleagues and a sense of fear - R = - 0.15. A comparative analysis ofthe level of anger (P = 0.6414), depression (p = 0.1220) or anxiety (p = 0.4374) did not confirm statistically significant differencesbetween nurses who work in district hospitals, provincial hospitals and other health care facilities.Conclusion: There were no statistically significant differences in the subjective evaluation of anger management, anxiety and depression in difficult situations and a place of work of the respondents. The strongest correlations were between the level of depression and a sense of job security and reconciliation of work and family matters, and also between evaluation of the relationships with colleagues and a sense of fear

Ocena wiedzy pacjentów na temat cukrzycy typu 2 jako niezbędny element terapii

INTRODUCTION. Education of diabetic patients is a key component of diabetes management which significantly influences the risk of acute and longterm diabetic complications. The aim of the study was to determine the patients’ knowledge of diabetes, to develop a health education plan and to establish what methods and forms of education would be more suitable for patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS. The study included 100 type 2 diabetic patients of Municipal Diabetes Center of Bialystok. Authors used an anonymous questionnaire as an assessment tool. RESULTS. Almost 37% of patients did not recognize the symptoms of hypoglycemia, and 31% did not know the risk factors of hypoglycemia. 52% of patients lacked sufficient knowledge about prevention of diabetic foot. More than 90% of participants confirmed that education improves the patients’ mood and helps them to become more motivated to manage diabetes. CONCLUSIONS. The study demonstrated that the patients’ knowledge about self-control and self-management is insufficient and health education is the key activity to increase awareness of the possibility of patients’ condition and quality of life improvement. The aim of education is to provide patients with the knowledge of their illness, self-care skills, and psycho-emotional support and motivation to cope with practical and emotional problems. Methods and forms of health education should be adjusted to individual needs of each patient.WSTĘP. Edukacja chorych na cukrzycę stanowi istotne uzupełnienie leczenia i znacząco wpływa na obniżenie ryzyka ostrych oraz późnych powikłań cukrzycy. Celem pracy było określenie wiedzy pacjentów na temat cukrzycy, zaplanowanie edukacji zdrowotnej oraz ustalenie, jakie metody i formy szkolenia najbardziej odpowiadają chorym. MATERIAŁ I METODY. Badaniem objęto 100 chorych na cukrzycę typu 2 leczonych w Miejskim Ośrodku Diabetologicznym w Białymstoku. Narzędziem badawczym była anonimowa ankieta. WYNIKI. Prawie 37% ankietowanych nie znało objawów hiperglikemii, a 31% przyczyn hipoglikemii. Istotne braki w wiedzy na temat profilaktyki stopy cukrzycowej stwierdzono u 52% respondentów. Powyżej 90% badanych potwierdziło, że edukacja pozytywnie wpływa na samopoczucie chorych, a także zwiększa motywację do leczenia. WNIOSKI. Wykazano, że u chorych poziom wiedzy dotyczącej samokontroli i samoopieki jest niewystarczający, a edukacja zdrowotna jest podstawowym działaniem zwiększającym świadomość na temat możliwości poprawy zdrowia i jakości życia. Działania edukacyjne muszą nie tylko umożliwiać chorym zdobycie wiedzy, umiejętności oraz zwiększać motywację psychoemocjonalną, ale także powinny kreować nowe wartości osobowe i moralne w walce z chorobą. Metody i formy edukacji zdrowotnej należy dostosować do indywidualnych potrzeb każdego pacjenta

Median nerve conduction impairment in patients with diabetes and its impact on patients’ perception of health condition: a quantitative study

INTRODUCTION: Impaired mobility and compromised manual dexterity leading to difficulties with the activities of daily living (ADL) are an inherent part of the clinical picture in diabetes. Hand function in diabetes is influenced by a variety of pathologies: the median nerve, the most important nerve of the hand, can suffer from metabolic disturbances, ischemia and/or entrapment neuropathies. The resulting deterioration in functional capacity is likely to have significant consequences for the ability to perform ADL, influencing adjustment to diabetes and affecting quality of life. The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of hand function as measured by median motor nerve conduction on quality of life, taking into account various aspects of functioning in patients with diabetes, including activities of daily living, psychological status and acceptance of illness. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seventy one hospital patients with diabetes participated in the study. Electrophysiological recordings of conductance in the median nerve were obtained for both hands and the relationship between hand function and functional status (BI), depression and anxiety (HADS), adjustment to illness (AIS) and their effect on quality of life (SF-36v2 and QLI) was studied. RESULTS: Damage to the median nerve of the left hand was associated with significant differences in functioning in the physical, but not the mental component of the SF-36v2, p = 0.03 and in functional status (p = 0.006). QOL was associated with depression, patient age, acceptance of illness, functional ability and to a small, but significant extent with median nerve damage to the right hand on the measure of conduction velocities (R2 =0.726). CONCLUSIONS: Nerve conductance studies demonstrated a small, but significant effect of hand function on quality of life. Impairment of the median nerve in the left hand was associated with functional difficulties in the activities of daily living and a diminished quality of life in the area of physical functioning. No dependencies of this kind were found for the right hand, which may reflect the greater compensatory capacity of the right hand resulting from improved efficiency due to practice