The impact of migration on polish nurses : pilot study

Abstract Introduction. Migration of professional nurses is a global phenomenon. Polish nurses usually migrate to the relatively richer countries, especially in Europe, thanks to the opening of the borders of the European Union (2004) and legal regulations in the field of education of nurses (Directive 2005/36/EC). Aim. The analysis of symptoms and determinants of acculturative stress and acculturative strategies among Polish migrant nurses working in the UK. Material and methods. The study used a proprietary questionnaire and standardized tool the East Asian Acculturation Measure - Scale of Acculturative Strategy. The research was carried out through Internet among 62 people. Statistical analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney test, Kruskal-Wallis test, Dunn test, coefficient Spearman. Results. The main reason for the migration of respondents to the UK was the desire to improve financial situation and professional development. Responders found job as a nurse, including a charge nurse and managers in hospitals and nursing homes. Acculturative stress manifested most often in social functioning, then in the emotional, cognitive and physical aspects. It was characterized by a sense of lack of interest from British people, sadness, feelings of loneliness, lower self-confidence and shyness. It was determined significantly by the age of the respondents, the length of stay in the UK, knowledge of English and maintaining social contacts with the British. The most commonly used acculturation strategy was integration, conditioned by the length of stay in the UK and symptoms of acculturative stress. Conclusions. Working in a foreign country is associated with acculturative stress, implementation of acculturation adaptive and non-adaptive strategies.</jats:p

Czynniki ryzyka wystąpienia chorób układu sercowo-naczyniowego wśród katolików zamieszkujących tereny południowej Polski

Introduction : Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the most frequent cause of mortality of Polish residents. In Poland, there are few publications regarding research on the influence of people’s religiosity on their health. Aim of the research : To determine some factors of cardiovascular risk and the risk of cardiovascular events among Catholics. Material and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 134 randomly selected Catholics and based on the results of: questionnaire survey, anthropometric measurements, physical examination, the SCORE scale, laboratory tests (CRP, homocysteine. glucose, total cholesterol, HDL, and triglycerides) and assessing the risk of cardiovascular events based on the SCORE scale. Statistical analysis was based on the χ 2 test. Founded significance level was 0.05. Results: More than half of the respondents were diagnosed delevated homocysteine level and gluteal-femoral obesity. A little more than half of those surveyed had elevated total cholesterol levels and increased blood pressure, a little more than one-quarter of the respondents had raised triglyceride levels, and one-tenth had heightened glucose and C-reactive protein levels. The higher the age of the respondents, the more often the results of their biochemical exceed standards. Over half of those examined were diagnosed with overweight or obesity. Among examined gynoid obesity prevailed over android obesity. The risk assessment of CVD Catholics revealed that among the modifiable factors, biochemical levels of homocysteine proved to be the most important new risk factor, but among the classic factors it was blood pressure value. More than half of the respondents had moderate risk of cardiovascular events in the study group. Conclusions : Nurses should promote pro-health attitudes, and should encourage the elimination of risk factors and biochemical testing and measurement among Catholics, who are a religious group at higher risk of cardiovascular disease

Comparison of lifestyle of Catholics and Seventh-Day Adventists and the relationship with homocysteine as risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, a cross-sectional study in Polish males and females

Background: A review of epidemiological data demonstrates relationships between defined health behaviours linked with religious affiliation and a reduced risk of developing and dying from Cardiovascular Disease (CVD). The aim of the study was to compare the lifestyle of Seventh-day Adventists (SDA) and Catholics (CA), to determine the relationship between the lifestyle of SDA, CA and the level of serum homocysteine as a risk factor for CVD. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 252 SDA and CA. The following tools were used: interview questionnaire, anthropometric measurement, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), the Inventory of Health Behaviours (IHB), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), laboratory tests (homocysteine level), and the Fagerstr&ouml;m Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND). Results: Selected lifestyle elements, such as smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, physical activity, diet, Body Mass Index (BMI), health behaviours on the IHB, psychosocial factors and level of stress for CA were significantly different in comparison to SDA. The religion professed by the respondents was not significantly associated with the increased level of homocysteine as a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The level of homocysteine for CA were significantly different in comparison to SDA. The studied group of CA was significantly influenced by socio-demographic factors: gender, age, education, place of residence, BMI and lifestyle: drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes, consumption of dark bread, pasta, and groats. For the studied group of SDA, the level of homocysteine was significantly influenced by socio-demographic factors such as gender, age, professional activity, and consumption of legumes. Conclusions: Public health professionals and nurses should develop culturally specific educational interventions

The loneliness of older people

Very often, the elderly are experiencing feelings of loneliness. Factor in affecting the sense of loneliness are social and cultural conditions. Also, the state of health - both physical and mental - of man, has an influence on the feeling of loneliness of older people. Often people who are hospitalized feel isolated, marginalized, alone. The aim of this study was to evaluate the loneliness of elderly people treated in hospital. The research method was a diagnostic survey and research-survey technique. Research tools in this study were: the author’s questionnaire, and a scale for measuring loneliness Jenny De Jong Gierveld i Frans Kamphuis. Data analysis was performed using basic descriptive statistics test and Mann-Whitney U, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient using SPSS 17.0.0. The study was conducted in hospitals Cracow internal medicine wards of 115 patients. Almost half of the respondents felt the general emptiness, a lack of really close friend, the people around you and the company of other people and felt disapproved. Subjects can count on little support from family, grandchildren and children. Key factors affecting loneliness by respondents are: the personality of the person, poor health, not having a hobby. Main ways to combat loneliness is a cultural activity and good time management. The feeling of loneliness was found in almost half of the patients in the hospital, wherein the more often it refers to women

Stereotypes and attitudes of the inhabitants of Malopolska to elected representatives cultures

W Polsce kontakty z osobami mówiącymi innym językiem, o innym kolorze skóry, innego wyznania, należącymi do innego kręgu kulturowego, mającymi inne obyczaje i wierzenia, znacznie się nasiliły po wejściu Polski do rodziny krajów Unii Europejskiej. Celem pracy było poznanie opinii mieszkańców Małopolski na temat stereotypów, uprzedzeń i dyskryminacji oraz ich postaw wobec osób z odmiennych obszarów kulturowych. Badania przeprowadzono wśród 120 osób zamieszkujących teren południowej Małopolski. Do przeprowadzenia badania wykorzystano kwestionariusz ankiety własnego autorstwa oraz Skalę Bogardusa, jako narzędzie badawcze wystandaryzowane. Do analizy statystycznej użyto testu U Manna-Whitneya, Spearmana. Większość osób badanych miała kontakt ze stereotypami na temat mniejszości kulturowych. Wszyscy ankietowani potrafili wymienić kilka stereotypów o Romach, muzułmanach oraz Żydach. Największy dystans ankietowani wykazali wobec mniejszości romskiej, najmniejszy w stosunku do mniejszości muzułmańskiej. Małopolska jest regionem, który zamieszkany jest przez wiele osób należących do mniejszości kulturowych i narodowościowych. Codzienny kontakt z tymi osobami powinien sprowadzać się do zrozumienia ich kultury, tradycji i zachowań, a nie do dyskryminacji, szykanowania, odtrącania. Bardzo ważne jest, aby zapobiegać potencjalnym konfliktom społecznym, do których może dochodzić, jeśli będziemy kierować się uprzedzeniami, które najczęściej wynikają ze stereotypów.In Poland, contacts with people who speak a different language, a different skin color, different religion, belonging to a different culture, and thus having different customs and beliefs, has grown significantly after Polish accession to the European Union family. The aim of the study was to determine the opinion of the inhabitants of Malopolska about stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination and their attitudes towards people with different cultural areas. The study was performed on a group of 120 people living in the southern Malopolska. To carry out the study used a questionnaire of his own authorship and Bogardus scale, standardized as a research tool. Used for statistical analysis the U Mann-Whitney, Spearman. Most of the respondents had contact with stereotypes about minority cultures. All the respondents were able to replace the existing stereotypes about the the Gypsies, Muslims and Jews. Respondents showed the greatest distance towards the Gypsies minority, the smallest in relation to the Muslim minority. Malopolska is a region which is inhabited by a number of persons belonging to cultural and national minorities. Daily contact with these people should lead to the understanding of their culture, tradition and behavior, and not to discrimination, harassment, rejection. It is very important to prevent potential social conflicts, which may occur if we act with prejudice usually resulting from established negative stereotypes