The attitude of students of Lublin universities to vaccination in the COVID-19 period

Introduction. Vaccines are one of the greatest achievements of modern medicine. The compulsory vaccination schedule was introduced in Poland in the 1950s. Vaccinations are sometimes followed by adverse effects (ARV). The most common symptoms of ARV are swelling, redness and soreness at the injection site, usually lasting up to 24 hours after vaccination. Aim. The aim of our study was to check the attitude of students of Lublin universities to vaccination in the COVID-19 period. Material and methods. In December 2020 we conducted an anonymous and voluntary survey. It was uploaded and shared on the Google online survey platform. A total of 75 students participated in the study. Results. The respondents were 56 women and 19 men. Out of them 30 (40%) were from Medical University of Lublin (MUL), 15 (20%) from University of Life Sciences (ULS), 21 from University of Marie Sklodowska-Curie (UMCS) (28%) and 9 from Lublin University of Technology (LUT) (LP) (12%). Their mean age was 22 years +or- 1.1 (SD). More than half of the respondents were not interested in compulsory vaccinations before the COVID-19 pandemic. Only about 35% (18 persons) of people expressed a positive opinion about vaccines and they were students of MUL. Although 80% of respondents answered that the anti COVID-19 vaccine is necessary, but 81% thought that Poles had not enough knowledge about the vaccine. Students themselves most often obtained information about vaccines and ARVs from Internet. Conclusion. Students of MUL were the most enthusiastic about mandatory vaccinations and anti COVID-19 immunization. Poles need more reliable information about vaccine to change their attitude towards it.

Does the use of step counting devices affect the level of physical activity and body mass index of the youth studying in Lublin during COVID-19 pandemic?

Introduction. Due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) many people give up exercises. International physical activity guidelines recommend 150 minutes per week of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity or 75 minutes at high intensity per week. Healthy adults should take 10,000 steps per day. Wearable devices (smartwatches, step counters, physical activity monitoring applications) have the potential to promote a healthy lifestyle at the time of COVID-19 pandemic. They are accepted by the youth. Aim. The aim of the study was to find out if using step counting devices affects the level of physical activity and body mass index (BMI) in students. Material and methods. A total of 303 participants (227 women, 76 men) studying in Lublin, Poland of mean age 19.5 years participated in the study conducted with use of an internet questionnaire. Results. Before the COVID-19 pandemic their mean BMI was 22.17 kg/m2 and after 9 months of COVID-19-related restrictions it was 22.57 kg/m2. Among the respondents 204 (67.3%) did a physical activity for 50 min 3 times a week in 2019 and 99 (32.7%) did not. In December 2020 there was a significant decrease in the number of students doing physical activity to 128 (42.2%) (p < 0.05) and an increase in the number of students who did not do any physical activity to 175 (57.8%) (p < 0.05). In 2019 as many as 110 (36.3%) of the respondents used to use step counting devices and 192 (63.7%) did not. In 2020 the number of students using activity tracking devices significantly decreased to 58 (19.2) (p < 0.05). The number of students who did not use any step counting device in 2020 was 245 (80.8%). Conclusion. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the number of students who don't do enough physical activity significantly increased. The use of step counting devices helps students in continuing physical activity despite COVID-19-related restrictions.

SATISFACTION WITH THE PROFESSION OF PHAoCISTS, ESPECIALLY DURING THE 2019 CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

Pharmacists have been providing essential health services for patients. Their role includes, among other things, dispensing medicines, providing expert advice and participation in screening programs and health promotion. Professional fulfilment is the source of their satisfaction with their work and contributes to positive motivation, affecting their quality of life. Aspects contributing to the level of satisfaction of pharmacists are awareness of helping others, work safety, stress, the possibility of promotion, and workload and atmosphere at the pharmacy. The role of pharmacists is crucial, but sometimes underestimated during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, which directly impacts the level of satisfaction with their profession. While many physicians and nurses fought on the front lines in hospitals, pharmacists in social environments also played an essential role in preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus and contributed to overall crisis management. In addition to ensuring a stable supply of key drugs and becoming a centre for information on coronavirus infection, which is the most common first point of contact, social pharmacists have also been responsible for early detection and appropriate referral of patients.