[Awareness of health hazards in view of demonstrated behavioural patterns both conducive and detrimental to health]. / Swiadomosc zagrozen w aspekcie prezentowanych zachowan pro i antyzdrowotnych.

BACKGROUND: Credibility of physicians depends not only on their knowledge and achievements in therapies they manage but also on daily manifested behavioural patterns, directed at maintaining and augmenting own health as well as prevention of diseases. A patient will hardly trust members of medical staff if their health-related behaviour indeed contradicts the scientific evidence they quote. WORK'S OBJECTIVE: The study is chiefly aimed at establishing whether future physicians' awareness of health hazards, associated with behavioural patterns detrimental to health, e.g., cigarette smoking - does influence elimination of such attitudes. Oral hygiene among the studied group was also evaluated, and the potential relationship between the examined behavioural profiles verified. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Questionnaire-based diagnostic survey was employed. The study was conducted throughout the first half of 2012. Altogether 166 last-year students of Medical Faculty participated; questionnaire-return rate was 83%. The study is a part of a larger project, involving students of other City of Poznan universities. RESULTS: Most respondents estimate their health as "good" (60.08%). As far as their behavioural patterns are concerned the future physicians declare a detrimental-to-health lifestyle (49.40%). This self-assessment is reflected in their everyday conduct: 13.25% admit cigarette smoking while in 21.69% of the respondents dental defects exist. Preventive actions are also conspicuously rare among those who should be particularly convinced of their importance - 56.02% visit their dentist only having noticed an annoying change or experiencing toothache. CONCLUSIONS: Awareness of health-hazards associated with behavioural patterns influences the life-style of future physicians. Some individuals in the related group, despite the acquired professional knowledge, do not appear to modify their unfavourable behavioural profiles, and in a number of cases actually extend their scope. 2. Failure to augment one's well-being is of multifaceted nature. 3. University teachers should emphasise shaping not only of knowledge in the future health-care providers but also of their attitudes. Implementation in practice of this premise will ensure optimal effectiveness of the learning process and will enable the physicians become credible entities within a health-care system.

[Tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption and physical activity among patients with Type 2 diabetes]. / Palenie tytoniu, alkohol i aktywnosc fizyczna wsród pacjentów z cukrzyca typu 2.

The present article is focused on tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, and necessary physical activity, and how they contribute to everyday life of diabetic patients. The article is based on a study comprising 106 such patients, treated in two leading centres of diabetological care in the City of Poznan. Fifty eight male and 48 female patients were examined. Eighty nine per cent of the studied group were convinced of the negative effect of tobacco smoking on human health, 9% - had no opinion in this matter while 2% - expressed rather astonishing, in the study's context, view on the supposedly beneficial influence of smoking on health. Forty three patients in the studied group never smoked, 47 - gave up the habit while 16 - still smoked. Analysis of the respondents' knowledge on the glycaemic effect of alcohol proved interesting. Only 54 persons knew that alcohol consumption considerably diminished level of glucose in the blood, occasionally leading to severe hypoglycaemia whereas 27 had no opinion on the matter, and 16 thought that alcohol actually increased the level of glucose in the blood. Three respondents did not think alcohol influenced a diabetic's body in any way. Thirty four per cent declared abstinence. Physical activity, in the view of 90% of the subjects, beneficially influenced the health of a diabetic patient, 5% - did not form an opinion about it, and another 5% suggested an unquestionably negative effect of physical effort on health. Daily physical activity, continued for at least 30 minutes, declared 53% of the examined group, 3 times a week - 13%, and 5 times a week- 8%. The remaining subjects exercised even less frequently or at all.

[Prevalence of tobacco smoking among nurses and the awareness of harmfulness of smoking habit]. / Rozpowszechnienie palenia tytoniu wsród pielegniarek a swiadomosc szkodliwosci nalogu.

INTRODUCTION: Smoking is one of several well documented harmful agents that people voluntarily expose to. Nurses are considered by society as the authority in the field of health, what means that they should take advantage of their accomplishments and references in procedures concerned with prophylaxis and smoking habit treatment. For these reasons - nurses' attitude to smoking is so crucial. Solving the problem of smoking within this profession is important for both nurses and their patients. AIM: The aim of the research was the assessment of prevalence of smoking among the nurses from the Lodz district and the knowledge about harmfulness of smoking. MATERIAL AND METHODS: There were 74 respondents taken into account of nursing personnel: 73 female and 1 male. There was authors' questionnaire prepared for the study. RESULTS: Basing on the research - 40% of the nursing personnel were smokers. The majority of respondents (57%) smoke more than the half of pack of cigarettes and stress is the most common reason (47%). Currently smokers more often came from families where other members smoked cigarettes (63%). More than half of respondents (57%) do not mind smoking while their friends are in their own home. Studies showed that only 57 % smokers undertook attempts to stop smoking, mostly for health reason. Health and financial considerations were the cause of cessation of tobacco use by smokers in the past. CONCLUSION: Smoking by nursing personnel is wide. It is important to nursing personnel to be aware of the existence of the relationship between change in patient health behavior, and attitude of persons who learn them to live healthy. On the basis of self-knowledge regarding the scope of the harmful effects of smoking tobacco, the research showed that the level of knowledge had no significant effect on health behavior study of nursing personnel.

[Tobacco and alcohol use among the unemployed]. / Palenie papierosów i picie alkoholu wsród bezrobotnych.

There is no doubt today, that any amount of tobacco products use and excessive alcohol consumption are among the fundamental causes of diseases. The health situation of the unemployed is worse than employed. One of the consequences of unemployment and also ways of coping with it can be unhealthy behaviors. The aim of this paper is to present the prevalence of smoking and alcohol consumption, and to identify their causes among the unemployed, and also to show possible changes in these behaviors as a result of finding themselves in a situation of employment deprivation. The results of this study have demonstrated that the unemployed often have anti-health behaviors such as smoking and alcohol consumption with high frequency and single intake exceeding health standards. One of the important factors of smoking and drinking alcohol is a desire to reduce the emotional tension. Being outside the labor market affects the start of the consumption of alcohol and tobacco, but does not result in the cessation of consumption. It happens that the unemployment influence the reduction of consumption of alcohol and tobacco, and the key role is played by the economic factor.

[Cigarette smoking among children and adolescents on probation and their family and peer group]. / Palenie tytoniu wsród dzieci i mlodziezy objetej nadzorami kuratorskimi a rodzina i grupa rówiesnicza.

Smoking is one of the most prevalent and also one of the most unhealthy lifestyle elements. The aim of this paper is to present the incidence and causes of smoking among children and adolescents on probation, and examine how immediate social environment reacts to their smoking. The analysis was based on the results of 190 structured interviews taken from february to may 2010 among persons who are aged 11 to 17 years, living in the city of Poznan. It was found that cigarette smoking in the study population is common phenomenon, primarily correlated with age, but also to gender. Family and peer environment, not only does not constitute a buffer against smoking, but sometimes it reinforces the unhealthy behaviors.

[The prevalence of tobacco smoking and psychoactive substances use among students from High School of Country Economy in Kutno]. / Rozpowszechnienie palenia tytoniu i uzywania innych substancji psychoaktywnych wsród studentów Wyzszej Szkoly Gospodarki Krajowej w Kutnie.

The main aim of the study was to describe psychoactive substances prevalence among students and recognition of tobacco smoking, drinking alcohol and taking drugs reasons. Tobacco smoking was declared by 27.2% students, 26.1% of whom smokes regularly and 1.1% occasionally. The main reasons of tobacco smoking, in students opinion, were: addicted influence of nicotine, relaxing effects of smoking and smoking for company. According of the study, 6.5% respondents admitted drinking alcohol (77.2% drank occasionally) and 3.3% in the past had contact with drugs. The most famous drugs was marijuana.

[Prevalence of tobacco smoking among health-care managers]. / Rozpowszechnienie palenia papierosów wsród osób realizujacych funkcje kierownicze w zakladach opieki zdrowotnej.

A whole variety of new organisational solutions are being introduced nowadays, at an increasing pace, in health-care institutions, not always preceded by appropriate information related to the upcoming changes. The situation may be conducive to the feeling of discomfort and doubt among managerial staff, as to the ultimate result of imminent innovations. A necessity to relieve the perceived tension will then arise, for example, by way of smoking. The principal objective of the present study was to examine the occurrence of tobacco-smoking among the nursing executive personnel. Two groups of employees holding high-ranking positions in the nursing subsystem were included in the study. The initial part of the project was performed throughout the first quarter of 2010, and comprised 102 departmental female nurses. The concluding part is planned for October - November, 2010, and will address the second and third-level managers. A questionnaire-based, diagnostic survey was the employed research method. The questionnaires' return rate was 85%. The Fisher-Freeman-Halton test was applied in statistical calculations (for expected values < 5). The study revealed, so far, that the performance of managerial functions induced undesirable behavioural patterns, i.e., tobacco smoking. It also affected low self-assessment of their bio-psycho-social wellness. The majority of the respondents took part in various forms of in-service, refresher training which also included information concerning behavioural patterns detrimental to health. The latter influenced the participating nurses' self-assessment of the extent of their knowledge related to tobacco smoking and its harmful effect on their health.

Social support for cancer-Selected problems.

Cancer creates a difficult situation connected with an extreme psychological burden for the patient, with the main symptom being the high level of stress resulting from the necessity to change the hierarchy of values and life goals, the prospect of physical pain and dependence on others. The main goal of the research was to determine the scope of social support recognized by patients with cancer. Determination of the phases of disease predominantly burdened with stress as well as methods of stress reduction was the indirect goal of the research. The research was conducted in the Wielkopolska province in 2008, and included a target group of patients with head or neck cancer treated by an oncological clinic. The researchers used a diagnostic poll as the method, and a questionnaire as the instrument. THE RESULTS SHOWED THAT PATIENTS EXPECT AND ARE GRANTED SUPPORT OF TWO BASIC TYPES: emotional: allowing them to conquer their own internal tension and negative feelings, to express their fear, anxiety and sorrow, and to give rise to hope; and practical: aiming at the exchange and provision of information and advice that bring about better understanding of their condition, life situation and problems. The latter type of support results in the collection of feedback on the effectiveness of countermeasures taken by the supported patients, and exchange of information about certain procedures and the form of modelling efficient countermeasures.

[The prevalence of tobacco smoking and psychoactive substances use among teenagers from the secondary school--pilot study]. / Rozpowszechnienie palenia tytoniu i uzywania innych substancji psychoaktywnych wsród mlodziezy szkoly licealnej--badania pilotowe.

The main of the study was to describe psychoactive substances abuse among teenagers from secondary school and recognition the reasons of tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking and drugs taking. Tobacco smoking was declared by 24% pupils. The main reasons of tobacco smoking, in pupil's opinion, were: addicted influences of nicotine and relaxing effects of smoking. According of the results of the study 16% pupils drank alcohol, on average one teenager of the ninth had or have contact with the drugs. The most famous drugs were: marijuana (66.7%) and amphetamine (33.3%).

[Occurrence of cigarette smoking among pregnant women]. / Rozpowszechnienie palenia papierosów wsród kobiet ciezarnych.

Life-style is defined as any set of human behavioural patterns, either conducive or detrimental to health. It is the most important factor influencing health. Cigarette smoking is emphasised as one of its determinants, as far as behavioural patterns detrimental to health are concerned. The article chiefly focuses on presenting the occurrence of cigarette smoking among pregnant women. The intermediate objectives were to identify the behavioural patterns discussed, concerning the immediate social surroundings of the future mothers. The study was conducted in the Province of Wielkopolska in 2009. It included 105 pregnant women. A diagnostic survey was applied; the tool: a questionnaire. It was established that the majority of the pregnant respondents assessed favourably both their own health and the preparation to their future role as mothers, 60.95% and 68.57%, respectively. All women participating in the study did not smoke, in contrast to their immediate family members, the majority of whose smoked. Pregnancy requires maintaining a proper life-style from a concerned woman: it influences her and her child's well-being. One of the main tasks of public health specialists is to provide young women with information set, concerning health promotion and shaping of desirable attitudes, conducive to health. Education concerning such a life-style should be directed not only at pregnant women but also at their spouses.

[Motives, awareness of danger and prevalence of tobacco smoking among students of Poznan University of Medical Sciences in Poznan and High School of Country Economy in Kutno]. / Motywy, swiadomosc zagrozen oraz rozpowszechnienie palenia tytoniu wsród studentów Uniwersytetu Medycznego w Poznaniu oraz Wyzszej Szkoly Gospodarki Krajowej w Kutnie.

Tobacco smoking is a common habit both in Poland and around the world--cigarettes are legal and easily accessible. The studied group comprised of 92 students of the Poznan University of Medical Sciences (UM) and 80 students of High School of Domestic Economy in Kutno (WSGK). The aim of the study was to establish causes of tobacco addiction and measure the smokers' awareness of possible health hazards. The studied group took part in an anonymous questionnaire divided into thematic segments, each devoted to one psychoactive substance, including tobacco. The results show that there are more smokers among WSGK students (39% of the surveyed group) than among the MU group (27% of the surveyed students); both universities have a larger population of male smokers than female smokers. The causes for smoking among both groups were quoted as: "for recreational purposes" and "an occasion to socialize". More than 47% of the surveyed UM students and almost 44% of the surveyed WSGK students do realize that tobacco smoking is addictive while 17.4% of the surveyed UM students and 17.5% of the WSGK group understand that smoking poses a health hazard.

[Tobacco smoking and self-assessment of health status among students from High School of Country Economy in Kutno--preliminary study]. / Palenie tytoniu i samoocena stanu zdrowia wsród studentów Wyzszej Szkoly Gospodarski Krajowej w Kutnie--doniesienie wstepne.

Tobacco smoking is still actual and common problem, which affects both students' high schools and their professors. In this study results are presented among students from one private schools in Poland, when students are educated in the following directions: geodesy, Europe science, pedagogy, computer science and nursing. The aim of the study was to assess prevalence of tobacco smoking among students and the awareness of health consequences. It is also decided to check which variables determinate self-assessment of health status of students and what motives of tobacco smoking are. Tobacco smoking was declared by 39% of students, 81.9% of them smoked regular and 18.1% - occasional. The biggest group of tobacco smoking students was noticed in geodesy - 35.4% students and nursing - 29%. Nearly 44% had opinion that tobacco smoking become addicted (22.9% students from nursing, 31.4% from geodesy, 8.6% from Europe science and 143% from pedagogy). Almost 36% students, in their opinion, become addicted to nicotine, over 32% students smoked because of relaxing effects of smoking, 129% smoked for company, The biggest group of surveyed group assess their health status as a good (56.3%) and very good (42%), one person as a very bad - 125%. There are statistical significant dependence between health status and gender, age, study, year of study and place of residence.

[Tobacco smoking among nurses--a lack of knowledge or effect of work overload?]. / Palenie papierosów wsród pielegniarek--brak wiedzy, czy efekt przeciazenia praca?

Nursing profession is characterised by a number of workload modes, both psycho-social and purely physical in nature. There are those typically present in all care-related professions as well as those specifically associated with nursing personnel workplace. Such workload categories characteristically result in negative consequences both observed in personal functioning sphere and in wider, social aspect. Nurses constitute, beside medical staff, an essential pillar among medical professions. Full realisation of preventive, therapeutical and rehabilitative functions would be not possible without them. However, as it is frequently being noticed, nurses' professional activity takes place in difficult conditions, resulting from the lack of necessary resources. Nursing personnel are also considerably burdened physically, both throughout preparations to, and during actual care over the patient, and psychically as well, as a result of functioning among ill persons. Medical condition and suffering of the latter substantially contribute to the resultant perception of working conditions by nursing personnel. The present article focuses on examining the relationship between tobacco smoking among nurses, and their perception of being overloaded by work environment requirements. The study was conducted in 2008 throughout the territory of Wielkopolska (Great Poland). It comprised 118 persons employed in nursing subsystem. Diagnostic survey was the employed method, with the use of questionnaire as a research tool. The study revealed that the performance of nurses' professional duties is more often than not accompanied by elements of quantitative work overload, affecting somatic health, as well as those of qualitative overload, which induced undesirable effects in the psychical sphere of wellness. It was also established that 27.12% of the population under study smoked. The addiction frequently happens to be a way to have a pleasant rest after exhaustive work.

[Health promotion in a workplace in The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland by taking into consideration acts prohibited tobacco smoking]. / Promocja zdrowia w miejscu pracy w Zjednoczonym Królestwie Wielkiej Brytanii i Irlandii Pólnocnej z uwzglednieniem ustaw zakazujacych palenia papierosów.

This study presents health promotion strategies in a workplace in The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. A workplace is a very important area for health promotion activities because of almost unlimited access to target group--adult group, especially good opportunity to access to men, who rather seldom going to a doctor. In 2004 Committee on Tobacco and Heath (SCOTH) classified environmental tobacco smoking (ETS) for category: "serious hazards for public health" after conducted study of harmful effects of ETS. In 2007 England becomes "free" from ETS, because of acts prohibited tobacco smoking in public places and in workplaces. In 26th of March 2006 Health Act in Scotland and in the second of April 2007 in Wales also prohibited smoking in public places. The aim of a new act was to protect health and prevention illness caused by exposition to ETS. So, there is prohibition for everyone: employees, clients, employers and guests in a whole company, in closed area and fundamental closed areas (according act). The act is also about previous areas intended for tobacco smoking. In 30th of April in 2007 Northern Ireland also prohibited smoking in public places. There are many profits for everyone, for example: protection people's health exposed to ETS, much slower development some serious illness, reduction of medical care cost and improvement of environment for community. If smokers decide to quit smoking or even reduce the number of smoking cigarettes per day, a population would be healthier.

[Tobacco smoking among population in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland between years: 1950 and 2003]. / Palenie papierosów wsród populacji zjednoczonego Królestwa Wielkiej Brytanii i Irlandii Pólnocnej pomiedzy 1950 i 2002 rokiem.

In the last year there are many strategies focused on a new challenges such as: obesity, tobacco smoking, abuse alcohol, sexual illness in public health policy. There are differences in the prevalence of tobacco smoking because of many factors, for example, social class and education (if there is low social status and education, the prevalence of tobacco smoking in population is higher). General, in Scotland there are much more smokers than in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Health Development Agency (HDA) studied that tobacco smoking in 1998 and 2000 years in England caused 9 deaths per 10 men and 8 deaths per 10 women suffered from lung cancer. This study presents prevalence of tobacco smoking among a population of The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. A paper describes also events influencing the prevalence of tobacco smoking and strategies taken for reducing tobacco smoking among population by British government.

[Socio-economic determinants of smoking during pregnancy and birth weight of newborns]. / Spoleczno-ekonomiczne uwarunkowania palenia tytoniu w czasie ciazy a urodzeniowa masa ciala noworodków.

In this survey, we have assessed a socio-economic status of pregnant women smoking during pregnancy and the impact of this status on birth weight of their newborns. The research, we have done on the group of 431 pregnant women. Smoking habit has been declared by 21.6% of women and passive exposure to tobacco smoke has been stated by 32.5% of respondents. We have observed a significant association between active and passive smoking and socio-economic status of respondents. The newborns of actively smoking mothers were lighter of about 216 g according to those ones of mothers who did not smoke and were not exposed to passive smoking, and were lighter than newborns of mothers who were not exposed to passive smoking of about 146 g. We have not observed any significant link between active and passive exposure to tobacco smoke during pregnancy, and a risk of delivering low weighted child. However, in case of newborns weighted above 2500 g., their mothers have not been smoking and have not been exposed to tobacco smoke significantly more often.

[Consumption of psychoactive substances--awareness of health consequences among the students of university schools in Poznan]. / Konsumpcja substancji psychoaktywnych--swiadomosc zdrowotnych konsekwencji wsród studentów poznanskich uczelni.

The goal of this paper is to estimate the phenomenon of consuming psychoactive substances such as: alcohol, nicotine, caffeine and narcotics among the students of Poznan's universities, and evaluating the level of consciousness of the dangers resulting from using those substances. The authors wanted to check, whether the consumption of psychoactive substances depends on such traits as: sex, place of living, subjective evaluation of one's health, the type of university they attend, and whether the respondents think that the knowledge passed onto them on the universities about the dangers resulting from consuming such substances is sufficient, and whether they know how to help an addicted person. The research, done with the use of a survey, was conducted among 504 students from six universities in Poznan: Medical University (16.7% of the respondents), University School of Economics (15.3%), University School of Agriculture (162%), University School of Physical Education (16.1%), Poznan Technical University School (184%) and Poznan University (17.3%). The research has shown, that the most of the students consume alcohol (81.1% of the respondents), followed by caffeine (75.8%). The third place was taken by narcotics (38%), and the fourth by cigarettes (20%). Most people that smoke are the ones that are renting an apartment by themselves. No statistic difference was found in the usage of cigarettes between women and men, nor was there a relation between the subjectively evaluated state of one's health, or the attended university (the students of the Medical University smoke as much as the others). The average ago of the initiation into tobacco usage of the respondents was 17 years of age, which is a time when one doesn't have a legal right to obtain cigarettes.

[Tobacco smoking and psychoactive substances use among students--a preliminary report]. / Palenie tytoniu a konsumpcja srodków psychoaktywnych wsród studentów--doniesienie wstepne.

Tobaccos smoking, and psychoactive substances use in the student environment, both legal and illegal, have always come with many controversies. The problem extent have appeared as much bigger then it had been previously thought and now it affects all social and professional communities. In the research, authors have centered on medical students to assess their knowledge, attitudes and awareness of the problem and not only analyze the problem dimension. This is very important because of their further professional attitude to those problems, and their behaviors that have been created during the studies and will have an impact on perception of phenomena that appear in health of the public.

[Effect of exposure to tobacco smoke and selected socioeconomic factors in occurrence of low birth weight]. / Wplyw narazenia na dym tytoniowy oraz wybranych czynników spoleczno- ekonomicznych na wystepowanie malej urodzeniowej masy ciala.

The aim in this survey was analysis of contribution of exposure to tobacco smoke and selected socioeconomic factors in occurrence of low birth weight. The research was done on the group of 1528 pregnant women. Smoking habit was declared by 18.2% of women and passive exposure to tobacco smoke was stated by 31% of respondents. Significant association between active and passive smoking and socioeconomic status of respondents was observed. Cigarette smoking during pregnancy was the main cause of lower birth weight of newborns. The newborns of actively smoking mothers were lighter of about 332 g according to those ones of mothers who did not smoke and were not exposed to passive smoking, and were lighter than newborns of mothers who were not exposed to passive smoking of about 342 g.

[The socio-economic status of women smoking during pregnancy and birth weight of their newborns]. / Status socjo-ekonomiczny kobiet palacych papierosy w czasie ciazy a urodzeniowa masa noworodków.

In this survey, socio-economic status of pregnant women smoking during pregnancy and influence of this status on birth weight of their newborn were assessed. The research was done on the group of 1328 pregnant women. Smoking habit was declared by 18.6% of women and passive exposure to tobacco smoke was stated by 30.6% of respondents. Significant association between active and passive smoking and socioeconomic status of respondents was observed. Cigarette smoking during pregnancy was the main cause of lower birth weight of newborns. The newborns of actively smoking mothers were lighter of about 357 g according to those ones of mothers who did not smoke and were not exposed to passive smoking, and were lighter than newborns of mothers who were not exposed to passive smoking of about 330 g. The passive exposure to the tobacco smoke was not significant considering effect on the birth weight.