[An analysis of kindergarden teachers' preparation to provide first aid]. / Analiza przygotowania nauczycieli wychowania przedszkolnego do udzielania pierwszej pomocy.

The major causes of deaths among preschool children are injuries and poisoning. Among the injuries, the most frequent are road accidents and accidents on farms. We may also find health and life risks to preschoolers in homes and education centres. Everybody should know first-aid rules and how to apply them in life-threatening situations. This duty particularly concerns kindergarten teachers. The purpose of the work was an analysis of kindergarten teachers' preparation to provide first aid. The research was performed on a sample of 100 kindergarten teachers from the Lubelskie Province. The research took place in January and February 2011 with the use of questionnaires prepared in-house The analysis of the results indicated that most teachers (84% of respondents) had participated in the first-aid training courses. The teachers with job seniority below 10 years and those between 11 and 20 years' seniority took part more often in the first-aid training courses than the respondents with seniority above 20 years (p=0,02). Respondents, in most cases, assessed their knowledge of first aid at grade 3 (in a continuum from 1 to 5) (42% of respondents)--the average grade was 2.98 +/- 0.97.

Knowledge of rules of healthy lifestyle and their realization among students of junior and senior high schools.

The aim of the paper was to evaluate the knowledge of rules of healthy nourishment as well as the recommended components of a daily diet among students of junior and senior high schools. The lifestyle of the teenagers was analyzed in two groups--junior high school students and senior high school students. On the basis of the BMI the state of nutrition of the population was evaluated. The subjects were questioned about the most frequent health problems, and the connection between body weight and the development of diseases in the future. The research was carried out by means of an anonymous survey among 200 students of junior high schools and 200 students of senior high schools. The data underwent statistical analysis. The knowledge of healthy eating habits proved insufficient and their realization poor, especially among junior high school students. The factors that influence the lifestyle of the teenagers included the family and the media. In girls the lack of acceptance of their own appearance was recorded, which resulted in the desire to lower body weight and to apply slimming diets.

Attitudes of pharmacists to the issue of applying basic first-aid.

The most frequently mentioned causes of death and disability include blood circulation system diseases, tumors and injuries. The decision to apply immediate resuscitation actions often influence the chances of the victim's survival. It is estimated that approximately 18 million citizens of Poland have been trained in the field of basic first-aid procedures. The aim of the paper was to get to know the opinions of the employees of pharmacies with a degree in pharmacy about the issue of applying basic first-aid and their knowledge of basic life support. The survey was carried out by means of a questionnaire which was mailed to the pharmacies in the area of the Lublin region, excluding the city of Lublin. 250 questionnaires were sent and 106 were sent back and filled in properly. The return rate of the questionnaires was estimated at 42.4%. Pharmacists feel they are obliged to know the rules of applying first-aid better than other social groups, and claim they should join the rescue activities in case of emergency. The respondents show willingness to participate in first-aid trainings as long as they are free. A high percentage of the respondents assess their level of knowledge in the field of emergency actions as unsatisfactory. The knowledge of resuscitation techniques is insufficient--identification of circulatory arrest, technique of indirect cardiac massage and artificial respiration all seem to cause difficulties. The pharmacists under survey would be glad to get updated guidelines concerning basic rules of behaviour in emergency.

The analysis of the cases of circulatory and respiratory arrest in the work of the Regional Unit of Ambulance Service - Sródmiescie Station.

The major causes of deaths all over the world are circulatory system diseases, neoplasms and injuries. Each man can become a participant of the event which results in life-threatening emergencies and the most immediate possible actions are essential. The period of time for starting efficient life-restoration actions is very short, estimated at 4-5 minutes. Ambulance Service is a medical organization created to apply aid in life-threatening emergencies. The standards of the developed western countries determine the arrival time at 7-10 minutes from the call time. Both first-aid applied by the accident witnesses and efficient actions of ambulance service have significance for effective pre-hospital aid and increasing the chances of survival of people in need. The study analysed emergency records of the ambulance cars of the Regional Unit of Ambulance Service - Sródmiescie Station in Lublin in the year 2000. 3,723 calls were recorded. In 142 cases complete resuscitation actions were carried out due to circulatory and respiratory arrest. The records selected this way went through a detailed analysis. In 3.8% of the interventions of emergency teams the necessity of applying advanced life support was observed. The time of arrival at the scene, transport of the patient to the admission room as well as efficiency of resuscitation comply with the European standards. The efficiency of resuscitation actions estimated at 51.4% depended on the age of the patient, the cause of circulatory and respiratory arrest and ambulance arrival time. Taking up basic life support by witnesses of the event was observed in 2.8% of cases, in 8.5% aid was applied by the medical staff members who happened to be at the scene.

Circumstances of tobacco smoking by pregnant women.

The aim of the paper was to determine the frequency and intensity of tobacco smoking by pregnant women as well as to find out the relationship between tobacco smoking during pregnancy and socioeconomic variables (education, marital status, professional career, smoking partner, number of children) as well as health variables (severe ailments during pregnancy period, taking medicines, using medical care). The research was carried out at the department of gynecology and obstetrics of the Specialist Hospital in Jaslo as well as at the Women's Outpatient Clinic of the Public Independent Health Service Institution in Skolyszyn (Podkarpackie Voivodship). The research was conducted by means of the questionnaire distributed from July to September 2002 among 100 pregnant women. The results of the analysis indicate that 18% of the women under survey smoked cigarettes during pregnancy, including 6% daily smokers and 12% occasional smokers. 18% of women quitted smoking when they found out that they were pregnant, and 18% of them limited smoking. Exposure to passive smoking at their family home was declared by more than a half of the pregnant women, while 14% of the surveyed women mentioned passive exposure to smoke at their workplace. The socioeconomic variables that most clearly showed positive correlation with active smoking by pregnant women were: smoking tobacco by a husband or steady partner, smoking tobacco in the presence of a pregnant woman in her workplace and at home, as well as taking advantage of a family doctor's advice. Smoking tobacco during pregnancy was also enhanced by: the lower level of education, extramarital pregnancy, permanent residence in a town or a city, poor living conditions, not working professionally during pregnancy, having two or more children, abnormal course of pregnancy, suffering from such ailments as: weepiness, problems with relaxation, lack of appetite and taking no medicines during pregnancy.

[Attitude of students of high schools in Lublin towards the problem of first aid]. / Postawy mlodziezy Lubelskich szkól srednich wobec problemu udzielania pierwszej pomocy.

Properly administered first aid--restoration of upper respiratory tract patency, pulmonary-circulatory resuscitation, massive internal bleeding arrest, placement of the victim in safe position--may save the lives of many victims of accidents. Everybody should know first aid principles and administer it before paramedics arrive. The aim of the study was to find out the opinion of high school students on first aid in emergency cases, determint to what extent young people are prepared to administer first aid as well as evaluate of actual way of training young people in schools. The survey study included 642 students of 3rd class of randomly chosen high schools in Lublin. Students filled in anonymous questionnaire with single choice answers. 571 respondents (89%) claimed that citizens of Lublin are not prepared to administer first aid in emergency cases. According to them only a small number of witnesses start first aid procedures. Lack of knowledge as well as disbelief in one's skills stop those who would like to help from taking part in rescue procedures. The results of the study show that almost 80% of respondents know how important first aid is. Only 21% undertakes first aid procedures at the scene of an accident. 67% claimed that their skills are insufficient. Unfortunately the level of first aid training is very poor. Student do not learn practical skills. Training should start in primary school and continue in adult life in the place of work. It should be conducted by physicians using the most modern didactic devices.

The behaviours of the inhabitants of the Lublin region in the situations of sudden cardiac arrest as reflected in the opinions of the Ambulance Service doctors.

Diseases of blood circulation system constitute the major cause of sudden cardiac arrest and deaths in Poland. Approximately 70% of all the cases of cardiac arrest occurs outside hospitals, frequently at patient's home. In the case of applying immediate resuscitation by the event witness in the situation of sudden cardiac arrest the percentage of the victims' survival is estimated at approximately 43%. Each delay of the initiation of Basic (BLS) and afterwards Advanced Life Support (ALS) lowers the chance of survival. Thus, it is extremely significant to educate Polish society in the area of basic resuscitative actions, particularly due to the fact that laypeople are usually the first ones at the scene of an accident. The aim of the paper was to determine to what extent the inhabitants of the Lublin region are prepared to rescue victims of sudden accidents by means of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and proper response in the situation of the sudden cardiac arrest. As results from the executed survey the inhabitants of the Lublin region in the situation of sudden cardiac arrest mostly do nothing but call an ambulance. The witnesses of the sudden cardiac arrest more frequently apply only rescue breathing or only indirect heart massage rather than rescue breathing and indirect heart massage simultaneously. The competence for applying CPR among the inhabitants of the Lublin region is poor and the resuscitative actions are much more frequently taken up by men. Premedical aid trainings are considered insufficient to prepare witnesses of sudden cardiac arrest for applying first-aid. They should be conducted by doctors, in properly prepared and equipped training centers. The majority of the Ambulance Service doctors in Lublin indicated the demand for reminder premedical aid trainings.