Knowledge and attitudes of nurses in a major public hospital in Cyprus towards pressure ulcer prevention.

STUDY AIM: The main aim of the study was to identify the knowledge and attitudes of nurses towards pressure ulcer prevention in a major public hospital in Cyprus. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A descriptive and cross-sectional study design was used to collect the data between December 2014 and February 2015, the sample consisted of n = 102 nurses employed in a major public hospital in Cyprus. Customised and standardised Pressure Ulcer Knowledge Test and an attitudes Likert questionnaire was used to investigate both parameters. Descriptive and inferential statistics, parametric (t-test), non-parametric tests (Mann-Whitney U) and Pearson test was applied. Statistical significance was set at p = 0.05. RESULTS: The majority of the participants (44.1%) n = 45 were employed in the intensive care unit, were female (61.8%) n = 63, registered nurses (93.1%) n = 95, had more than 5 years of experience (59.4%) n = 32 and 10.8% (n = 11) had a postgraduate title. The mean value regarding the knowledge questionnaire was 16.16, IQR: 17(15-18) correct answers 77%. In the attitudes questionnaire the median value was 41.82, IQR: 43 (40-46). Knowledge and attitudes correlated positively and statistically significantly (Pearson's R = 0,223, p = 0,019). CONCLUSION: The result suggests that nurses had relatively inadequate knowledge levels and positive attitudes, attitudes and knowledges correlated statistically significantly and positively. It is proposed that through the development of educational programs and the frequent measurement of the two parameters further improvement can be achieved.

The Impact of Stress on Pressure Ulcer Wound Healing Process and on the Psychophysiological Environment of the Individual Suffering from them.

INTRODUCTION: The occurrence of a pressure ulcer constitutes a major psychological and physiological burden and it has been linked with a reduced quality of life and increased stress of the individual. OBJECTIVE: The main objective was to investigate the impact that stress has on pressure ulcer healing process and on the psychophysiological environment of the individual suffering from them. METHOD: The scientific literature was reviewed through Cinahl, Pub-med, EBSCO, Medline and Google scholar. The articles were chosen due to their direct correlation with the objective under study and their scientific relevance. RESULTS: Increased stress has been demonstrated to increase the glucocorticoids levels affecting negatively the production of wound healing cytokines (IL1α, IL1ß and TNFα). Matrix metalloproteases has been identified to be unregulated in occasions of increased stress in acute wounds. Stress has also been correlated with poor health behaviors that may not have a direct link on the wound healing process, although they can in part explain or enhance some of the effects of stress on wound healing. CONCLUSION: The correlation between stress and wound healing in acute wounds has been thoroughly investigated and its negative effects have been established. The presence of a pressure ulcer can have a detrimental impact on the stress level of an individual although further investigation is needed to establish the role of stress in chronic wounds such as pressure ulcers.

Telemetric detection of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and investigation of quality of life for people working in shipbuilding industry.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) has a significant impact on quality of life-related health. AIM: It was the detection of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease by using telemetric methods and the investigation of the quality of life for people working in Shipbuilding Industry compared with a control group. METHODS: A group of one hundred men working in the shipbuilding industry aged 51.8 ± 8.2 years old and a control group of one hundred men of the general population aged 51.1 ± 6.4 years were studied. All participants completed the General Health Questionnaire - 28, the Fagerstrom test and a form with demographic characteristics. Pulmonary function test results were electronically sent to a specialist for evaluation. RESULTS: People working in the shipbuilding zone had significantly lower values (p<0.001) in FVC, FEV1 and FEV1/FVC compared with the general population participants. Worse social functionality was exhibited by workers in the shipbuilding zone, people with elementary education, unemployed and by those suffering from comorbidities (p <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Health level and its individual dimensions are both associated with health self-assessment and occupational and economic status. The coexistence of chronic diseases and smoking dependence affects emotion and social functioning of individuals.

Assessment of health level and socio-economic characteristics of people working in the shipbuilding industry: a control group study.

INTRODUCTION: The health level of the population and the way people perceive it has been associated with their physical and mental health, as well as with their social and occupational characteristics. PURPOSE: The comparative assessment of mental and health level in shipbuilding industry workers and general population and its relationship to social and economic parameters. METHODS: A group of one hundred men working in the shipbuilding industry aged 51.8±8.2 years old and a control group of one hundred men of the general population aged 51.1±6.4 were studied. All participants completed the General Health Questionnaire - 28 and Fagerstrom test and a form with demographic, occupational and economic status characteristics. The statistical software SPSS 17.0 was used for data analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-six percent of the general population and 47% of men working in the shipbuilding industry assessed their health as moderate/poor. Higher median values of anxiety and depressive symptomatology were observed in individuals characterizing their health as moderate/poor (p<0.001), their work as physically too demanding and in individuals with high dependency on smoking (p<0.05). With regard to the parameter of physical complaints, people working in the shipbuilding industry, non-active employees and those with comorbidities were found more burdened in relation to the general population (p<0.05). Depressive disorders were more common in those stating that their economic situation had been significantly deteriorated and in individuals with chronic diseases, which also showed reduced social functioning (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Health level and its individual dimensions are both associated with health self-assessment and occupational and economic status. The coexistence of chronic diseases and smoking dependence affects emotion and social functioning of individuals.