Age Matters: The Moderating Effect of Age on Styles and Strategies of Coping with Stress and Self-Esteem in Patients with Neoplastic Prostate Hyperplasia.

The aim of this study was to analyze coping mechanisms and their psychological aspects during the treatment of neoplastic prostate hyperplasia. We have analyzed strategies and styles of coping with stress and self-esteem of patients diagnosed with neoplastic prostate hyperplasia. A total of 126 patients were included in the study. Standardized psychological questionnaires were used to determine the type of coping strategy by using the Stress Coping Inventory MINI-COPE, while a coping style questionnaire was used to assess the type of coping style by using the Convergence Insufficiency Symptom Survey (CISS). The SES Self-Assessment Scale was used to measure the level of self-esteem. Patients using adaptive strategies of coping with stress in the form of active coping, seeking support and planning had higher self-esteem. However, the use of maladaptive coping strategies in the form of self-blame was found to cause a significant decrease in patients' self-esteem. The study has also shown the choice of a task-based coping style to positively influence one's self-esteem. An analysis related to patients' age and coping methods revealed younger patients, up to 65 years of age, using adaptive strategies of coping with stress to have a higher level of self-esteem than older patients using similar strategies. The results of this study show that older patients, despite the use of adaptation strategies, have lower self-esteem. This group of patients should receive special care both from family and medical staff. The obtained results support the implementation of holistic care for patients, using psychological interventions to improve patients' quality of life. Early psychological consultation and mobilization of patients' personal resources may allow patients to change stress coping methods towards more adaptive forms.

Welfare and Self-Assessment in Patients after Aesthetic and Reconstructive Treatments.

In the last decade, there has been a noticeable increase in the interest in aesthetic and corrective surgery regardless of a patient's age. Both aesthetical and practical considerations are a motivation for patients undergoing plastic surgery. The goal of this study is to analyze dependencies between welfare, self-assessment and body self-perception in patients that qualified for plastic and aesthetic surgical procedures. The study group included 164 female patients, of whom 124 patients filled out a questionnaire before and after surgery. The questionnaire included demographic data and scales such as the Body Esteem Scale, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale-SES, the Satisfaction with Life Scale-SWLS, the Flourishing Scale and the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience-SPANE. The first hypothesis concerned the subjective assessment of body self-perception after the procedure. The results of the study confirm this hypothesis-female patients after surgery rate their body self-perception higher, which indicates a positive influence of plastic and aesthetic surgery that increased in the subjective assessment of 66 examined patients. Moreover, the study revealed a higher self-assessment after procedures. On the other hand, the results indicated that younger patients had a higher body assessment, but there was no increase in self-assessment. Except for breast augmentation surgery, there was no influence on self-assessment and life satisfaction improvement after other surgical procedures. In patients up to 48 years old, after surgery, there was a significant dependence between subjective body self-assessment and all surveyed forms of welfare. In the case of patients after 48 year of age, there was a relationship between life satisfaction and body self-perception both before and after surgical treatment.

Unusual complications after occupational exposure to giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum): a case report.

Exposure to giant hogweed brings about the risk of serious skin damage, usually in the form of phytophotodermatitis. Initially, skin changes are signaled by a burning sensation, followed by a vesiculobullous rash and long-term hyperpigmentation. Usually, skin disorders improve after the application of topical and oral corticosteroids. In extremely rare instances, full skin thickness burns or epidermal necrosis occur. The study presents a case of occupational exposure to hogweed, which resulted in extensive skin lesions leading to the disablement of a 27-year-old man. The principles of procedure to be followed when contact with giant hogweed is an occupational hazard are also outlined.