A study to ascertain the patients' satisfaction of the quality of hospital care in Greece compared with the patients' satisfaction in Poland.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the satisfaction of elderly patients, of the hospital care's quality, based on the literature evidence on results of a qualitative research and on a previous developed conceptual frame. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We developed the Elderly Patient Satisfaction Scale (EPSS) by using a combination of qualitative and quantitative research. In this study participated 320 elderly patients from Greece (182 male, 138 female) and 240 patients (136 male, 104 female) from Poland (mean age 74.16 +/- 6.14 years). Most of elderly patients were married. Inclusion criteria were: elderly patients over 65 years old, being able to be interviewed, hospitalized for at least three days and not to be suffering from severe mental disease. RESULTS: There was no correlation among age and global patients' satisfaction. Men in both of groups were expressed greater satisfaction with perceived quality of doctor care than women. Age positively correlated with question who estimate the satisfaction with the time that doctor spends for medical history taking. Patient's education correlated with question (satisfaction with availability of nurses night). Patient's depression found that affects the quality of hospital care and the satisfaction. Elderly patients were most satisfied with the technical care ability of nurse. The time period of hospital stay is correlated negatively with patient's global satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: No significant difference between the patients from Greece and Poland in majority of dimensions: the satisfaction of elderly patients, of the hospital care's quality was noted.

Variations of enzymatic activity and biotypes of the yeast like fungi strains isolated from cancer patients.

PURPOSE: Determination of the enzymatic activity and enzymatic biotypes variations of the yeast like fungi strains isolated from cancer patients with oral candidiasis during last 5 years. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We evaluated enzymatic activity of 92 Candida albicans strains isolated from oral ontocenosis from cancer patients with candidiasis symptoms in 1999 and 2003. The enzymatic activity of the strains tested was assessed by the API ZYM (bioMerieux) method. Biotypes of the strains were determined according to Williamson's or Kurnatowska's and Kurnatowski's classifications. RESULTS: In 1999 Candida albicans 17 of 19 tested isolates had hydrolytic activity hydrolases and 87% of strains were assigned according to Wiliamson's. Only 8.7% of strains were classified according to Kurnatowska's and Kurnatowski's, but 4.3% strains according to Krajewska-Kulak et al. In 2003, 18 of 19 strains had hydrolytic activity and 93.5% of strains were classified according to Wiliamson's, but 4.3% according to Kurnatowska's and Kurnatowski's and 2.2% according to Krajewska-Kulak et al. CONCLUSIONS: The results of present study indicate that most of tested strains were classified into Wiliamson's system. Our findings suggest that other Candida biotypes should be determined according to their different enzymatic activity and susceptibilities.

The attitude of nurses for the enhancement of palliative care in Greece.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to estimate the attitude and knowledge of nurses for the development of palliative care in Greece. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A certain questionnaire with closed questions was developed and was use as research method to collect all the necessary data to support or question the hypotheses. Eighty one nurses participated in this study. The data collected was analysed using the SPSS software. RESULTS: Of the 81 nurses questioned 22 (27.16%) were men and 59 (72.84%) were women. The average was 37.19 +/- 9.16 years of the working Experience was 14.83 +/- 9.02 years in different units, 34.3%. Answered that the palliative care must be specialty, 43.2% specialization and 23.5% course. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of nurses believe that if they had working experience in different units this won't give them the capacity to deal with patients who suffer from advanced disease.

Personality dimensions of haemodialysis patients related to initial renal disease.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to investigate personality dimensions in uraemic patients undergoing haemodialysis (HD. The relationship between the disease that led to renal failure (and the subsequent need for haemodialysis) and the personality of the haemodialysis patients in question were investigated. METHODS: In the present study, which was conducted in three Greek hospitals, 103 patients were analysed and compared to 138 control patients matching the groups according to their age, sex and place of residence. The investigation was conducted using the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ), a reliable method for clinical studies that measures three dimensions of personality: neuroticism, psychoticism and introverted/extroverted. RESULTS: The results from the EPQ were compared to the three disease categories that cause renal failure: glomerulonephritis, polycystic disease, and vascular disease. It was concluded that haemodialysis systematically affected all three scales of personality disorders in the patients. Male patients scored higher in neuroticism, while female patients appeared to score higher in psychoticism. Renal disease, the responsible factor for renal failure and the need for haemodialysis, significantly affected personality disorders. CONCLUSION: The findings show that dialysis modality influences the personalities of patients, and that initial renal disease must be strongly considered in the psychosocial evaluation and care of these patients.

Occupational low-back pain in nursing staff in a Greek hospital.

The prevalence of occupational low-back pain was investigated in 407 female nurses in a large tertiary health care unit in Athens, Greece. Work-related back pain within the previous 2 weeks was reported by 63% of respondents and within the previous 6 months by 67%. Prevalence was higher (66% in the previous 2 weeks) in the wards with physically heavy duties than in the rest (52%, P = 0.003), but all grades of nursing staff were affected equally. The specific factors which claimed to be responsible for causing back pain included moving heavy items (36%), lifting patients onto trolleys (32%) or in bed (29%), helping patients out of bed (24%) and bending to lift objects from the floor (24%). Absence from work because of back pain in the previous 2 weeks was reported by 28% of the sample.