Trends in the Incidence Rates of Chronic Hepatitis B in Poland in the Years 2005 - 2013.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of newly-diagnosed cases of chronic hepatitis is decisive for the overall incidence rate of hepatitis B observed in Poland. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to determine the chronic hepatitis B incidence trends in Poland, taking into consideration the ages, genders, and environments of the patients. METHODS: The study is based on aggregated data from Polish descriptive epidemiological studies for the period of 2005 to 2013 (i.e., hepatitis B incidence numbers and ratios, including mixed HBV and HCV infections) as published in the annual bulletins Choroby zakazne i zatrucia w Polsce (Infectious diseases and poisonings in Poland] drawn up by the laboratory for the monitoring and analysis of epidemiological status of the department of epidemiology at the national institute of public health - national institute of hygiene (NIPH-NIH). Poland, a central European country situated in the humid continental climate zone, is classified as a highly developed country. In the analyzed period, the Polish population consisted of about 38 million people, more than 19 million of whom were women, and more than 18 million of whom were men. Among European countries, Poland has the smallest number of national and ethnic minorities. For the purposes of epidemiological supervision, a special definition of acute hepatitis B was adopted in Poland in 2005, which facilitated separate registration of acute and chronic cases. RESULTS: A significantly increasing chronic hepatitis B incidence trend was observed in the population of Poland, with considerable increases in incidence rates for both men and women alike. The incidence rates for inhabitants of both urban and rural areas also showed an increasing tendency. Chronic hepatitis B occurred more frequently in men and in urban areas. For each of the five-year age groups encompassing patients between 20 and 54 years of age, the increase in the incidence rate proved to be significant. CONCLUSIONS: The registered increase in the incidence rate of chronic hepatitis B in Poland is a consequence of the new registration of cases of chronic hepatitis B acquired in the past. The problem of chronic hepatitis B can be solved by improving epidemiological supervision, enhancing the detection of frequently asymptomatic infections, and by providing easier access to optimized therapies.

[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.

[Tobacco smoking among hospitalised patients with coronary arterial disease]. / Palenie tytoniu wsród osób hospitalizowanych z powodu choroby niedokrwiennej serca.

The impact of tobacco smoking on the development of cardio-vascular diseases, including coronary arterial disease (CAD) is very well known by now. More than 1/3 of the Polish adult population are affected which roughly corresponds with WHO accepted percentage of smokers world-wide (over 30%, over 15 years of age). Smokers with cardio-vascular problems are, naturally, even more dramatically affected. The article focuses on selected consequences of tobacco smoking among patients with coronary arterial disease. One hundred patients, already diagnosed with CAD, and hospitalised because of it, formed the studied group (71 male, 29 female). A survey questionnaire was employed as a tool, to inquire the subjects on elements of their life-style, encompassing both declared, acquired knowledge on behavioural patterns conducive to health and its implementation in every-day life. The life-style patterns included, for example, proper diet, physical activity and tobacco smoking. The study results showed that 97% of the group were well aware of the negative influence of smoking on their health (the remaining 3% left the question unanswered). None of the respondents was convinced of the alleged positive aspects of tobacco smoking. At the same time, 17% of the subjects with CAD still smoked, 56% ceased smoking, and the remaining 27% never smoked. The study revealed moreover that the very realisation that nicotinism influenced the CAD progress was instrumental in ceasing smoking by the 56% of former tobacco addicts. Tobacco smoking remains an issue among persons with diagnosed coronary arterial disease. A clear discrepancy was noted, between the almost 100% awareness of the habit's harmful consequences and reality of every-day life.

[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.

[Tobacco smoking among hospitalised patients with arterial hypertension]. / Palenie tytoniu wsród hospitalizowanych osób z nadcisnieniem tetniczym.

Currently 33% of the Polish adult population smoke tobacco (42% males and 25% females), which is a serious issue, particularly in the context of cardiovascular diseases. A study of the extent of smoking among patients with arterial hypertension (AH) served as the basis for the present article. The studied group comprised 100 patients hospitalised due to AH, 46 males and 54 females. A survey, aided by a specially designed questionnaire, was the method of the medical part of the study. It concentrated on health-related behaviour patterns conducive, or not, to AH treatment such as: systematic control of blood pressure, proper diet, physical activity, and tobacco smoking. The respondents were also asked to indicate the sources of their knowledge on the proper, in this context, lifestyle. The study revealed that 46.0% of the subjects smoked; most of them males, inhabitants of a large city (both genders), over 50-year-old, and with secondary school education. The majority of the group, while declaratively fully aware, thanks to the received information, of the necessity of the cessation of smoking - fails to react appropriately. Tobacco smoking constitutes a vital issue among the AH patients. The physician is not always the source of knowledge on the threats, associated with the addiction. The fact that 2/3 of the patients aware of the necessity of smoking cessation fails to do so is a reason for concern.

[Cigarette smoking among nursing personnel employed in the oncology departments, in the context of the educational tasks performed]. / Palenie papierosów przez pielegniarki zatrudnione na oddzialach onkologicznych w aspekcie realizowanych zadan edukacyjnych.

Cigarette smoking has become a popular occurrence in the 21st Cent. It was recognised by the WHO as a disease and classified as the one associated with the addiction. The list of illnesses related to smoking is still expanding while the adult smokers keep living shorter. These observations should then be reflected in creating "a fashion for non-smoking" among the health care professionals. The analysis of the extent of cigarette smoking among the nursing personnel, employed in the oncologic departments was the chief objective of the present study. The diagnostic survey was the employed method of research. It was aided by a questionnaire. The studied group comprised 100 male and female nurses, randomly selected, and employed in the oncologic departments. The survey was performed between April and June, 2007. The return rate was 71%. The results will be confronted with the earlier assessment done by the male and female nurses. The study revealed that the majority of the nursing personnel, employed in the oncologic departments do not smoke. The main reasons behind the cessation of smoking by the respondents, the former smokers, were: health considerations (45.5%), and the social ones (36.4%). It was also established that the personnel are aware of the influence of the demonstrated behavioural patterns, both conducive and detrimental to health, on the fact of being credible during a health education session, performed by them. Cigarette smoking by nursing personnel, employed in the oncologic departments is not a widespread occurrence. The personnel should, as often as possible, direct their educational actions on the patient and his/her family, and emphasise the influence of the proper life-style on the preservation of health, its improvement, and the prevention of diseases or complications. Alerting the nursing personnel to the association between the behaviour patterns of the therapeutic team, and the behaviour patterns and attitudes conducive to health of their patients, is important.

[Tobacco smoking among students]. / Palenie tytoniu wsród studentów.

Tobacco smoking is accompanying people for many years. Last century it accompanied inseparable not only adult part of our society--3 of young people smoked. They attempted one or many times to smoke, and this way they often started regular smoking. The aim of this study was analysis of spread of tobacco smoking among 90 first year midwifery students. The study was conducted in the University of Medical Sciences in Poznan. The questionnaire included 13 questions, The Fagerstom- and the Schneider-Tests. The results show that only 3 (3.33%) persons regularly smoke cigarettes. Most of the students are conscious (aware) of threat of nicotine dependence.

[Students of midwifery and nicotine dependence]. / Studenci poloznictwa a nikotynizm.

Tobacco smoking is one of the principal public health problems. Therefore, at present, many new methods of prevention are being introduced. That is why education programs in Universities of Medical Sciences are very important. The aim of the study was to evaluate tobacco smoking among students of Midwifery. The study was performed among 73 students. They answered 16 questions concerning smoking and knowledge about nicotine dependence.

[Students of nursing and nicotine dependence]. / Studenci pielegniarstwa a nikotynizm.

Tobacco smoking is a significant part of life stile and the factor, which determinates state of health in a high rate. It is a very important social problem in Poland, because in spite of relative extensive knowledge about tobacco influence on bio-, psycho-, socio-well being, percentage of smokers is still high. These remarks should lead to creation "the fashion of no smoking" among future health care workers. According to organized activity cycle in the first stage this research we decided to diagnose the environment of the students and then to plane and implement health promotion and disease prevention activities, and finally evaluate them. The aim of the study was to analyze tobacco smoking among students of Nursing. The problems concerned level of dependence, readiness to stop smoking and knowledge about harmfulness of nicotine.