Impact of the Pandemic on Selected Aspects of Health-Promoting Attitudes in 2020-2021: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction: In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, people began to change both their health-promoting and anti-health behaviors. Aim of the Paper: To assess the impact of the pandemic on selected health-promoting attitudes. Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted from March 2020 to September 2021. We have used the author's survey questionnaire and the standardized Wellness Behaviors Inventory (WBI). The questionnaires were given to respondents in paper versions to fill it. Results: The study group included 600 urban residents aged 32-73. Based on the opinions of the respondents, during the pandemic, the following activities increased the most: hand washing (93.3%), eating sweets and snacks (80%), and surfing the Internet (60%). An increase in drug/legal use was reported by 13.3%, with no indication of a decrease or no change in consumption of the above. The overall WBI index for all subjects before the pandemic was 81.3 ± 20.2 points, and the increase significantly (p < 0.001) during the pandemic was 87.7 ± 16.7 points. In addition, an increase in preferred eating habits was found (from 19.5 ± 6.4 to 21.1 ± 6.9 points; p < 0.001), preferred prophylactic behaviors (from 21.1 ± 6.0 to 22.7 ± 5.2 points; p < 0.001) and level of presented health practices during the pandemic (from 20.3 ± 5.1 to 24.7 ± 2.7 points; p < 0.001), and a decrease significantly (p < 0.001) in the degree of positive mental attitude (from 20.3 ± 5.4 points to 19.3 ± 4.9 points). Conclusions: Respondents generally rated their own and their family's health as worse during the pandemic period, and this trend continued when broken down by gender, cohabitant, place of residence, and education. According to the largest group of respondents, the frequency of handwashing, eating sweets and snacks, surfing the Internet, and using drugs/legal highs increased the most during the pandemic. The overall WBI index for all respondents before and during the pandemic was slightly higher during the pandemic period. Monitoring health behavior during a pandemic is essential for prevention and health care institutions. Further studies are needed to assess the long-term impact of the pandemic on pro-and anti-health behavior of people.

Well-Being at Home During Forced Quarantine Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Introduction: People recently or currently in forced quarantine or isolation at home have shown high levels of depression and symptoms of generalized anxiety. Aim of the Study: To assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on certain aspects of people's day-to-day functioning. Materials and Methods: The study involved using an online diagnostic survey including a proprietary questionnaire, the DASS 21, and the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale. Results: Information about the pandemic in Poland and around the world was systematically obtained by 48.8 and 27.4% of respondents, respectively (N = 1,312). Whereas, 75.6% of respondents declared having knowledge about the number of infected people in Poland, only 28.7% declared having such knowledge about infections worldwide. Most often, respondents had obtained information online (65.9%). According to 45.7% of respondents, infection with COVID-19 is a major threat, and not enough has been done to reduce its spread in Poland (66.7%) or worldwide (56.1%). Respondents considered social distancing (68.3%), quarantining people arriving from abroad (63.4%), and wearing protective masks and/or gloves (60.4%) to be the most effective actions for combatting the pandemic. Most often, in compulsory quarantines, respondents surfed the Internet (48.8%) and experienced a lack of energy or fatigue (40.2%) and anxiety (54.9%). The severity of anxiety (mean = 4.6 points), stress (7.5 points), and depression (7.3 points) were within normal ranges, and the respondents could generally be included in the group showing mildly severe social phobia (57.9 points). Conclusions: Most respondents considered infection with COVID-19 to be a major threat and feared another quarantine. During quarantine, respondents most often experienced fatigue, a lack of energy, nervousness, anxiety, anger, and sadness. Despite demonstrating anxiety, stress, and depression with severity in the normal range, respondents showed no statistically significant correlation between severity and age, gender, place of residence, or level of education. Although they also showed mildly severe social phobia, only gender, not age, place of residence, or level of education, showed a statistically significant correlation with its severity.

The impact of parents' health behaviours on their preferences regarding vaccinations in Bialystok, Poland.

BACKGROUND: Currently, as the number of vaccinated children in Poland and throughout Europe is decreasing. Many factors impact on the rate vaccination and parents' health behaviours may affect the frequency of vaccinations. The aim of the study was to assess the association of parents' health behaviors with children's vaccinations. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from July 2015 to June 2016 to assess to assess the association of parents' health behaviors with children's vaccinations in Bialystok city, Poland. We used the the Inventory of Health Behaviours and an original questionnaire including demographic data and questions about vaccination. Three hundred parents were recruited from the Pro Medica Family Medica Center in Bialystok, Poland. RESULTS: Only 3.7% of respondents did not vaccinate their children. The level of health behaviours was average in 42.3% of the respondents, low in 33%, and high in 24.7%. Significant differences in health behaviours, mainly the level of normal eating habits (p = 0.038) and positive mental attitude (p = 0.022), were found in relation to views on the toxicity of vaccines. Participants who reported that vaccines can cause autism engaged in a higher level of prophylactic behaviours. Respondents who vaccinated their children with combined vaccines had a significantly higher level of health practices. CONCLUSIONS: Parents preferred health behaviours did not effect on children vaccination. Parents who believed in the toxicity of vaccines were more concerned about proper nutrition, had a positive mental attitude, and engaged in a higher level of preventive behaviours and health practices. Parents who did not vaccinate their children had lower levels of normal eating habits. Parents who vaccinated their children with combined vaccines had a higher level of health behaviours, especially in terms of health practices.

Trust in Nurse Scale Developed on the Basis of the Standardized Trust in Physician Scale by Anderson and Dedrick.

INTRODUCTION: Nursing care is one of the most important areas of health services, taking place in direct contact with the patient, constituting a subsystem deciding about the general level of services. AIM: The aim of the study was to construct the Trust in Nurse Scale on the basis of the standardized Trust in Physician Scale by Anderson and Dedrick. METHODS: The study included a group of 1,200 people selected at random, 600 each from surgical and medical treatment wards. Patients did not report any problems with understanding the statements on the scale. RESULTS: The internal accuracy scores were excellent, all Cronbach's a values were well above 0.70. The Spearman's rank correlation coefficient values were highly statistically significant (p <0.001), and correlation strength was very high (for most items r s > 0.90). CONCLUSION: We suggest that The Trust in Nurse Scale, developed on the basis of the standardized Trust in Physician Scale by Anderson and Dedrick, can be used in studies on patient satisfaction with nursing care.

Comparison of the Results of Studies of Air Pollution Fungi Using the SAS Super 100, MAS 100, and Air IDEAL.

Although several air sampling devices for identifying and enumerating airborne microorganisms are commercially available, each poses some limitations. The aim of this study was to evaluate air pollution fungi using three such samplers: SAS Super 100, Microbiological Air Sampler (MAS) 100, and Air IDEAL. Mycological air was taken from the cellars of a 17th-century church in Siemiatycze, Poland, and the nearby outdoor environment. With samplers placed 1.5 m above the floor, microbial flora in air samples collected inside and outside the cellar were detected. The number of colony-forming units (CFU) of fungi obtained with the three samplers from the cellars and outdoor environment differed; the most CFU were obtained with the Air IDEAL and the least with the SAS Super 100. Significant differences emerged in CFUs collected from air samples with the MAS 100 and SAS Super 100, on the one hand, and the SAS Super 100 and Air IDEAL, on the other. Otherwise, results among the samplers were different. More Cladosporium species were collected with the MAS 100 sampler, whereas more Fusarium and Aspergillus species were collected with the Air IDEAL sampler. Significant differences among CFU/m³ values among the tested sites depended on the sampler used.

Retrospective observation of drug susceptibility of Candida strains in the years 1999, 2004, and 2015.

INTRODUCTION: There is much literature devoted to the problem of drug resistance and decreased susceptibility of fungi to commonly used antifungals. AIM: To analyze drug susceptibility of Candida albicans and non-Candida albicans strains isolated from the hands of people without any symptoms of disease over a 16-year period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included a total of 1,274 Candida-type strains isolated from the hands of people without any symptoms of disease, including: in 1999, 432 strains; in 2004, 368; and in 2015, 454 strains. Biological monitoring of hand surface contamination was performed using the Count-TactTM applicator with Count-Tact plates (bioMerieux). Drug susceptibility was evaluated using FUNGITEST®. RESULTS: In 1999, the most strains showed resistance to fluconazole (53.2%), in 2004 to itraconazole (52.9%), and in 2015 to fluconazole (85.8%). Resistance to more than one drug was 35.8% in 1999, 64.7% in 2004, and 92% in 2015. Mean resistance to azole antifungals significantly increased from 98 ± 39.7 strains in 1999 to 118.3 ± 29.6 in 2015 (p < 0.001). In 1999, the most strains showed resistance to fluconazole (50.6%), in 2004 to itraconazole (52.9%), and in 2015 to fluconazole (44.9%). Resistance to more than one drug was 52.9% in 1999, 64.3% in 2004, and 88.1% in 2015. Mean resistance to azole antifungals significantly increased from a mean of 76 ± 9.7 strains in 1999, to 95.3 ± 24.2 in 2004, and to 97.3 ± 16.6 in 2015 (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: We showed increased C. albicans and non-Candida albicans strain resistance to commonly used antifungal chemotherapeutics, mainly imidazole. We found a clear rise in susceptibility of C. albicans and non-Candida albicans strains to several studied antifungals.

Isolation frequency of Candida present on the surfaces of mobile phones and handsx.

BACKGROUND: It is known that mobile phones may play a role in microorganism transmission. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between the number of Candida genera/species isolated from samples collected from the surfaces of mobile phones and the hands of the staff as well as the preferred health-related behavior. METHODS: The mycological evaluation included 175 mobile telephones and the hands of staff members at the University Hospital in Bialystok, Poland. We used the Count-Tact(TM) applicator, with CandiSelect (Bio-Rad). Self-administered questionnaire was used to gather data on mobile phones disinfection practices. Assessment of the preferred health-related behavior was based on The Multidemensional Health Locus of Control Scale (MHLC). RESULTS: Out of 175 mobile phones, 131 (74.9 %) were colonized. Candida glabrata, C. albicans and C.krusei were isolated more frequently from the hand as well as phone surface. The mean number of Candida colonies was higher in samples collected from hand surfaces than mobile phone surfaces. No significant correlation was found between the preferred health-related behavior and the frequency of washing hands, the way of using a mobile phone, the number of colonies or the isolation frequency for the fungi collected from the surface of the phones and hands of their owners. Only 19.4 % of the participants cleaned the surface of their phones. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of mobile phone contamination by Candida is high in the University Hospital in Bialystok, Poland. Candida albicans, C. glabrata, and C. krusei were the dominant species in the samples collected from mobile phones and hands. These results pose the need to develop guidelines for mobile phone disinfection.

IN VITRO ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY OF 2,4-DIHYDROXY-N-(3-THIOXO-3H- 1,2,4-DITHIAZOL-5-YL)BENZENECARBOTHIOAMIDE.

An increase in infections due to non albicans species of Candida has been observed in the recent years. The aims of this study were to determine the antifungal activity of 2,4-dihydroxy-N-(3-thioxo-3H-l1,2,4-dithiazol-5-yl)benzenecarbothioamide (DNTDB) against C. albicans, non-C. albicans, dermatophytes, and molds and to evaluate the enzymatic activity of C. albicans strains. We used reference strans C. albicans 10231 ATCC, 200 C. albicans strains, 100 non-C. albicans, 19 dermatophyte strains, and 21 mold strains isolated from different ontocenoses from patients. DNTDB revealed a mean minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 12.5 pg/mL against the reference C. albicans 10231 ATCC strain on Sabouraud agar (SA) and of 6.5 pg/mL on Roswell Park Memorial Institute (RPMI) medium. The mean MIC for C. albicans isolates was of 22.01 ± 7.5 µg/mL on SA, 17.8 ± 7.4 µg/mL on yeast nitrogen base (YNB), and 16.9 ± 7.9 µg/mL on RPMI medium. The mean MIC for non-C. albicans isolates was of 22.4 ± 12.4 µg/mL on SA, 18.2 ± 8.6 µg/mL on YNB and 15.2 ± 9.03 sg/mL on RPMI. Against Trichophyton mentagrophytes v. granulosum, the mean MIC was 10.9 ± 2.04 µg/mL after 5 days of incubation and 21.9 ± 3.8 µg/mL after 15 days, while Trichophyton mentagrophytes . inteiligitale showed a mean MIC of 13.3 ± 5.5 µg/mL and of 20.3 ± 6.1. µg/mL after the same incubation periods, respectively. DNTDB manifested a MIC over the test range of 25-100 µg/mL for molds after 5 days of incubation and inhibited the enzymatic activity of Candida strains. It seems, the new DNTDB demonstrates potential antifungal activity against yeast-like fungus strains, dermatophytes, and molds in vitro.

Analysis of the incidence fungi in a crypt cemetery.

UNLABELLED: The aim of this study was to analyze the incidence of fungi in the chapel crypt. The MAS 100 was used to monitor the air pollution. The lowest numbers of fungal colonies were isolated at the entrance to the cemetery (2400 CFU/m3). The outside temperature ranged from 24.5oC to 28.1oC, and relative humidity was between 35.3% and 46.4 %. The highest of fungal colonies from air samples at baseline were isolated inside the crypt when coffin was opened (4820 CFU/m3). The temperature in the crypt at baseline varied between 19.6°C and 25.6°C and humidity was between 50.8% and 60.1%. The number of fungal colonies increased significantly at the end of the study. Ten species of fungi were isolated from air samples inside and outside the chapel, and seven species of fungi were isolated on the surface of the exterior and interior of the chapel. Thirteen types/species of fungus were isolated from air samples collected in the crypt; 15 species of fungi were isolated on the walls, surface of the coffin, bones and other objects. Assessment of fungi in the air samples and different surfaces of the crypt, it revealed very high levels of molds in the air samples. IMPLICATIONS: Assessment of fungi in the air samples and different surfaces of the crypt revealed high levels of molds in the air samples. Fungal numbers within the crypt exceed recommended limits for occupational exposure. Employees working in the crypts should know about these hazards.

Relationship between Antifungal Activity against Candida albicans and Electron Parameters of Selected N-Heterocyclic Thioamides.

Due to the increasing demand for new pharmaceuticals showing biological activity against pathogenic microorganisms, there is increasing search for new compounds with predicted biological activity. Variously substituted thioamide derivatives with 1.3 and 1.2 ring of thiazole and 1,3,4-thiadiazole, as well as pyrazole were assessed for their activity against Candida albicans. Activity of majority of tested thioamides was larger as compared with that of the reference drugs. The electron parameters of obtained N-heterocyclic thioamides were determined and dependencies on their biological activity against Candida albicans were studied. The best electron compliance of produced bindings with the activity against Candida albicans was observed for the derivatives containing 1,3,4-thiadiazole ring.

Internet addiction among students of the medical university of bialystok.

The objective of this research was to assess Internet addiction among students of the Faculty of Health Prevention at the Medical University of Bialystok. The present study included 358 students-nursing (n = 232), midwifery (n = 71), and medical rescue (n = 55). The following instruments were administered to the participants:the Young test, a test of the intensity of the abstinence syndrome, and a test of "online" addiction. Students who did not have a computer at home spent 3 hours a day on the Internet; students who did have a computer at home spent 0.5 to 8hours. On average, all respondents spent 1.8 ± 1.3 hours daily online. Internet addiction was confirmed among 24 (10.3%) nursing, 7 (9.9%) midwifery, and 5(9.1%) medical rescue students. The abstinence syndrome was noted among 11 (4.7%) nursing, 7(9.9%) obstetrics, and 7 (12.7%) medical rescue students. Several students had both an Internet addiction and the abstinence syndrome.

The need for health education among patients with psoriasis.

Psoriasis is one of the most common skin diseases with a chronic and recurrent course. The disease requires systematic treatment and appropriate care. Therefore, in the care of the patient with psoriasis, there must also be place for health education. The aim of this study was to determine the need for health education among patients with psoriasis by determining knowledge gaps occurring most frequently. Materials for this study were collected using an anonymous questionnaire created on the basis of the Psoriasis Disability Index (PDI). The study group included 149 patients with psoriasis. It has been proven in previous studies that patients with psoriasis see the need to improve their knowledge of the disease and self-care methods, and the greatest deficit of their education refers to the factors activating the process of the disease and to the methods of prophylactics in psoriasis.

[Occurrence of fungal pathogens in the delivery rooms of a hospital obstetrics department]. / Analiza wystepowania patogenów grzybiczych w powietrzu sal oddzialu polozniczego.

OBJECTIVES: Assessment of the incidence of fungal pathogens in air of the operating rooms from one of the hospitals in Bialystok. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Investigations were conducted in selected rooms of obstetrics department. Material for mycological studies was air sampled at the entrance of hospital building, the entrance to operating room, hall and selected rooms of the department. Fungi were identified using the standard microbial procedures: The monitoring of airborne fungi pollution was done using SAS SUPER 100 (pbi international). Classification of the isolated fungi was done with an accordance to the current procedures. RESULTS: In the air of 16 rooms of obstetrics department different numbers of fungal colonies from 0 to 560 CFU/1000L of air were isolated. Fungi were not isolated from the air samples of preparing, septic, operating and family deliveries rooms. The highest number of fungi colonies were isolated at the entrance the hospital. The following fungal pathogens isolated from the air were: Candida albicans. non-Candida albicans, Penicillium species, Cladosporium species and Aspergillus species. CONCLUSIONS: 1. The different number of fungal colonies was found depending on type of the hospital room. 2. The highest number of fungal colonies was isolated from the air samples of patients rooms 3. No fungal colonies were isolated from the septic, operating and family deliveries rooms 4. The main fungal pathogen isolated from the air samples was Candida albicans.

[Nurses opinion on the necessity of educating psychiatric patients and their families]. / Potrzeba edukacji chorego psychicznie i jego rodziny w opinii pielegniarek.

AIM: To gather information on the need for educating psychiatric patients and their families by the nursing staff. METHOD: An anonymous questionnaire was especially constructed for this study. 628 nurses who worked in different health institutions (except for psychiatric departments) were asked to answer the questionnaire. RESULTS: Getting the patient ready for functioning in the normal world and showing him ways to cope with the illness were considered as the most important educational themes. It is disturbing to note that 14.01% of the responders did not answer this question at all. According to the nurses, the families should be educated well on how they should deal with their ill member. Most of those questioned declared a readiness to educate the ill, but only 31.8% of them felt only minimally prepared for the task. The best form of learning to be an educator were (according to 79.7% responders) training seminars in the preferable form of talks, lectures or lessons. The medical doctor should be the one who would help in the educational role. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of the nurses believe that they are not prepared well enough for this educational function. Only 4.5% of those studied did not show any need for educating patients and their families. Training seminars for nurses should be organized, so that the nurses feel competent to educate patients and their families. Interdisciplinary teams dealing with the issue of educating patients and their families should be formed.

Resistance of the yeast-like fungi strains isolated from different ontogeneses of patients.

The susceptibility of the yeast-like fungi strains was assessed using the Fungitest method. The yeast-like fungi strains isolated from 406 patients with symptoms of candidiasis (oral cavity, vagina, urethra, skin, nails, and stomach) were evaluated. Differences between the susceptibility of strains isolated from different sites of the body to tested drugs were found. High resistance of tested strains to several antimycotics were identified. Fungitest is an easy and effective method in assessing the susceptibility of yeast-like fungi strains to antimycotics.

In vitro antifungal activity of N,N-phenyl-1,2,3,4-thiatriazole-5-yl-2,4-beta-resorcylcarbothioamide.

The aim of this study was the determination of the antifungal activity of N,N-phenyl-1,2,3,4-thiatriazol-5-yl-2,4-beta-resorcylcarbothioamide (PTR) against Candida albicans, non-albicans Candida species, dermatophytes and moulds and of its influence on the enzymatic activity of C. albicans strains. The reference strains C. albicans ATCC 10231, 200 of C. albicans strains, 7 of non-albicans C. species, 12 dermatophyte strains and 20 mould strains were isolated from different patients. The mean minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of PTR against C. albicans strains isolated from patients was 19.6 mg/l, for reference C. albicans ATCC 10,231 it was 12.5 mg/l on Sabouraud's medium (SB). The mean MIC of isolates from patients was 16.9 mg/l, and reference strains 6.25 mg/l on YNB medium, respectively. The MIC of PTR against 7 non-albicans C. species was 27.7 mg/l on SB and 15.6 mg/l on YNB, respectively. The mean MIC of PTR against C. albicans strains isolated from patients was 14.9 mg/l, C. albicans ATCC 10,231 6.25 mg/l and non-Candida species strains 14 mg/l on RPMI medium. The MICs of PTR against dermatophytes ranged from 3 to 25 mg/l. The MICs of PTR against moulds were 25 mg/l and 100 mg/l, respectively. PTR inhibited the enzymatic activity of selected hydrolases of C. albicans and non-Candida species strains. PTR exerts a potent antifungal activity against the yeast-like fungi strains, moulds and dermatophytes. This new compound inhibited the enzymatic activity of selected hydrolases.

Difficulties in diagnosing and treating tinea in adults at the Department of Dermatology in Bialystok (Poland).

In the years 1981-2000, the department of dermatology at the Medical University of Bialystok, Poland, carried out a retrospective study of common difficulties in the diagnosis and treatment of tinea. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of incorrect diagnosis and therapy of tinea and tinea incognito (TI) in the patients hospitalized at the institution over a 19-year period. Tinea was identified in 814 patients (4.3% of all patients). TI was diagnosed in 318 patients (39.1% of all patients with tinea). The most diagnostic-therapeutic problems were observed in the patients with tinea pedis, tinea cutis glabrae superficialis, intertrigo candidamycetica, tinea profunda cutis glabrae and tinea profunda barbae. The most common clinical isolates were T. rubrum, T. mentagrophytes, and Candida albicans. A high percentage of TI was present in comparison with all other tinea conditions.