Health and coping styles including resources of close family members supporting leukaemia patients.

Introduction: Illness in the family is a new and difficult situation. Illness frequently causes radical changes both in patients' lives and in their closest family situation. It often threatens currently performed tasks or values pursued by patients and those who support them. The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between the health condition of people supporting leukaemia patients, strategies for coping with stress, and the level of subjective resources. Material and methods: The research involved 100 people supporting leukaemia patients. The methods used in the research included a standardised interview, CISS SES, SOC-29 and ISCL-STAI questionnaires, as well as Bryant's perceived control of life questionnaire. Results: The results show that the health of people supporting leukaemia patients is largely conditioned by emotion-focused style (ß= -0.276, p = 0.007) and avoidant attachment style linked to social anxiety (ß = 0.444, p = 0.012). As regards the resources, a significant negative health predictor in people supporting leukaemia patients is the anxious personality type (ß = -0.375, p = 0.001), whereas a positive health predictor is the sen-se of support provided by others (ß = 0.281, p = 0.001). Conclusions: People supporting leukaemia patients point to the key role of the subjective resources possessed by an individual. Concentration on negative emotions and deficient resources, in particular the anxious personality, are definitely detrimental to health.

Unclaimed Defined Benefit Pensions Can Help COVID-19 Economic Recovery.

The COVID-19 economic crisis makes it vitally important that workers who earned defined benefit pensions receive them at retirement. Unfortunately, billions of dollars that could help cushion the financial shock are sitting unclaimed, because the people who they belong to cannot locate the company responsible for paying them. As defined benefit pension plans have been terminated, merged and moved over the years, large numbers of deferred vested participants have not been notified about their benefits. The widespread and growing practice of insurance company pension buy-outs can be especially problematic for participants without notice. Broader use of electronic disclosures for pensions also threatens to make the situation worse. In the wake of COVID-19, policy makers should take steps to ensure that pension benefits are part of the economic recovery.

Predictors of stress in close relatives supporting patients with leukaemia.

AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim of the study was to determine the psychological factors that will help reduce the level of stress in people supporting leukaemia patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study group consisted of 100 close relatives supporting leukaemia patients (66 women and 34 men). The study included close relatives who supported patients with the diagnosis of leukaemia. A standardized interview and the questionnaires CISS, SES, SOC-29, STAI, and the Questionnaire of Perceived Control of Life were used in the study. RESULTS: The research results show that 65% of the respondents indicate the illness of a close relative as the main source of stress. Among the respondents, the emotion-oriented style (ß = 0.301, p = 0.008) and anxious personality (ß = 0.560, p = 0.000) proved to be predictors of stress. Stress is counteracted by a sense of coherence (ß = -0.294, p = 0.028). CONCLUSIONS: In respect of struggling with stress by people supporting leukaemia patients, releasing accumulated tension and formulating negative emotions are the key issues. The strengthening of the sense of coherence will also be crucial.

'HTA for Crisis': sharing experiences during the 7th EBHC Symposium.

The Central and Eastern European Society of Technology Assessment in Health Care was founded in Krakow, Poland in 2003. On October 8th and 9th, the 7th symposium took place titled 'HTA for Crisis'. This meeting was attended by over 250 decision makers, evidence-based specialists, healthcare managers, commercial company personnel and experts. The symposium was principally divided into four main themes: insurance in times of crisis; importance of pricing of health services in times of crisis; managing welfare benefits in times of crisis and Health Technology Assessment in crisis-laden countries. The symposium finished by debating potential ways forward for healthcare systems in times of crisis.