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Different aspects of association between daily maximum temperature and daily number of deaths from all causes (excluding external) in Warsaw in periods of warm months (May - September) in years 2008-2013 were analysed. Analysis of dependence between temperature and mortality for whole population as well as for subpopulations with respect to sex and age demonstrated its similar U-shape. For each subpopulation a value of temperature at which dependence of mortality from temperature is changing its character from decreasing to increasing, interpreted as comfort conditions, was computed. Its value varied between 20 and 24oC with slight tendency to be higher for woman. Heat waves defined as at least three consecutive days with maximal temperature higher than 30oC have additional (to temperature effect itself ) effect on male mortality however, only in males aged 70 years and more the effect was statistically significant.

Aim: Since the second half of the twentieth century, with the development of structured diagnostic tools, population based studies on epidemiology of mental disorders are carried out. A special role is played by World Mental Health Survey Initiative which brings together a group of countries from different continents in order to carry out research projects according to standard methodology using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Polish EZOP study, which was conducted in accordance with the guidelines of WMH joined that group. The project was implemented under the Norwegian Financial Mechanism and the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area. Its aim was to estimate the prevalence of mental disorders in the Polish population of adults, assess the distance to mental disorders and to obtain knowledge about the perception of psychiatric disorders and treatment., Methods: The research tool was the Polish version of CIDI-WHO ver.3.0., which was developed for the project. The study was performed in accordance with the guidelines of WMH (cognitive interviews, interviewers training, standardization of field procedures) using electronic version of CIDI questionnaire (CAPI) within the 2-stages procedure in randomly selected representative sample of the Polish population aged 18-64. The quality of the study was systematically controlled and reported by MB SMG/KRC, and completed data (10,081 interviews) were sent to the Department-Centre of Monitoring and Analyses of Population Health NIPH-NIH. After the initial analysis data were sent to the analytical center of WMH, which applied additional cleaning tools and added new variables representing psychiatric diagnoses in DSM-IV and ICD-10.

Objective: Drowning is a public health problem which is poorly recognized and analyzed in the Polish literature so far., Material and Methods: We analyzed all available sources of information on drowning in Poland, i.e. the data of the Central Statistical Office (causes of deaths, accidents at work) and Police Headquarters (circumstances of drowning). We discussed changes in drowning frequency, analyzing both time and space perspective as well as demographic profiles of fatal drowning cases., Results: In 2000-2012, an estimated 12,702 persons died due to drowning in Poland (median of crude mortality rate - 2.6 per 100,000 population). Mortality due to drowning was on downward trend. Males aged 45-59 years, especially with vocational education, were at the highest risk of drowning. In the period analyzed, the highest and the lowest mortality rates were reported in Warmińsko-mazurskie (median of mortality rate - 4.7) and Śląskie voivodships (median of mortality rate - 1.2), respectively. The highest drowning frequency was noted in the period from June to August in which a total of 5,981 cases were registered, i.e. 47.1% of all recorded drownings., Conclusions: A risk of death due to drowning in Poland is higher compared to the average in other EU countries. There is a necessity for public health intervention in this field. Furthermore, reporting systems regarding drowning in Poland should be unified.

The purpose of the study was the identification of main causes of death in Poland in 2030 and the assessment of mortality associated with them. It was assumed that the population age structure in 2030 shall develop in accordance with the prognosis of the Central Statistical Office. Mortality level was estimated using the projections for the regions (groups of countries), defined on the basis of some geographical and economic criteria, published by WHO as the result of the Global Burden of Disease Study. It was found that in 2030 mortality in Poland will increase by 17%-25% in comparison to 2008 which will be the result of changes in the age structure of the population. At the same time, the risk of death, expressed by age specific mortality rates, will decrease. Similar effects are expected for particular main causes of death. Ischaemic heart disease and cerebrovascular diseases will continue to account for the most frequent reasons of death. In comparison to 2008 a significant increase of mortality due to diabetes mellitus and prostate cancer will be observed. According to some projections, it will also refer to the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as well as malignant neoplasms of colon, rectum and stomach. Mortality due to suicides and road traffic accidents will decrease.

Objective: The analysis of the environmental risk perception by residents living in the vicinity of the Solid Communal Waste Utilisation Plant (ZUSOK) in Warsaw. The study was to reveal the factors related to perception the incinerator as a cause of frequent illnesses in the families and to intention of changing the place of residence because of the plant's neighbourhood., Material and Methods: questionnaire survey of 501 respondents, who have been living in the radius of 3km from the incinerator since at least 2 years prior to its activation. The multiple logistic regression method was applied to indentify demographic factors and opinions concerning the environment and incinerator activity associated with the aforementioned declarations., Results: 44% of respondents with frequent illnesses in the family claimed that their problems may be caused by incinerator activity. This declaration is significantly negatively related to: older age (45 years or more) combined with period of residence in the district longer than 40 years (OR=0.4) and positively related to: believes that health problems in community would increase in the course of incinerator activity (OR=7.3), to continuous/very frequent smelling of unpleasant odour in the air (OR=2.8) and considering the odour as a serious disturbance caused by incinerator' (OR=2.8). About 28% of respondents would change the place of residence because of the incinerator's vicinity. The frequency of this declaration increases with: shorter distance between residence and plant (OR=2.0), negative attitude towards the idea of incinerator construction (OR=2.9), opinion that ZUSOK emits to environment large quantities of harmful substances (OR=2.5), health consequences will increase in the course of incinerator activity (OR=3.1), continuous/very frequent smelling smoke in the breathing air (OR=2.6), complaining about the transport of ashes from the incinerator (OR=2.3). People older than 45 years and living in the district more then 40 years significantly less frequent declare possibility of move (OR=0.5)., Conclusion: Risk perception reduction necessitates taking some educational actions for inhabitants and verifying their complaints about quality of air.

The paper presents results of analysis of short-term effect of changes in maximal daily temperature on daily mortality from cardiovascular diseases in warm season in years 1999-2006. Analysis was carried out in six large Polish cities--Katowice, Kraków, Łódź, Poznań, Warszawa and Wrocław. Generalized additive models were used in the analysis. Potential confounding factors--long term changes of mortality, day of week and other meteorological factors (atmospheric pressure, humidity, mean wind speed) were taken into account during model building process. Analysis was done for two age groups--0-69 and 70 years and older. Significant, positive association between daily maximal temperature and risk of death from cardiovascular diseases was found only in older age group.

Objective: an evaluation of the environmental risk perception by residents living in proximity to the Solid Communal Waste Utilisation Plant (ZUSOK) in Warsaw., Material and Methods: a questionnaire survey of 501 respondents was conducted. All subjects have been living within a radius of 3 km from the incinerator since at least 1998. The relations between declared opinions and demographic status of the respondents (gender, age, education level, distance from dwelling place to ZUSOK, and period of residence) were examined, and the resulting associations were expressed as odds ratios (OR)., Results: only 32% of subjects knew about incinerator construction project, and 28% of them heard about the protests which had taken place there. It was found that just 12% of respondents felt sufficiently informed about the environmental impacts of ZUSOK activities. Their anxieties concerned the considerable infiltration of harmful substances to the environment (according to 60% of subjects, significantly more frequently women and people declaring lack of sufficient information about ZUSOK) and increase of health problems in the local community by the long-term incinerator activity (by 71% of respondents, significantly more frequently by respondents with lack of sufficient information). Emission of smoke/dust and unpleasant odour were declared as the most disturbing aspects of the neighbourhood by about 50% of subjects. The respondents declaring lack of sufficient information about incinerator activity complained more frequently about its disturbances. Continuous or very frequent smelling of air contamination was found a factor significantly increasing probability of negative assessment of ZUSOK neighbourhood., Conclusion: it is necessary to take some information and education actions aimed at inhabitants of the vicinity of the plants potentially increasing environmental health risk.

Introduction: Medical care focused on functional abilities gives the elderly with arthritis a possibility of living an independent, active life and participating in social activities, and thus it is seen as the policy of equal chances., Objectives: The aim of the current paper is the assessment of the Polish adult population mobility level, the changes coming with age, and the statistical significance of relations between rheumatic complaints and a decrease in functional abilities in the elderly., Patients and Methods: The results of the all-Poland epidemiological research are presented. The survey conducted on a random sample of adult Poles with arthritis took place in 2002. A total of 4017 respondents answered questionnaires prepared by professional investigators., Results: A significant deterioration of functional abilities can be noticed after the age of 40 and it becomes even more severe after 60. A negative assessment of musculoskeletal functions was declared by 70% of the investigated arthritis elderly people. Respondents did not take into account cognitive dissonance when comparing themselves with a peer group. That is why every second patient considered himself mobile enough for his/her age. A low functional assessment relates significantly to the awareness of having arthritis. Higher education increases chances of maintaining functional abilities up to older age. Exercises "for health" are more popular among older men than older women., Conclusions: Effective preventing the elderly from physical unfitness should be the duty of individuals, medical care and social policy. Popularizing information on the benefits of physical exercises, awareness of the disease, and shifting the time of intervention to the middle age generation can help achieve this aim.

The paper describes main aspects of modeling of short-term effect of air pollution on mortality. Basic statistical tool--generalized additive models are presented as well as principles of inclusion of confounding variables in the model and measures of air pollution effect. In the second part of work methods of meta analysis allowing for combining results from several individual studies are presented.

The paper presents results of analysis of short-term effect of atmospheric air pollution with sulphur dioxide (SO2), suspended particles (BS) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) for daily number of death from all causes (without external), from diseases of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and from malignant neoplasms in four Polish cities Kraków, Lódź, Poznań and Wrocław. Analysis was carried out using modern methods of statistical modeling--generalized additive models. Potential confounding factors (long-term changes of mortality, day of week, meteorological conditions, national and summer holidays and periods of influenza epidemics) were taken into account during model building process. Results for every city and from meta-analysis are presented. Statistically significant increase of mortality from all causes was associated with increase in all investigated air pollutants.

Demographic situation in Polish and German cross border regions was compared in this study. The data from 17 Polish powiats, including 2 cities with powiat status: Gorzów Wielkopolski i Zielona Góra, and from 7 German powiats (Kreis), including 2 cities with powiat status (Kreisfreie Stadt): Cottbus and Frankfurt on Odra were analysed. The data concerning demographic structure of population, live births, perinatal and infant mortality were stored and analysed using Data Presentation System (DPS 2.0). In Polish powiats higher percentage of children and adolescents, and lower percentage of population in age 65 years and more was observed than in German Kreis. Both in Poland and in Germany the cities with powiat status differ from other powiats of their country by low percentage of the young (up to 14 years old in Germany and less than 24 in Poland). In Polish powiats more children are born in relation to both the total population and number of women in reproductive age (15-44 years). The decrease in number of live births observed recently in both countries is stronger in Poland. The perinatal mortality in Polish zone systematically decreased, reaching the level close to that of German zone. Despite the infant mortality in Polish zone is decreasing, it's still almost twice higher than in German zone.

Unlabelled: In the school year 2002/2003 there were examined in Poland some of the population of 7-year-old children for the presence of intestinal parasites, continuing countrywide operation launched in 1988., Methods: The studies were based on the examination of a single faecal specimen and a cellophane swab using the following methods: wet mount preparations in 0.9% NaCl and diluted Lugol's ioine, zinc sulphate centrifugal flotation and decantation., Results and Conclusions: The studies included 31 504 children from 15 provinces of Poland. The parasites most frequently encountered in the examinations included: Enterobius vermicularis (in 3 827 of the examined, i. e. 12, 15%), Ascaris lumbricoides (in 263; 0.83%), Giardia intestinalis (in 217: 0.69%), Entamoeba coli (n 189; 0.60%) and Trichuris trichiura (in 39; 0.12%) The overall percentage of the infected children was 15.4%. The highest number of infected children was found in the province warmińsko-mazurskie (29.6%0), the smallest in slaskie (8.8%). The number of infected among children inhabiting country (19%) was significantly higher than among those from the towns (10.4%). The obtained results confirmed hitherto existing views that in Poland the epidemiological situation of infections with intestinal parasites is steadily improving.

The investigation was carried out to determine the prevalence of back pain among the population of the school-children aged from 6 to 17 yrs. 3386 children from primary Warsaw schools randomly chosen, were investigated according to the questionnaire based on the diagnostic criteria of juvenile spondyloarthropathies (JSA). Total prevalence of spinal pain was 10.14%. Back pain occurred more frequently than the low - back and cervical pain (5.1% vs 3.44% and 3.04%). The incidence of painful episodes was highest between the age 12 - 15 yrs. Although no definite spondyloarthropathy was found among the investigated children - spinal pain occurred most frequently in those who showed one of the signs included into JSA criteria. This may imply the presence of a risk factor for developing spondyloarthropathy in the future.

Hospitalization rates from asthma in children and adolescents below 19 years of age showed a consistent rising trend over the last two decades and in the period 1984-1996 the rates were doubled in both genders. Among boys the rates were 1.6 times higher than in girls. On average the rates increased annually by 12.2% in boys and by 10.6% in girls. The fastest increase has been noted in the youngest children in the age 0-4 years (20.3% in boys and 18.9% in girls). In the older age groups (5-9 and 10-14 years) the annual increase was in the range of 10.5-14.1%. The slowest increase was observed in children in the oldest age group (3.7%) and in the latter age group there was no differences in hospitalization rates between both genders. We found the highest rates in the southeastern and northern part of the country and this was not compatible with the hygienic hypothesis of asthma and allergic diseases.

The paper presents psychiatric problems included in national, health interview survey, recommended by the WHO, carried out by the Central Statistical Office in Poland in 1996. Authors are going to estimate the prevalence of a bad frame of mind and neurosis among Polish adult people and try to appoint the relationships between psychiatric disorders and gender and place of residence. We estimated results in 49 provinces. There were significant differences between east and west Poland. People who live in eastern provinces have a worse psychological condition than western. Women have higher rate of these this psychiatric problems. We also found a major correlation between dissemination of a bad frame of mind and neurosis among men and women.

The authors are going to estimate the prevalence poor frame of mind and neurosis among Polish adult people, and try to appoint the relationships between psychiatric disorders and gender, age, civil status, education and maintenance. The questionnaire contains questions about quality of sleep, possibility to fix one's attention on acting, inner tension, self-confidence. Almost 1/4 of women and 18% of men have poor frame of mind. We find very strong and important relationships between neurosis and the poor frame of mind. There were no differences in mental state between people living in towns and villages. The unemployed and the cripples have worse psychological condition than working men. People who are divorced and widowed have statistically more often poor frame of mind and neurosis than the married. We also found a major correlation between poor frame of mind and neurosis and education. Low education is connected with poor psychological condition.

Air pollution concentration measurement in Poland are routinely carried on using aspiration methods. This technique required suitable measurement point preparation and its monitoring. During last years passive monitors are used more and more frequently for some air pollutants concentrations measurement. The above mentioned method is recommended when spatial differentiation of air pollution are analized. Results of such measurements carried of in the area of Poznań are presented in this contribution.

The air pollution concentrations of SO2 and suspended particulate matter in 1993 in one Polish city Poznan and over entire Poland have been modeled and mapped. The data for Poznan were obtained during special epidemiological study by means of a dense network of passive samples and the data for Poland were obtained from the routine network operated by Sanitary Epidemiological Stations. The modeling employed the kriging method of ARC/INFO computer package. It was found that about 1/3 of Polish population was exposed to the SO2 and/or SPM level that exceeded annual recommended values. In Poznan 25% of children aged 8-9 years were exposed to SO2 level above 100 during heating season 1992/1993.

The purpose of the analysis was to evaluate an association between selected factors of home environment and respiratory symptoms (wheezing/whistling) and asthma diagnosed by physician in 4333 children of age 7-8 years in Poznań. The data were collected within the scope of the EU funded multinational SAVIAH study. It was found that presence of the symptoms as well as asthma were significantly associated with presence of damp spots and/or mould at home and disturbance by traffic fumes and/or noise at home. The association of respiratory symptoms with ETS and presence of pets was less clear.

Within the framework of international collaboration an epidemiological study has been carried out in Poznań with the objective to develop and assess new methodologies in environmental epidemiology in Poland. The network of passive samplers has been set up for estimation of SO2 and NO2 air pollution exposure, small area analysis methods and Geographic Information System will be used for assessment of the relationship of respiratory symptoms and air pollution while controlling for socioeconomic factors and household characteristic.

The present study was aimed at assessment of a degree of regional differences in hospitalized morbidity in Poland for some of diseases considered to be related to environmental contamination and its relationship with general environmental characteristic of the regions. The performed analysis has shown that however in recent years there have been substantial differences in the discharge rates between provinces of Poland, these differences are not well explained by differences in general environmental factors. The possible reasons of these results have been discussed.

In the present study of hospitalization rates during the period 1979-1990 for some of the diseases considered to be related to environmental contamination were analyzed. Selected diagnosis included malignant melanoma and other malignant neoplasm of skin, malignant neoplasm of bladder, myeloid and monocytic leukaemia, aplastic anaemia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma, diseases of skin and subcutaneous tissue, spontaneous abortion and congenital anomalies. The performed analysis has shown that in 1979-1990 discharge rates had significant growing trends in the both urban and rural population in the case of malignant neoplasm of bladder, leukaemia, spontaneous abortion and congenital anomalies in infants. There were no significant trends in hospitalization of malignant melanoma and other malignant neoplasm of skin, aplastic anaemia and asthma.

Following two prevalence studies of arterial hypertension carried out at 5-year interval on 6487 adult inhabitants of Ochota District, Warsaw, screening for new cases was performed at the end of the five- or ten-year observation period. Interviews were collected from 472 incident and unknown prevalence cases and 499 randomly chosen non-cases regarding social and work conditions, selected behavioral traits and personal habits. The risk of hypertension was more closely associated with blue collar social status, poor economic self-assessment and repetitive type of work in women than men. In males, but not females, higher risk was connected with expressed anger followed by feeling of guilt, but no otherwise suppressed anger was predictive of hypertension. In both sexes the incidence of the disease was higher among people reporting less life events, and with less involvement in the household and/or professional activities.