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Background: Nutritional habits are a useful way to characterize whole diets and they are also known to be influenced by a wide range of social and economic factors. The above factors in each country may have different effect on children's eating habits. In Lithuania the data of children nutrition in association with socio-economic status of family is poor. There are few studies done, where links between nutrition habits of children and socio-economic status of family was evaluated. The aim of this paper is to evaluate association among nutrition habits of first-formers and family socio-economic status in Lithuania. Methods: Data were obtained participating in the international study, which was performed in all ten districts of Lithuania. A cross-sectional study was carried out in 2010, using the protocol and methodology prepared by the experts from the WHO and countries participating in the Initiative. The data were collected by means of COSI standardized questionnaire, which was filled out by parents of selected first-formers'. In this paper a part of questions regarding children nutrition habits and parents' socio-economic status is presented. Statistical analysis was performed by using SPSS 20.0 software for Windows. Correlation among variables was evaluated by χ². Links among nutrition habits of first-formers and family socioeconomic status were determined using binary logistic regression to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). For all tests p < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: It was established that the majority (76%) of Lithuanian first-formers eat breakfast every day or 4-6 times a week. Significant differences were found between breakfast consumption and gender - girls eat breakfast less frequently than boys. Odds ratio of children daily breakfast consumption were 1.3 times higher in families where fathers' were older than 30 years comparing with younger fathers. Meanwhile mothers' age had significant influence just on children daily soft drinks with sugar consumption. Conclusions: Results from the national survey of primary school age children of Lithuania reveals that family socio-economic position plays one of the major role in breakfast, fresh fruit and soft drinks with sugar consumption among younger school age children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Variation in prescription of antibiotics in primary care can indicate poor clinical practice that contributes to the increase of resistant strains. General Practitioners (GPs), as a professional group, are expected to have a fairly homogeneous prescribing style. In this paper, we describe variation in prescribing style within and across groups of GPs from six countries. Methods: Cross-sectional study with the inclusion of 457 GPs and 6394 sore throat patients. We describe variation in prescribing antibiotics for sore throat patients across six countries and assess whether variation in “prescribing style” - understood as a subjective tendency to prescribe - has an important effect on variation in prescription of antibiotics by using the concept of prescribing style as a latent variable in a multivariable model. We report variation as a Median Odds Ratio (MOR) which is the transformation of the random effect variance onto an odds ratio; Thus, MOR = 1 means similar odds or strict homogeneity between GPs' prescribing style, while a MOR higher than 1 denotes heterogeneity in prescribing style. Results: In all countries some GPs always prescribed antibiotics to all their patients, while other GPs never did. After adjusting for patient and GP characteristics, prescribing style in the group of GPs from Russia was about three times more heterogeneous than the prescribing style in the group of GPs from Denmark - Median Odds Ratio (6.8, 95% CI 3.1;8.8) and (2.6, 95% CI 2.2;4.4) respectively. Conclusion: Prescribing style is an important source of variation in prescription of antibiotics within and across countries, even after adjusting for patient and GP characteristics. Interventions aimed at influencing the prescribing style of GPs must encompass context-specific actions at the policy-making level alongside GP-targeted interventions to enable GPs to react more objectively to the external demands that are in place when making the decision of prescribing antibiotics or not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent events in Europe, like the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2022 Russo–Ukrainian War (RUW), might have sparked anxiety among adolescents. This study aimed to compare anxiety levels in Lithuanian adolescents post-COVID-19 peak (Study 1, October 2021) and during the onset of the RUW (Study 2, April–June 2022). Data from 459 participants in Study 1 and 6637 in Study 2, aged 11–17, were collected through HBSC pilot and national surveys in Lithuania. Self-reported questionnaires assessed anxiety, social media use, stress, loneliness, self-efficacy, and peer support factors. Analysis was conducted using multivariable logistic regressions. Notably, anxiety prevalence in Lithuanian adolescents showed no significant difference between Study 1 and Study 2, stabilizing around 24%. In 2021, stress (OR = 5.89, 95% CI 3.11–11.17), problematic social media use (OR = 4.58, 95% CI 1.89–10.58), and female gender (OR = 2.87, 95% CI 1.58–5.22) significantly predicted anxiety. By 2022, stress (OR = 3.68, 95% CI 3.14–4.30), loneliness (OR = 2.85, 95% CI 2.43–3.35), and lower self-efficacy (OR = 1.40, 95% CI 1.20–1.60) emerged as important predictors. This study enhances our understanding of adolescent anxiety during crises, emphasizing the urgency of addressing multiple factors to manage and support vulnerable youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Worldwide statistics highlight that many adolescents suffer from various types of maltreatment, which often tend to co‐occur in the form of poly‐victimisation. The experience of maltreatment at a young age causes physical and mental health problems, and can also lead to self‐harm and suicide. The aim: To explore the possible impact of maltreatment and poly‐victimisation on adolescent self‐harm and suicide attempts. Participants and settings: In total, 1898 students (15–18 years old) from Lithuanian vocational schools completed the survey (65.5% male). Method: The impact of maltreatment and poly‐victimisation on self‐harm and suicide attempts was tested using multivariable binary logistic regressions. Results: Different maltreatment types were significantly associated to self‐harm (odds ratio from 2.47 to 3.80, p < 0.001) and suicide attempts (odds ratio from 3.15 to 7.58, p < 0.001). The odds ratios for self‐harm and suicide attempt increased as the number of different types of maltreatment experienced increased. A history of experiencing four types of poly‐victimisation increased adolescent risk for self‐harm (OR = 18.57, p < 0.001, 95% CI: 5.77–59.72) and suicide attempts (OR = 45.54, p < 0.001, 95% CI: 14.37–144.28) the most. Conclusion: Adolescents with experience of maltreatment, particularly if poly‐victimised, are at greater risk of engaging in self‐harming and suicidal behaviours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Patients with pre-existing conditions and poor health status are vulnerable for adverse health sequalae during the COVID-19 pandemic. We investigated the association of pre-existing medical conditions and self-perceived health status with the risk of mental health complications during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods In October—December, 2020, 1036 respondents completed online survey that included assessment of pre-existing conditions, self-perceived health status, depressive (Patient Health Questionnaire-8 score ≥ 10), anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorders-7 score ≥ 10) and post-traumatic stress (Impact of Events Scale Revised) symptoms, alcohol use (AUDIT), and COVID-19 fear (COVID-19 Fears Questionnaires for Chronic Medical Conditions). Results Study participants were predominantly women (83%), younger than 61 years of age (94%). Thirty-six percent of respondents had a pre-existing condition and 5% considered their health status as bad or very bad. Pre-existing conditions and poor perceived health status were associated with increased risk for moderate to severe depressive and anxiety symptoms, fear of COVID-19 and post-traumatic stress symptoms, independently from respondents' age, gender, living area, smoking status, exercise, alcohol consumption and diet. Conclusions Pre-existing medical conditions and poor perceived health status are associated with increased risk of poor mental health status during the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The aim of the study was to examine the association between the characteristics of a nursing student's final clinical practicum and the success of transition of newly graduated nurses (NGNs) in six European countries. Design: A longitudinal design with two data collections points (pre‐ and post‐graduate). Methods: The data were collected with an online survey between May 2018 and April 2020 from graduating nursing students (n = 1796) in Finland, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Lithuania and Spain. Altogether, 642 NGNs responded to the second questionnaire 1 year after graduation. Logistic and linear regression analyses were used to examine the associations between five clinical practicum characteristics and three indicators for the success of transition (ease of transition, turnover intentions and occupational commitment). Models were adjusted for demographic and background/workplace factors and professional competence. Results: Several associations were observed between the different clinical practicum characteristics and the indicators for a successful transition. Good pedagogical atmosphere and good supervisory relationship were associated with higher likelihood of an easy transition. Good leadership style of the ward manager, good premises of nursing care on the ward and a good supervisory relationship were associated with higher occupational commitment. No consistent association with turnover intention was found. Conclusion: Having a good final clinical practicum before graduation can contribute to an easier transition experience for newly NGNs and strengthen their commitment to the nursing profession. Impact: This study adds to the limited existing knowledge about the importance of final clinical practicums in shaping the transition process and occupational commitment of NGNs. Investing in creating a good final practicum experience could help healthcare organizations engage new nursing professionals and thus alleviate the existing shortage of nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]