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Copyright of Long-Term Care Nursing / Pielegniarstwo w Opiece Dlugoterminowej is the property of Termedia Publishing House and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background. Presently, diabetes is one of the major problems of healthcare, both in medical and socio-economic terms, in most countries worldwide. A key role in the proper functioning of diabetic patients is played by health behaviors, which result in specific health effects. Objectives. The analysis of health behaviors and illness acceptance in patients with diabetes. Material and methods. The study was conducted at the National Health Care Centre "KMW Centrum Zdrowia" in Stargard. The study included 215 people aged 30-87 suffering from diabetes. The study was carried out by means of a diagnostic survey method, and the research tool used was a questionnaire. It consisted of three parts, the first of which was the authors' questionnaire, the second was the Health Behavior Inventory (HBI ), and the third was the Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS). Results. An analysis of the results has shown that the majority of the study sample (59.1%) gained high scores for an increase on health behaviors according to the HBI - approximately 7-10 sten scores. The average level of an overall increase in health behaviors exhibited by the participants (HBI ) amounted to 91.0 ± 14.82 points. The respondents demonstrated similar levels of average results regarding all categories of health behaviors according to the HBI . Data analysis related to illness acceptance has indicated that the average level of illness acceptance of the study subjects amounted to 31.80 ± 7.91 points. Conclusions. Patients with diabetes showed high levels of health behaviors and illness acceptance, and the results depended upon the subjects' education, duration of the illness and health education. Females and patients suffering from diabetes for a long period of time require psychological support to resolve disease-related problems, cope with difficulties and develop positive attitudes towards the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Family Medicine & Primary Care Review is the property of Termedia Publishing House and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Family Medicine & Primary Care Review is the property of Termedia Publishing House and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background. A child's illness is a major stress-inducing factor for parents. It alters interpersonal relationships in and outside the family unit and weakens the sense of safety. In stressful situations, everyone adopts certain behaviors that are defined as a stress-coping style. Objectives. The aim of the study was to analyze factors which contribute to the choice of a stress-coping style by parents of hospitalized children. Material and methods. This survey-based study was conducted among 292 parents of children hospitalized in the General and Neurological Pediatric Ward of the Voivodeship Independent Public Hospital in Gorzow Wielkopolski. The research instruments were: the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CI SS) - a standard questionnaire for measuring one’s ability to cope with difficult situations, developed by N. S. Endler & J. D. A. Parker, and a questionnaire of the authors' own design. Results. The parents of hospitalized children employed all types of stress-coping strategies, but task-oriented coping was the most common (41.10%). Education was the only sociodemographic factor that had a statistically significant influence on the parents' choices of stress-coping styles (p < 0.01). Conclusions. 1. Most frequently, parents of ill and hospitalized children adopt a task-oriented coping style. 2. Parents' education significantly contributes to their choice of a stress-coping style. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Magnesium (Mg) and zinc (Zn) may affect the incidence and severity of climacteric symptoms in postmenopausal women. Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess serum Mg and Zn levels in postmenopausal women, depending on the severity of climacteric symptoms and the time interval since the last menstrual period. Material and methods: The study included 161 postmenopausal women, who had their Mg and Zn levels determined in venous blood serum. The women were not using menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) and had their last menstrual period at least one year prior to the study. All women were healthy and did not use elimination diets. Results: The women were diagnosed as having hypomagnesaemia and hypozincaemia. The data analysis revealed statistically significant differences between Mg levels depending on the time interval since the last menstruation (p < 0.05). The lowest average serum Mg level was recorded in those women who had menopause more than 10 years prior to the study. There were no statistically significant differences depending on the severity of climacteric symptoms (p > 0.05). Conclusions: 1. In postmenopausal women, not using MHT, serum Mg and Zn concentrations maintained at low levels and, what is more, the average Mg concentration decreased significantly with the time since the last menstrual period. 2. Serum Mg and Zn concentrations do not affect the severity of climacteric symptoms in postmenopausal women not using MHT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Menopausal Review / Przegląd Menopauzalny is the property of Termedia Publishing House and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: The formation and development of diabetic foot syndrome depend on the patient and are manifested in adherence to therapeutic recommendations. Knowledge of determinants that increase the adherence of patients with diabetic foot may enable planning and implementing proper education and minimise the negative consequences associated with hospitalisation and expensive treatment. The aim of the study was to find factors influencing the adherence and acceptance of illness in patients with a diabetic foot. Material and methods: The survey-based study involved 54 patients of the surgery clinic and surgery department diagnosed with diabetic foot syndrome. Research was performed using the Adherence to Refills and Medication Scale (ARMS), Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS), and an author-constructed questionnaire. Results: There was a significant statistical correlation between adherence to therapeutic recommendations and sociodemographic variables (education, place of residence, marital status) and medical variables (visits in the Diabetes Outpatient Clinic), as well as the degree of acceptance of the disease. Conclusions: Comprehensive education should include, in particular, patients with primary and vocational education, who are lonely and living in the countryside. Patients should be encouraged to visit a Diabetes Outpatient Clinic. Better acceptance of the disease does not correlate with better compliance with therapeutic recommendations; adherence should be monitored regardless of the level of acceptance of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Liver transplant is a definitive treatment of end-stage liver insufficiency. The clinical state and biochemical parameters used for grading liver insufficiency can influence the functioning of the coagulation system and the amount of intraoperative blood loss. Aim of the study: The aim of the study was to assess the influence of the clinical state and stage of liver insufficiency on blood loss during liver transplantation. Material and methods: The study included 88 patients aged 19-67 years after liver transplantation at the Independent Public Regional Integrated Hospital in Szczecin, Poland. A retrospective analysis was carried out of data collected from liver transplantation qualification protocols, which contained social-demographic and epidemiological information. Results: Average blood loss during liver transplantation amounted to 3082 ±2708 ml (range 400-16,000 ml). The average total surgery time was 371.21 min (range 255-405 min). Blood loss correlated with the model for end stage liver disease (MELD) and Child-Turcotte-Pugh score (CTP) values. However, an independent relationship with the amount of intraoperative blood loss was confirmed in the discriminant analysis only for three parameters, namely encephalopathy (p = 0.0032), poor dietary habits (p = 0.00107), and surgery duration (p = 0.00178). Conclusions: Cachexia and encephalopathy constitute independent clinical factors of the increased risk of intraoperative bleeding. Surgery duration is an independent factor conditioning the amount of intraoperative blood loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Optimal risk assessment and medical preparation before surgery is still a problem. Aim of the research: To compare the adequacy of periprocedural risk assessment performed by an anaesthesiologist during premedication, with the same assessment made by a nurse using the Helios Score in successive patients in the Department of Vascular Surgery. Material and methods: A total of 185 patients qualified for open vascular surgery in the Vascular Surgery Department of the Pomeranian Medical University in the first quarter of 2018 were studied. The group consisted of patients qualified for surgical treatment with high (n = 65), medium (n = 42), and low (n = 78) operational risk. Retrospective analysis of the prediction accuracy between two methods was performed. There was a comparison between anaesthetist pre-assessment and Helios Score used by the nurse team. The prediction accuracy of death and complication rates were compared between those two methods. Results: In the analysed period there were seven deaths and 26 cases of general deterioration. In 152 cases, no complications were found. Differences in sensitivity in prediction between anaesthetist and a nurse using the Helios Score were, respectively: death 15% vs. 5.5% (p = 0.283), complications 35% vs. 9.2% (p = 0.036). Simultaneous used of expert assessment and Helios Score could increase the prediction of the death rate to 71%. Conclusions: The Helios Score helps the nurse team to recognise high-risk patients. Additional use of the Helios Score increases the efficacy of detection of high-risk patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Crohn's disease is a chronic condition that affects the functioning and life of the patients. Quality of life of patients affected by the disease is of particular importance because it allows better functioning in all dimensions of life. It is essential to identify the numerous factors that affect the patients' of quality of life. Aim of the research: To search for medical factors that influence the quality of life of patients affected by Crohn's disease. Material and methods: The study was conducted using a diagnostic survey. The study group comprised 100 adult patients with Crohn's disease hospitalised in the Gastroenterology Clinic of the Autonomous Public Hospital Complex No.1 of Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin. The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. The standardised quality of life questionnaire SF-36v2 and an original questionnaire were used. The collected data were statistically analysed. Results: The analysis demonstrated a statistically significant effect of disease duration on quality of life as regards social functioning and mental health (p < 0.05). The course of the disease was found to affect all domains and dimensions of quality of life (p < 0.05). Treatment modality had a statistically significant influence only on the domain of physical functioning (p < 0.05). The number of hospitalisations in the year preceding the study was found to have a significant effect only on particular domains (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The course of the disease had the most significant effect on the quality of life of patients with Crohn's disease. Other significant factors are determining the tailored method of treatment and disease duration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]