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Objectives: This study aimed to determine the reasons for student dissatisfaction with the quality of primary healthcare (PHC) in countries under healthcare system transformation (Belarus, Poland, and Ukraine) to identify reserves and make improvements. Methods: A comparative multipopulation survey was translated, verified, and completed during face-to-face interviews during March 2019 to May 2019. There were 700 Humanities students included in this study to determine satisfaction with the quality of PHC provided by the family doctor. Satisfaction was assessed according to the availability of the doctor, the level of organization of the institution, the service process, the quality of the interaction with the doctor, adherence to the rights of patients, and any additional financial expense incurred by the patient. Results: Politeness and attentiveness of doctors were rated highly. Dissatisfaction was associated with the negative attitude of medical personnel towards the patient. One in 10 respondents replied that medical confidentiality was not observed. More than 65% of students had paid for diagnostic tests/or treatments, and some respondents from Poland and Ukraine were asked by the doctor to pay for services without a receipt. Conclusion: Dissatisfaction with the quality of PHC in countries under transformation of the health system was largely due to ethical aspects of the doctor-patient relationship. Therefore, ethical standards need to be upheld and patients need to be aware of these standards using medical education materials covering the moral aspects of the relationship between medical personnel and patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Numerous connections between physical activity (PA) and health clearly indicate that nowadays conscious and purposeful PA is essential. Aim of the study: To determine PA levels reported by University nursing students and to indicate the dominant activity areas. Material and methods: A diagnostic survey which included the International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Form (IPAQ) was used to examine 419 students of nursing. Results: The reported total PA of the students under investigation was 3443.9 MET-min/week. Walking activities were the dominant area of PA (mean = 1557.6 MET-min/week), whereas vigorous activities were the least common. Compared to women, men accumulated higher values of MET-min/week in the area of total PA and its components, with the exception of vigorous activities. Significant differences in PA were only shown when place of residence was factored in. Conclusions: The IPAQ showed that one in four participants demonstrated high levels of PA. More than one-third of the respondents did not meet the criteria for moderate or high activity levels, thus exhibiting low levels of PA. The participants from urban areas were more active than those from rural areas. Out of the three areas of PA (vigorous, moderate and walking), walking was the most dominate activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Domestic violence is a social phenomenon where a family member, husband, wife or another cohabiting person in the household tries to dominate, physically or mentally, the other partner, children, parents, grandparents, in-laws, etc., using their physical advantage, threats, blackmail, with the intention of harm. The aim of the study was find the perceptions of university students regarding the phenomenon of violence and to show similarities and differences in this respect between students from Poland and Belarus (PL and BY). Methods: A total of 482 persons took part in the study, including 251 students from Szczecin (Poland) and 231 students from Grodno (Belarus). The method was a diagnostic survey using the authors' original questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of two parts: the first, containing 6 demographic questions, and the second containing 25 mainly closed-ended questions. Results: In the perceptions of the respondents from Poland and Belarus, women are statistically more likely to experience violence, and men are more likely to use it. The responses of students from Poland and Belarus show statistical connections regarding such behaviors as a single spank, shouting, refusing to talk -- recognizing them mostly as a form of violence. The respondents from both countries also show a convergent position concerning quarrelling and forcing a person to drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes, recognizing them as violent behavior. Significant differences can also be observed with regard to such behaviors as throwing objects, name-calling and mocking, which do not indicate violence in the opinions of the majority of students from Belarus, in contrast to the Polish students, who perceive these behaviors as violent. Conclusions: Students from both countries acknowledge that the concealment of domestic violence by victims mainly results from fear of worsening their already difficult situation as well as from fear of retaliation by the perpetrator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To examine the food choices and estimate the prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity among medical students from four Central Eastern European countries. Methods: We examined 1517 students from Poland, Belarus, Russia and Lithuania aged 20.9±1.97 years. Body weight, height, the thickness of 3 skinfolds and body-fat% were measuredand BMI was calculated. The consumption frequency of 39 food products was determined and the differences were estimated by Tukey's procedure. The food products connected with obesity risk were identified by multivariable logistic regression. Results: In 985 female students, underweight was observed more frequently than overweight and obesity, particularly in Belarusian women (16.9% vs 7.2%). In 532 male students, overweight and obesity were observed more frequently than underweight. Body-fat% and skinfold thicknesses were the highest in Russian men. The students ate sweets, light bread, butter and red meat too frequently and except for Belarusians, poultry meat, fish and whole grain dark bread too rarely. Conclusion: The nutritional program was implemented and the suggestion was addressed to the university governments to support the canteens with inexpensive, but well balanced, meals. Noodles, sweet drinks, butter, pork fat, cream, light bread and bread rolls should be limited in the students' dietary scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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