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Background Chronic pain in older people is of particular importance not only with regard to negative subjective experience but also as an indicator of the quality of medical care. Brief scales to assess pain may help health professionals with early recognition and treatment to avoid patient suffering. However, these scales should be adapted to the cultural context to provide valid assessments. The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Polish translation of the Geriatric Pain Measure – 24 (GPM-24) in older people. Methods The study was conducted among 181 people aged 65 and over with chronic (noncancer) pain of varying intensity lasting more than 6 months. Construct validity was assessed using the principal component analysis (PCA) method with oblimin rotation. Criterion validity was evaluated by correlating the scores of the GPM-24 with the scores of the McGill-Melzack questionnaire (MPQ). The reliability of the GPM-24 was estimated in terms of internal consistency using Cronbach’s alpha coefficients. Results The PCA revealed a 6- component structure of the set of items that constituted the GPM-24. Most of these components were defined by items included in the same subscale, similar to the result obtained by the original scale’s authors. There were significant correlations between the GPM-24 and some dimensions of MPQ: affective (rho = 0.25, p = 0.001), present pain intensity (rho = 0.44, p p p Conclusions The Geriatric Pain Measure − 24 is a reliable and valid tool that is recommended for the monitoring and multidimensional assessment of chronic pain in older people in daily practice as well as in clinical trials. Trial registration Statutory research “Chronic pain in people over 65 years of age” K/ZDS/005733, conducted in 2015–2018.

Introduction: Melanoma is a malignant skin tumour. Its incidence doubles every 10 years. The sooner it is diagnosed, the better the chances for suc-cessful treatment. Therefore, the need has arisen to spread knowledge about early detection of melanoma and its prevention. Aim of the study: To assess the knowledge and the extent to which skin cancer preventive measures are followed in selected groups of inhabitants of Po-land and Australia. Material and methods: The study was conducted in a group of 267 people, 151 of whom lived in Poland and 116 in Australia. The study was carried out with the application of a diagnostic survey method. The research technique was a survey, and the research tool was a questionnaire designed by the authors. The study findings were examined by means of statistical analysis. Results: The study showed that although the average level of knowledge is good (46.4%), the extent to which the rules of melanoma prevention are applied is still unsatisfactory in the majority of population (42.3%). It was observed that Australian inhabitants had higher scores in both aforementioned cases (p < 0.001); 91.4% of respondents had at least satisfactory knowledge about melanoma and 78.4% of them took proper preventive measures, whereas in Poland it was 75.5% and 41.7%, respectively. Conclusions: In most cases the respondents have a good level of knowledge, but they do not follow the rules of melanoma prevention. Australians have more knowledge about melanoma, and they are also more likely to take preventive measures.

Aim of the study: To assess the correlation between skin phototypes and selected sociodemographic factors and health behaviours connected with skin cancer prevention. Material and methods: The study was conducted in a group of 267 patients. It was carried out with the application of a diagnostic survey method. The research technique was a survey and the research tool was a questionnaire designed by the authors. Results: The study showed a correlation between skin phototype and following the rules of skin cancer prevention (p < 0.001): people with skin phototype I, characterised by pale white skin, were more likely to apply sun protection rules. The percentage of respondents with a higher level of health behaviours increased with the respondents’ age (p < 0.001). The higher the respondents’ education, the higher the percent-age of them who took proper melanoma precautions (p < 0.005). The level of health behaviours was also higher in people who had been diagnosed with melanoma or had been treated for skin cancer in the past or whose family member or friend suffered from this type of cancer (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Respondents with a phototype characterised by fair complexion were more likely to follow skin cancer prevention rules. The intensity of health behaviours aimed at cancer prevention increased with the respondents’ age and level of education. Both melanoma diagnosis and the incidence of skin cancer in respondents’ family or friends led to a higher level of their health behaviours.

IntroductionSocio-demographic forecasts indicate a stable increase in the population of elderly people, which gives rise to the need to examine the relationship between the acceptance of chronic illness and socio-demographic variables not only in terms of subjective negative emotions but also because of possible social consequences. The acceptance of a chronic disease is determined by factors related to its character including its severity and the discomfort it brings about but also by factors connected with the patient that is socio-demographic determinants. Objective: The objective of the study was to examine the relationship between socio-demographic variables and the acceptance of a chronic disease of locomotive organs.Material and methodsThe study was conducted in the group of 150 patients diagnosed with a systemic connective tissue disease during its stable phase. A socio-demographic questionnaire as well as a standardised Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS) adapted by Juszczyński were applied in the study. The study was conducted in accordance with the recommendations of the Declaration of Helsinki.ResultsIn the group of 150 patients suffering from a systemic connective tissue disease the percentage of women was higher than the percentage of men (60.7% vs. 39.3%). The indicator of the acceptance of illness in the group examined reached 24.5 ±7.5. The strongest correlation was found between the acceptance level and married probants (eta = 0.26; p = 0.01), high education (eta = 0.24; p = 0.04) and working activity (eta = 0.20; p = 0.01).ConclusionsSocio-demographic factors which determine the level of illness acceptance include age, marital status, education and the source of income. The acceptance of illness in the examined group of patients with systemic connective tissue diseases reached 24.5.