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In each society there functions a group of the disabled who need assistance. The number and character of dysfunctional consequences determine the types of support, characteristics of health, medical and social problems, where a part of them are interdependent. The interdependence of these needs determine the consistency of rehabilitation actions, which result in the improvement of quality of life of disabled persons in their living environment, especially among rural inhabitants.The scientific medical, and sociological literature, as well as binding legal Acts from 1978-2021 were reviewed. Materials from Polish and English databases were analysed. Key words related to disability, its definition, models of disability, disability discrimination, inequalities in medical and social care, health and social needs, maps of needs, satisfaction with medical and social care, and quality of life were used.Despite the fact that disability is a medical-social phenomenon, many reports concern only the treatment of the consequences of diseases, injuries, genetic/congenital or environmental defects. Disability is frequently identified with disease, which is inappropriate. Many researchers dealing with disability focus - quite rightly - on studies concerning social consequences, because they decide about the level of functioning of these persons in society and level of participation.Disability is not only a medical and social problem. Treatment does not end the essence of disability. Only interdisciplinary studies can change the life of these persons regarding great possibilities for their participation.

Background: According to the World Health Organization’s statistics, 7 of the 10 main causes of death in 2019 were noncommunicable diseases. Health indicators are measures used to evaluate public health system effectiveness and functioning. Monitoring mortality rates from leading causes, life expectancy and other health indicators is essential to address their causes and adapt health systems to react adequately. The aim of this study is to present the dependencies of selected health care indicators and health outcomes. Methods: Based on the literature review conducted, selected health indicators, along with healthcare system data, were analyzed using Pearson’s r correlation. The analyses included data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) presented in statistics and the Health at a Glance 2021 report and data collected as part of the preparation of the Financing Global Health 2020 report by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. Results: Health system resources are linked to health outcomes. The number of medical consultations, the number of nurses per patient or the level of financing of services under general health insurance are related to life expectancy and deaths due to causes that could have been avoided or treated. Conclusions: Life expectancy is positively correlated with access to general health insurance and public expenditure on healthcare. There is a need for all countries to provide their citizens with broad access to healthcare services.

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers in Europe and the world. Cancer treatments have side effects and cause significant deterioration of the patient’s nutritional status. Patient malnutrition may worsen the health condition and prevent the deliberate effects of the therapy. The aim of this review was to describe the available data about clinical nutrition in colorectal cancer patients. A large proportion of colorectal cancer patients suffer from malnutrition, which negatively affects the survival prognosis, quality of life, and oncological therapy. Therefore, monitoring nutritional status during the treatment is essential and can be used to arrange proper nutritional therapy to enhance patient responses, prevent side effects, and shorten recovery time. The principles of nutrition during anticancer therapy should mainly consider light and low-fat foods, the exclusion of lactose and gluten-containing foods in certain cases, or the introduction of special dietary products such as oral nutrition supplements and it should be tailored to patients’ individual needs.

Introduction: Speed of movement refers to the max. speed of moves that an individual is able to perform, associated with the optimal activation of muscle fibers. It increases until the age of 15 in girls and 18 in boys, with the fastest rate 6–14 years of age. In boys, 2 periods of a particularly intense increase in speed are observed: 7–10 and 13–15 years of age. The aim of the study was to assess the level of speed in girls and boys aged 9–10-years-old from school groups with an extended physical education program and those from regular groups. Materials and methods: This study, performed every year 2003–2013, involved 470 children aged 9–10 years, finishing the 3rd year of the primary school. A 30 m run and long jump were used to test the speed of the children. The study method was based on the selected elements of the Denisiuk test. Results: The tests showed that boys were faster than girls. Every year, they obtained better average score for the 30 m run and tests. The lowest difference between sexes was noted in 2013. We also demonstrated that almost in all years the candidates for cross-country skiers were faster than the students assigned to groups with no extra sports classes. Conclusions: Our study confirmed higher speed in 9–10-year-old boys than in girls, especially in long jump tests. Children with higher fitness level were faster than their less active peers. The deterioration of speed test results in the subsequent years of the study is an unfavorable trend that requires further long-term research.

(1) Background: Pancreatic cancer is the cancer with the third-highest mortality rate, and forecasts indicate its growing share in morbidity. The basis of treatment is inpatient chemotherapy and there is a strong focus on palliative care. (2) Methods: A literature review was conducted based on the rapid review methodology in PubMed and Cochrane databases. The search was supplemented with publications from the snowball search. Qualitative assessment of included publications was performed using AMSTAR2 modified scheme. (3) Results: The review included 17 publications, of which majority concerned direct costs related to the adopted treatment regimen. Most of the publications focused on comparing the cost-effectiveness of drug therapies and the costs of palliative treatment. Other publications concerned indirect costs generated by pancreatic cancer. They particularly focused on the economic burden of lost productivity due to sickness absence. (4) Conclusion: The increase in the incidence of pancreatic cancer translates into an increase in the costs of the health care system and indirect costs. Due to the significant share of hospitalization in the health care structure, direct costs are increasing. The inpatient treatment regimen and side effects translate into a loss of productivity for patients with pancreatic cancer. Among gastrointestinal cancers, pancreatic cancer generates the second largest indirect costs, although it has a much lower incidence rate than the dominant colorectal cancer. This indicates a significant problem of the economic burden of this cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is the malignant disease with the highest mortality rate, and it ranks third in the world after lung and colon cancer. Identified factors that increase the risk of developing pancreatic cancer include chronic pancreatitis, radiation therapy to the pancreatic area due to another cancer, diabetes mellitus, obesity, smoking, and age. The objective of this study was to present the current state of knowledge on the quality of life of patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, factors that determine QoL, and ways of coping with the disease. The low curability and low survival rates of pancreatic cancer significantly affect the quality of life of patients, often in the form of significant deterioration, especially in terms of mental changes, cognitive functions, and coping with the disease. Cognitive decline with comorbid depression is also typical for patients with this type of cancer. Research has shown that the health-related quality of life of patients with pancreatic cancer is low, so further research is needed to improve the situation in this area.

Introduction: Alcohol dependence is one of the world’s major health challenges. The salutogenic concept of health developed by Antonovsky focuses on the search for resources and factors supporting health. Its basic concept of the sense of coherence (SOC) focuses on strengthening the global orientation of the patient, and creating permanent internal resources that translate into the improvement of pro-health behavior, including the fight against alcoholism. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the correlation between individual factors and the SOC as well as the influence of the SOC concept on pro-health behavior of people addicted to alcohol. Materials and methods: The study group consisted of 110 men undergoing treatment in an addiction treatment ward. To check the level of the SOC, two standardized questionnaires, Antonovsky’s “SOC-29 Life Orientation Questionnaire” and Juczyński’s “Health Behaviour Inventory”, were used. The correlation coefficient between the sociodemographic variables was checked using the Pearson’s r test. Results: A positive correlation was found with the intensity of pro-health behaviors for three sociodemographic variables. In people aged 43–65 (r = 0.299; p = 0.030), people with primary/vocational education (r = 0.276; p = 0.015), and respondents living in rural areas (r = 0.303; p = 0.028) a greater SOC was associated with pro-health behaviors. Conclusions: Individuals addicted to alcohol are characterized by a low SOC and a low level of pro-health behaviors. Strengthening the internal level of the SOC can constitute an element of addiction therapy when introducing health education to prepare the patient for independent life in sobriety.

The purpose of this article is to examine the applicability of the Beliefs about Pain Control Questionnaire (BPCQ) among cancer patients and develop norms that allow differentiation of patients with diagnosed cancer in terms of beliefs about pain control. Normalization aims to establish the value of test results in the study population. The study involved 1187 patients diagnosed with cancer in outpatient care Maria Sklodowska-Curie Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, in Warsaw. The applied tool was the Beliefs about Pain Control Questionnaire developed by S. Skevington. The results are most strongly differentiated in each dimension of pain control by education, income, and professional status. Sten norms were developed to determine the level of beliefs about pain control in low, average, and high categories. The BPCQ assessment applies to cancer patients, and the assessment of the location of pain control in patients will allow for the identification of patients whose standard therapy should be supplemented with psychotherapeutic support.

Introduction: Patient safety in long-term care is becoming an increasingly popular subject in the scientific literature. Organizational problems such as shortages of medical staff, insufficient numbers of facilities or underfunding increase the risk of adverse events, and aging populations in many countries suggests that these problems will become more and more serious with each passing year. The objective of the study is to identify interventions that can contribute to increasing patient safety in long-term care facilities. Method: A systematic review of secondary studies was conducted in accordance with the Cochrane Collaboration guidelines. Searches were conducted in Medline (via PubMed), Embase (via OVID) and Cochrane Library. The quality of the included studies was assessed using AMSTAR2. Results: Ultimately, 10 studies were included in the analysis. They concerned three main areas: promoting safety culture, reducing the level of occupational stress and burnout, and increasing the safety of medication use. Promising methods that have an impact on increasing patient safety include: preventing occupational burnout of medical staff, e.g., by using mindfulness-based interventions; preventing incidents resulting from improper administration of medications, e.g., by using structured methods of patient transfer; and the use of information technology that is more effective than the classic (paper) method or preventing nosocomial infections, e.g., through programs to improve the quality of care in institutions and the implementation of an effective infection control system. Conclusions: Taking into account the scientific evidence found and the guidelines of institutions dealing with patient safety, it is necessary for each long-term care facility to individually implement interventions aimed at continuous improvement of the quality of care and patient safety culture at the level of medical staff and management staff.

This paper presents a comparative assessment of mortality in Poland and Ukraine, including due to alcohol consumption, by sex, place of residence, and age groups. Mortality from alcohol consumption is and remains one of the health problems of the state’s population. The aim of this study was to establish the difference in mortality, including due to alcohol consumption, in the two neighboring countries. The analysis was conducted in 2008 and 2018 according to statistical institutions in Poland and Ukraine. Data from the codes of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases of the 10th edition: F10, G31.2, G62.1, I42.6, K70, K86.0, and X45 were used to calculate mortality due to alcohol consumption. The share of mortality caused by alcohol consumption in Ukraine in 2008 was 3.52%, and 1.83% in 2018. At the same time, in Poland, there is an increase in this cause of death from 1.72% to 2.36%. Mortality caused by alcohol consumption is the main share of mortality in the section “Mental and behavioral disorders” in both Ukraine, at 73–74%, and Poland, at 82–92%. Changes in the mortality rate in the cities and villages of Ukraine and Poland showed different trends: Poland nated, a significant increase in mortality, while in Ukraine it has halved on average. Overall and alcohol mortality rates in both countries were higher among the male population. The analysis of mortality among people of working age showed that the highest proportion of deaths from alcohol consumption in both countries was among people aged 25–44. Despite the geographical proximity, and similarity of natural and climatic characteristics and population, mortality rates in each country reflect the difference in the medical and demographic situation, and the effectiveness of state social approaches to public health.

The mineral structure of bones is never static, it is a living structure, reacting and adapting to load and having the ability to remodel. Skeletal cells work continuously to maintain the remodelling process therefore they are in a constant state of dynamic balance both in the sense of composition and structure, and they react to external mechanical forces. The remodelling processes that occur in the bone tissue allow for a proper functioning of this tissue, as well as for inclusion of additional elements, toxic ones included, in the remodelled bone, and they affect the metabolic processes occurring therein. This may result in disturbances in the osteoarticular system, manifested by changes in the bone tissue and within other organs. The influence of tobacco smoking on the content of strontium, lead, calcium, phosphorus, sodium and magnesium has not been confirmed. Non-smokers showed a high iron content in knee joint tissues compared to smokers. There were no statistically significant differences in the content of cadmium, nickel, copper and zinc in women and men in the studied knee joint components. With age, an increase in the content of chromium in knee joint tissues was observed, while gender, place of residence and occupational exposure had no effect.

Background. Breast cancer treatment is an aggressive therapy that affects the deterioration of women’s quality of life (QOL) in many areas. Knowledge about factors that influence the assessment of the QOL is of particular importance. The aim of the study was to analyse areas of the quality of life of women with breast cancer, taking into account social and demographic factors. Methods: The research was carried included 324 women with breast cancer. The research was carried out using a diagnostic survey, the author’s questionnaire and a standardized questionnaire for measuring the QOL of women treated for breast cancer, ie the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer, Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC) QLQ-C30 and QLQ-QLQ module BR23. Statistical analysis uses Statistica 10.0 software. The results were considered statistically significant when the calculated probability met the inequality of p

The accidental hypothermia can be diagnosed if a body temperature fall below the 35°C. It is frequently encountered in Poland. It was the cause of death of 1836 people between 2009 and 2012. The aim of our paper was to present the current state of the art regarding prehospital management of the hypothermic patient. The gold standard of internal body temperature measurement is by an esophageal probe. The hypothermic patient should be handled very carefully. The wet clothes should be cut and the patient should be covered with insulation materials. Active rewarming should be initiated in all of the patients in severe and mild hypothermia. After finding an unconscious person who is likely to be in hypothermia, the search for signs of life should take 60 seconds. When CPR is started it should be conducted with standard protocols. Infusion fluids should be heated and the preferred ones are: 0,9% NaCl and crystalloids. No antiarrhythmic or vasoconstrictive drugs should be given in patients with internal body temperature below 30°C. Conclusions: We should encourage providers to equip the rescue teams with the active rewarming devices and insulation materials. The prevention of further heat loss in hypothermic patient is of the greatest importance. The life support should be centered around cardiopulmonary resuscitation with quality chest compressions and adequate ventilation. The definitive treatment of patients suffering from deep hypothermia is most effective in specialist centres dedicated to treating this condition. Air transportation is preferred to land transportation.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of presenteeism in patients with communicable diseases in Poland. Subject and Methods: This study was based on data from the medical records of 2,529 patients aged 19–64 years. All of the patients were diagnosed with communicable diseases. The inclusion criteria were based on implementing decision concerning communicable diseases made by the Commission of the European Union. Associations between refusal to take sick leave and patients’ age, gender, and diagnosis in terms of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10) were tested. Linear regression analysis of the data acquired from the patients who agreed to take sick leave was further used to estimate the possible length of sick leave in patients who refused to take it. Results: The number of patients who refused to take sick leave was 18.1%. The presenteeism rate was related to the age of patients (periods of sick leave were longer in older patients) and the ICD-10 diagnosis (largely in bacterial intestinal infections and measles). The estimated number of days spent on sick leave in patients who refused to take it, assuming that they made a different decision and complied with it, was in the range of 4–6 days. Conclusion: The prevalence of presenteeism in the case of communicable diseases in Poland is lower than in the general population. However, as the refusals to take sick leave took place in the case of potentially contagious diseases, the negative impact on productivity may be significant.

The 2019 worldwide sales of Orphan Drugs were estimated at $136 billion USD, which constituted 16% of the global pharmaceutical prescription market and is expected to grow by 12% in the next 5 years. A better understanding of Orphan Drug pricing may contribute to on-going discussions on Orphan Drug Act (ODA) corrections in US or modifications of price setting mechanisms in EU. The objective of the study was comparison and analysis of the prices of Orphan Drugs in US and EU. All drugs with Orphan Drug status were compared in the US and EU. For the US prices, the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) was sourced. The EU List Prices came from six EU countries: Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Poland, Spain. We found US prices to be higher than the six selected EU countries. The average Price Ratio was 1.64. The prices across EU countries were more homogeneous, while the number of the reimbursed and therefore available to patient medicines varied and was correlated with GDP per capita r = 0.87. Considered implementation of the External Reference Price system in US may generate significant savings in the US but may result in upward pressure on pricing of Orphan Drugs in EU. Centralization of the Orphan Drugs pricing negotiations in EU may prevent such development and offer a win-win opportunity for all involved parties.

The financial burden of adverse healthcare outcomes in Poland still remains unknown. The objective of the study was to estimate the cost of adverse healthcare outcomes in the Polish healthcare system. Cost calculation was performed on the basis of civil cases completed in Polish courts against doctors and healthcare entities. The research material consisted of 183 civil cases completed by a final judgment in 2011–2013. The case study was conducted in five out of forty-five district courts across the country. Out of 183 reviewed cases, 73 complaints ended up with favorable judgments (39.9%). The average value of the subject matter of the dispute was USD 78,675. The total expected value of lawsuits in the 183 reviewed cases was USD 11,299,020. The total amount awarded in 73 judgments from medical facilities to injured patients was USD 2,653,595, which on average means USD 36,351 per case. The average amount of awarded compensation was USD 33,317 per case. The average compensation amount in the analyzed cases was USD 11,724. The average one-time annuity for a patient was USD 11,788. The estimated costs of negative healthcare outcomes amounted to USD 8,000,000 per year.

Recently, the outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected the health situation of the entire society and necessitated reorganization of health care including oncology. The objective of this study was to examine the perception of medical services by cancer patients during the pandemic and to identify the key elements influencing the level of satisfaction with oncological care. Of note, 394 patients diagnosed with cancer treated in inpatient oncology wards participated in the study (Poland). The diagnostic survey method was used. A survey questionnaire developed by the authors was used and validated the EORTC IN-PATSAT32 questionnaire. The calculations were made in Statistica 10.0 (Statsoft, 2011, Dell Inc., Round Rock, TX, USA). The average general level of satisfaction with oncological care in the study group was 80.77 out of a total score of 100, representing the highest level of satisfaction. Levels of satisfaction varied according to time since diagnosis (longer time—greater satisfaction) and were lower where treatment was delayed or perceived as disorganised. Nearly half of the respondents felt the threat of the SARS-CoV-2 infection, despite the fact that most of them believed that the hospital was well prepared to diagnose and treat cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Convincing patients about the proper preparation of health care for diagnostics and therapy is an important element influencing patient satisfaction with oncological care.

Introduction: The basic determinant of healthy behaviour—among other human behaviours—is the fact that it consistently affects health. Nowadays, health behaviour studies are considered to be an important method of measuring the health of a population. Objective: To assess the health behaviours and value-based health analysis of people aged 50+ who were hospitalized due to cardiovascular disease, depending on the selected descriptive variables. Materials and methods: The study was conducted between April 2018 and December 2018 among 411 subjects aged 50+ who were hospitalized due to cardiovascular disease at the Independent Public Health Care Unit in Sanok (Podkarpackie voivodship in Poland). The method used in the study was a diagnostic survey. The study used the authors’ survey questionnaire and two standardized tests: Inventory of Health-Related Behaviour (IHB) and List of Health Criteria (LHC). A statistical analysis was carried out in the R program, version 3.5.1. The obtained results were subjected to thorough statistical analysis using the following tests: Student’s t, Mann–Whitney U, ANOVA, Kruskal–Wallis, Fisher’s Least Significant Difference (LSD), Pearson, and Spearman. Results: The strongest correlation between health status and health behaviours (according to the IHB questionnaire) was in the area of ‘health practices’, while the lowest correlation was found in the areas of ‘correct eating habits’ and ‘preventive behaviours’. Based on the LHC questionnaire, the most important health criteria according to the subjects were ‘not feeling any physical ailments’, ‘having all body parts functional’, ‘feeling well’, ‘eating properly’, and ‘infrequent need of going to the doctor’. A positive correlation was found in the group of respondents where the ‘preventive health behaviours’ were more intense, herein, the more important criterion for the respondents was ‘eating properly’. Conclusions: Respondents aged 50+ and hospitalized for cardiovascular diseases indicated (based on the IHB questionnaire) that health behaviours in the area of ‘health practices’ had the strongest correlation with their health, while the lowest correlation was found in the areas of ‘correct eating habits’ and ‘preventive behaviours’. According to the respondents, the most important criteria determining health (according to the LHC questionnaire) included ’not feeling any physical ailments’, and ‘infrequent need of going to the doctor’. Based on the information collected from the respondents, it was found that the most important criteria determining health depended on selected descriptive variables, such as age, gender, place of residence, education, and marital status.

GazdowiczLucyna,CiporaElżbieta,NiemiecMateusz,KrowickaEdyta. Nursing level knowledge of strokes from the study of demographic and social factors. Pedagogy and Psychology of Sport. 2021;7(2):11-20. elSSN 2450-6605. DOIhttp://dx.doi.org/10.12775/PPS.2021.07.02.001 https://apcz.umk.pl/czasopisma/index.php/PPS/article/view/PPS.2021.07.02.001 https://zenodo.org/record/4700280 The journal has had 5 points in Ministry of Science and Higher Education parametric evaluation. § 8. 2) and § 12. 1. 2) 22.02.2019. © The Authors 2021; This article is published with open access at Licensee Open Journal Systems of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland Open Access. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial License which permits any noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author (s) and source are credited. This is an open access article licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non commercial license Share alike. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/) which permits unrestricted, non commercial use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the work is properly cited. The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests regarding the publication of this paper. Received: 17.02.2021. Revised: 17.02.2021. Accepted: 20.03.2021. Nursing level knowledge of strokes from the study of demographic and social factors Poziom wiedzy studentów pielęgniarstwa na temat udarów mózgu z uwzględnieniem wybranych czynników demograficznych i społecznych Lucyna Gazdowicz ORCID iD https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7831-3096 Affiliation Jan Grodek State University in Sanok Country Poland Bio Statement — Elżbieta Cipora ORCID iD https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7794-550X Affiliation Instytut Medyczny, Uczelnia Państwowa im. Jana Grodka w Sanoku Country Poland Bio Statement — Principal contact for editorial correspondence. Mateusz Niemiec ORCID iD https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2522-8186 Affiliation Instytut Medyczny, Uczelnia Państwowa im. Jana Grodka w Sanoku Country Poland Bio Statement — Edyta Krowicka ORCID iD https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2849-7656 Affiliation Instytut Medyczny, Uczelnia Państwowa im. Jana Grodka w Sanoku Country Poland Bio Statement — Abstract Introduction. Strokes often have very serious medical, social and economic consequences. Knowledge about strokes is the basis for effective prophylaxis and makes it possible to quickly notice the symptoms and initiate appropriate therapeutic treatment in a short time. The aim of the research was to assess the level of knowledge of nursing students about strokes, taking into account selected demographic and social factors. Material and methods. The research covered a group of 120 students of nursing at the State University of Jan Grodek in Sanok. The diagnostic survey method was used. The research tool was a proprietary questionnaire containing questions about the demographic and social situation and a stroke knowledge test. The IBM SPSS v 25.0 package was used in the statistical analysis. The value of p≤0.05 was adopted as statistically significant. Results. The mean age of the respondents in the years was 33.82 (SD 9.75). The vast majority of the respondents (94.2%) were women. The average level of knowledge about stroke was highest in the 31-40 age group (83.3%). A statistically significant relationship was found between the level of education of the respondents and the level of their knowledge about strokes (p = 0.029). On the other hand, the age, marital status, place of residence and social and living conditions of students did not significantly affect the level of their knowledge about stroke. Conclusions. The overall level of knowledge about strokes among nursing students was average. Most of the subjects studied were familiar with pre-hospital management procedures in the event of a stroke, but had significant gaps in knowledge regarding the time of thrombolytic treatment initiation after the onset of stroke. In the education of nursing students, particular attention should be paid to issues related to the prevention and management of strokes. Key words: stroke; knowledge; students; demographic and social factors Abstrakt Wprowadzenie. Udary mózgu często prowadzą do bardzo poważnych następstw medycznych, społecznych i ekonomicznych. Wiedza na temat udarów stanowi podstawę skutecznej profilaktyki i daje możliwość szybkiego wychwycenia objawów oraz podjęcia w krótkim czasie odpowiedniego postępowania terapeutycznego. Celem badań była ocena poziomu wiedzy studentów kierunku pielęgniarstwo na temat udarów mózgu z uwzględnieniem wybranych czynników demograficznych i społecznych. Materiał i metody. Badaniami objęto grupę 120 studentów kierunku pielęgniarstwo Uczelni Państwowej im. Jana Grodka w Sanoku. Zastosowano metodę sondażu diagnostycznego. Narzędziem badawczym był autorski kwestionariusz ankiety zawierający pytania dotyczące sytuacji demograficznej i społecznej oraz test wiedzy na temat udarów. W analizie statystycznej zastosowano pakiet IBM SPSS v 25.0. Za istotną statystycznie przyjęto wartość p≤0,05. Wyniki. Średnia wieku respondentów w latach wyniosła 33,82 (SD 9,75). Zdecydowaną większość badanych (94,2%) stanowiły kobiety. Przeciętny poziom wiedzy na temat udarów był najwyższy w grupie wieku 31-40 lat (83,3%). Stwierdzono zależność istotną statystycznie pomiędzy poziomem wykształcenia badanych, a poziomem ich wiedzy na temat udarów mózgu (p=0,029). Natomiast wiek ,stan cywilny, miejsce zamieszkania i warunki socjalno-bytowe studentów nie miały istotnego wpływu na poziom ich wiedzy na temat udarów. Wnioski. Ogólny poziom wiedzy studentów pielęgniarstwa na temat udarów mózgu był na przeciętnym poziomie. Badane osoby w większości znały zasady postępowania przedszpitalnego w sytuacji wystąpienia udaru, ale miały znaczące braki wiedzy dotyczące czasu wdrożenia leczenia trombolitycznego od wystąpienia udaru. W edukacji studentów kierunku pielęgniarstwo należy zwrócić szczególną uwagę na zagadnienia dotyczące profilaktyki i postępowania w udarach mózgu. Keywords: udar mózgu; wiedza; studenci; czynniki demograficzne i społeczne

Introduction: Mercury is one of the elements that are commonly found in nature. This element is highly toxic, mainly affecting the nervous system, kidneys and lungs. Mercury ions can accumulate in bone and cartilage and build up behind calcium ions in carbonates and hydroxyapatites. High mercury concentrations in the spongy bone compared to the compacted bone were found. Aim: The aim of the manuscript was to assess the mercury content in tibial and femoral tissue taken from patients undergoing knee arthroplasty. Material and methods: Samples were taken from 17 patients (tibial and femoral bone samples), collected from patients who underwent knee arthroplasty. The tested samples were homogenized and determined by atomic absorption spectrometry and the AMA 254 amalgamation technique. Studies have shown mercury presence in all samples tested. Results and discussion: The range of mercury content in the tested samples was 3.3–19.18 μg/kg. The average for the examined bone tissue samples was 8.71 μg/kg, while for the tibia it was slightly higher (9.08 μg/kg), compared to the femur (8.34 μg/kg). There was a high mercury content in men’s bone tissue (10.05 μg/kg), compared to women (8.15 μg/kg). In both sexes, higher levels of mercury in the tibia were found in men (11.08 μg/kg in men, and 8.24 μg/kg in women). Conclusions: The dependence between mercury concentration in bone tissue and the patient’s age, weight and BMI, the number of cigarettes smoked and the consumption of fish and seafood were checked. There were no statistically significant correlations between these indicators.

Introduction: Numerous studies conducted in Europe and worldwide have indicated that employees of hospitality venues are the most exposed professional group to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) in the workplace. The purpose of this study was to assess the exposure of employees of hospitality venues to ETS in the light of changes in anti-tobacco legislation in Poland. Materials and methods: The study consisted of two stages. The first stage was conducted in 2010, while the second in 2015. The study was conducted among employees of 300 randomly selected hospitality venues in the city of Ł&oacute, dź (Poland). In total, 2607 questionnaires were analysed. The study used two survey questionnaires created and recommended by the Institute for Global Tobacco Control to study exposure to ETS. Statistical analysis was made with Statistica 13.1 PL (StatSoft, Poland). Results: In the group of all nonsmoking employees, individuals exposed to ETS at work in 2010 accounted for 72.6%, while in 2015 it was 51.8%. Factors affecting exposure to ETS in the workplace included, among others: age, marital status, education, position held, presence of a smoking room on the premises, and noncompliance with the provisions of the anti-tobacco laws. Conclusions: The prevalence of tobacco smoking among employees of hospitality venues decreased in 2010&ndash, 2015, however, it remained high. More than half of nonsmoking employees were exposed to ETS at work.

Introduction The biggest threat to life are cardiovascular diseases which are a serious problem in Poland, Europe, and worldwide. Therefore, it has become important to have proper health behaviours which significantly eliminate the occurrence and development of cardiovascular diseases. Objective The main aim of this study is to present factors that determine health behaviours of the 50+ population with cardiovascular diseases. Material and methods The study was carried out among 411 individuals aged over 50 with cardiovascular diseases. The method used was a diagnostic survey. The study involved an authors' survey questionnaire and the Inventory of Health-Related Behaviours (IHB). A detailed statistical analysis was carried out in the R programme, version 3.5.1. Results The most common disease in the study group was coronary heart disease - 63.75%. The majority of respondents showed (via Inventory of Health-Related Behaviour [IHB]) that the level of their health behaviours was moderate - 41.12%; the highest level of health behaviours in the study group were related to health practices, while a slightly lower level was observed in the area of positive mental attitude. Statistical significance was also found between the level of intensity of health behaviours and age, gender, BMI, place of residence, education, professional activity and marital status of the respondents. Conclusions Anti-health behaviours were predominant among the respondents; significant demographic and social factors determining health behaviour were determined, such as age and gender; a high level of health behaviours was found in the group of women with higher education and correct body mass, living in cities and married.

Introduction: Cancer is associated with chronic pain, which significantly reduces the quality of life. The level of pain depends on the dominant pain management strategy that the patient uses. Objective: This study seeks to evaluate the application of the Pain Coping Strategies Questionnaire among cancer patients and develop norms allowing differentiation of patients with diagnosed cancer in terms of pain management strategies. Material and Methods: The study involved 1187 patients diagnosed with malignant cancer, who are under outpatient care of the Maria Sklodowska-Curie Institute—Oncology Center in Warsaw. The study used the Pain Coping Strategies Questionnaire (CSQ) elaborated by A.K. Rosentel and F.J. Keefe. Results: Socioeconomic variables and medical factors affect pain management strategies chosen by patients. The area most strongly differentiated by the studied variables is praying/hoping. Factors that have the greatest impact on the choice of pain management strategies for cancer patients include education, income, and radiation therapy. Sten standards were developed to determine the severity of pain management strategies used in the low-average-high categories. Conclusions: The CSQ questionnaire should be used in cancer patients, and the result of the strategy used can be a prognostic factor for the expected effects of therapy. Knowledge of the variables most strongly affecting patients’ choice of strategies that are not conducive to strengthening health attitudes and the ability to determine the severity of pain management strategies on standard scales allows us to focus psychotherapeutic activities on patients who need support most.