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The aim of the study was to assess the success of an adaption of the Students' Attitudes Towards Addressing Sexual Health Extended Questionnaire (SA-SH-Ext) in meeting Polish linguistic and cultural norms, as well as to ascertain the nursing and midwifery students' attitudes towards addressing sexual health using the SA-SH-Ext questionnaire. The sample size of the cross-sectional validation study consisted of 570 Polish nursing and midwifery students. The collected data was used to examine the internal consistency reliability and construct validity using exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Internal consistency reliability showed a Cronbach's alpha value of 0.91, and construct validity measured by exploratory factor analysis (EFA) demonstrated good results. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy (KMO) was high and amounted to 0.923, and the Bartlett's test of sphericity was significant (p = 0.000). The analysis of construct validity demonstrated five major factors: "Present feelings of comfortableness" (Factor 1), "Future working environment" (Factor 2), "Fear of negative influence on future patient relation" (Factor 3), "Educational needs—Awareness of knowledge gap" (Factor 4), "Educational needs—Awareness of the needs for competences" (Factor 5). The SA-SH-Ext v.PL questionnaire is a reliable and valuable instrument for assessing the level of perceived preparedness among nursing and midwifery students in addressing patient sexual health, a field often neglected in health and holistic care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. This study aimed to investigate how nursing students utilised the "DiagNurse" mobile app to assess patient health conditions during their clinical apprenticeships. Material and methods. This prospective, quasi-experimental post-test study included a convenience sample of 62 undergraduate nursing students. In the course of the work, they utilized paper-based measurement scales (first measurement) and the mobile app (second measurement) to assess patient health conditions during clinical practice. In total, 432 clinical condition assessments were performed on patients in the first measurement and 432 in the second measurement. Following the clinical assessment, two types of post-tests were employed to ascertain the usability of the mobile app: quantitative testing using the System Usability Scale and qualitative testing. Results. The mean SUS score was 80.2 (SD 15.67). The majority of the students agreed that the utilisation of the mobile app to assess a patient's health condition is faster (M=3.21) and more convenient (M=3.16) than the use of paper-based scales and questionnaires. On a 0–10 scale, the study participants rated it as "highly recommended" (M=8.03) for fellow nursing students or practicing nurses. Conclusions. Although the "DiagNurse" mobile app was considered a suitable tool for learning clinical patient assessment, the students also proposed some improvements to the app's design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Pregnancy is a very sensitive period for a woman and her environment. Technological progress allows women to exercise greater self-control over their health and expands the possibilities of obtaining information about pregnancy, but at present little research focuses on how and why women use mobile applications during pregnancy. Objectives. The aim of the study was to determine the profile of the use of mobile applications monitoring the course of pregnancy and its predictors among pregnant women. Material and methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2022 using the CAWI method and responses were obtained by sharing a link to the survey in pregnancy groups on Facebook. The research used the author’s questionnaire, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Multidimensional Social Support Scale, and the Security Experience Questionnaire. Results. 1,077 pregnant women participated in the study, 1,002 of whom used and 75 of whom did not use medical applications monitoring the course of pregnancy. Most of the surveyed women were aged 26–35 and were in their first pregnancy and in the third trimester. On the SWLS scale, women represented a moderate level of life satisfaction (23.85 ± 5.28). The average score on the MSPSS scale was 69.13 ± 12.62, with women receiving the most support from a significant other (25.35 ± 4.1). Conclusions. The probability of using mobile applications by women increased with the presence of comorbidities, treating pregnancy as a stressor, a higher score on the subscale of feeling and reflection on safety and among women aged 26–35. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic had forced intensive care unit (ICU) nurses to adapt to extreme conditions in a short period of time. This resulted in them experiencing extremely stressful situations. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between post-traumatic growth (PTG) and religiosity and spirituality (R/S) among nurses caring for COVID-19 patients in intensive care during the pandemic. Materials and methods: 120 nurses working in Lublin, eastern Poland, participated in the cross-sectional study. The questionnaire was made up of three standardised tools: The Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory, The Santa Clara Strength of Religious Faith Questionnaire, The Spiritual Attitude and Involvement List. Results: In terms of spirituality, the study group of nurses achieved the highest score in the Connectedness with Nature subscale (4.37 ± 1.07), while the strength of religious beliefs had a positive correlation with post-traumatic growth only in the Spiritual changes subscale (r = 0.422, p < 0.001). The following dimensions of spirituality were significantly correlated with post-traumatic growth in the multifactor model that included religiosity and spirituality: Transcendent experiences, Spiritual activities, Meaningfulness, Acceptance, and Trust. We saw that increase in the assessment of the Transcendent experiences, Meaningfulness and Trust subscales significantly mirrors increase in post-traumatic growth, while increase in the assessment of the Spiritual activities and Acceptance subscales significantly mirrors decrease in post-traumatic growth. The above variables explained up to 44% of the dependent variable. Conclusion: Both religiosity and spirituality were significantly associated with post-traumatic growth in the group of ICU nurses, but spirituality appears to have played a larger role. Our findings support the value and significance of the development of spiritual and religious identity as a means of enhancing positive psychological changes in the face of traumatic events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) The objective of the study was to determine the relationship between depressiveness and the occurrence of eating disorders, i.e., emotional eating, uncontrolled eating, cognitive restraint of eating, and the risk of orthorexia. (2) The study was conducted among 556 women from the West Pomeranian Voivodeship (Poland). The study employed the diagnostic survey method using a questionnaire technique: The Beck Depression Inventory, the ORTO—15 Questionnaire, the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire, and a sociodemographic questionnaire. (3) Higher depressiveness severity is associated with a higher score on the "Cognitive Restraint of Eating" scale. The authors' original study demonstrated a statistically significant relationship only between depressiveness and the "Uncontrolled Eating" subscale (p = 0.001). (4) The results of this study suggest that depressiveness is an important factor that contributes to a better understanding of eating behaviors. In addition, the results of this study suggest that eating behaviors and psychological factors should be taken into account in psychological interventions in the treatment of eating disorders. The clinical goal can be considered to be an improvement in non-normative eating behaviors, such as a reduction in overeating episodes or eating less frequently in the absence of a feeling of hunger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. The continuous dynamic development of medical applications creates new opportunities in perinatal care that need to be analyzed and continuously updated. Special attention should be paid to how their use affects the condition of pregnant women and their families. Aim. The aim of the study was to determine the differences in the sense of security and social support, and life satisfaction between pregnant women using and not using medical applications. Material and methods. Cross-sectional studies using the CAWI method were conducted in March 2022. The research used an original questionnaire The Satisfaction With Life Scale, The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the Security Experience Questionnaire. Results. A total number of 1077 pregnant women participated in the study, 1002 of whom used and 75 did not use medical applications monitoring the course of pregnancy. Most of the surveyed women were aged 26-35, and were in their first pregnancy and in the third trimester. The most frequently cited reasons for using the application were pictures showing the fetus size and monitoring the baby condition, while the reason for not using the application was considering it a waste of time. Conclusions. Women using mobile applications were characterized by higher scores on life satisfaction, sense of security, and social support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Many purine derivatives are active pharmaceutical ingredients of significant importance in the therapy of autoimmune diseases, cancers, and viral infections. In many cases, their medical use is limited due to unfavorable physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties. These problems can be overcome by the preparation of the prodrugs of purines or by combining these compounds with nanoparticles. Herein, we aim to review the scientific progress and perspectives for polymer-based nanoparticles as drug delivery systems for purines. Polymeric nanoparticles turned out to have the potential to augment antiviral and antiproliferative effects of purine derivatives by specific binding to receptors (ASGR1—liver, macrophage mannose receptor), increase in drug retention (in eye, intestines, and vagina), and permeation (intranasal to brain delivery, PEPT1 transport of acyclovir). The most significant achievements of polymer-based nanoparticles as drug delivery systems for purines were found for tenofovir disoproxil in protection against HIV, for acyclovir against HSV, for 6-mercaptopurine in prolongation of mice ALL model life, as well as for 6-thioguanine for increased efficacy of adoptively transferred T cells. Moreover, nanocarriers were able to diminish the toxic effects of acyclovir, didanosine, cladribine, tenofovir, 6-mercaptopurine, and 6-thioguanine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research suggests that various biological and psychosocial mechanisms are involved in the heterogeneous and complex relationship between dietary patterns and depressive symptoms. The occurrence of depressive symptoms is thought to be related to socioeconomic status (SES), with those with lower SES being more likely to experience persistent depression. The aim of the undertaken study was to investigate whether socioeconomic and health variables are associated with dietary assessment in a population with high rates of social deprivation and whether a relationship exists between dietary assessment and depressive symptoms (DS). The respondents' nutrition was evaluated through a qualitative method, using the Perinumeric Periodic Table questionnaire by Starzyńska. At the same time, the prevalence of DS was assessed employing the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). In the DS screening (PHQ-9 ≥ 10), in the entire study population, the risk of DS was 16.1% (n = 605). In our entire study population, up to 61.2% (n = 2297) of the respondents exhibited poor dietary patterns. In the multivariate model, women with almost adequate or poor dietary assessment were 1.62 and 2.18 times more likely to score at least 10 on the PHQ-9 questionnaire, as compared to women whose dietary assessment was good or adequate. In conclusion, it was determined that sociodemographic variables affect nutritional habits. Women who lived in rural areas limited to a vocational education had significantly poorer diets. Moreover, men, younger men, smokers, and those without chronic diseases were characterized by a poorer dietary assessment. Additionally, women who had a better dietary assessment were significantly more likely to have lower scores on the questionnaire assessing the occurrence of DS (PHQ-9 10). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coping with stress is an important skill that is vital to human functioning. Spirituality and Religiosity are also determinant factors in the life decisions, experiences, and behavior of young people, which help them take on positive or negative coping strategies in the face of stressors. The aim of this study was to determine how spiritual engagement may mediate the relationship between an individual's religiosity and their use of religious coping strategies. A total of 342 students from two universities in eastern Poland participated in the study. The average age was 20.85 [95% CI: 20.607-21.095] years old. In the study group, 87.3% of respondents admitted to being Roman Catholic, while in declarations of faith, 65.1% said they were believers, and another 13.9% considered themselves deeply religious. The data were collected using the two standardized scales: the Brief - Religious Coping Questionnaire (Brief RCOPE) and Spiritual Attitude and Involvement List (SAIL). It was observed that positive religious coping strategies prevailed among the students surveyed. The highest-rated SAIL subscale was the Meaningfulness (4.65; 95% CI: 4.571-4.723), while the lowest was Transcendent Experience (3.28; 95% CI: 3.172-3.384). Significant positive correlations were found between the six areas of spirituality assessed by the SAIL scale and positive religious coping strategies. The results showed a significant total effect of religiosity on positive religious coping (beta=0,755; B=7.665;p<0.001; 95% CI: 6.30; 8.40). The direct effect of religiosity on positive religious coping was significant (beta=0,562; B=5.706; p<0.001; 95% CI: 4.85; 6.56). The effect of religiosity on positive religious coping was partially mediated by Transcendent Experiences and Spiritual Activities. The total indirect effect was 0.193 (95% CI: 0.125; 0.265). The results showed that transcendental experiences and spiritual activity were mediators in the relationship between religiosity and positive religious stress coping strategies. The mediations were partial. The introducing aspects of spirituality and religiosity into higher education programs can help students of both medical and non-medical faculties to respond to the many difficult situations of daily life and move forward with a sense of achieving their designated tasks and goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cultural competencies are known as a multidimensionalconstruct; however, they usually refer to an individual's sensitivity orcultural attitudes, cultural awareness, knowledge, and skills. Aim: The aim of the study was to compare the cultural competences of nurses in Poland and Lithuania based on an adaptation of the Nurse Cultural Competence Scale (NCCS). Design: The design was a comparative cross‐sectional study. Methods: A total of 383 Polish nurses and 184 Lithuanian nurses took part in the study. The questionnaires of the NCCS—Polish version (NCCS‐v.PL) and the NCCS—Lithuanian version (NCCS‐v.L) were used after linguistic adaptation and an evaluation of psychometric properties. Results: As a result of the comparative analysis, a higher general level of cultural competences (based on the NCCS) was found in the Lithuanian group M‐148.09 (SD = 22.85). The results show statistically significant differences among the respondents in the subscale of Nurse Cultural Competence Scale‐Cultural Knowledge (NCCS‐CK; p ˂ 0.001); higher competences of the nurses were found in the Group LT (M = 31.05; SD = 6.75) than in the Group PL (M = 28.82; SD = 7.82). In the group of Polish nurses (Group PL), the intensity of cultural competences was found to increase along with age (NCCS‐v.P r = 0.157, p < 0.05); this, however, was not observed in the Group LT (NCCS‐v.LT, p > 0.05). Conclusions: Both the nurses in Poland and in Lithuania are characterised by an average level of cultural competences. Diversity in the level of cultural competences was found in both groups depending on age, education and work experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Palliative Medicine / Medycyna Paliatywna 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. Ensuring comfort in patients in palliative home care is a difficult task. Care, in which patient's comfort is fundamental, was fi rst introduced by Katharine Kolcaba. Aim. Assessing comfort levels of patients in palliative home care, including selected determinants of this condition. Material and methods. The study included 55 palliative care patients in home settings, receiving services provided by the home palliative care team and a group of 63 informal caregivers providing home care. A pilot study, by diagnostic survey, using a survey questionnaire with the PAPI technique was conducted among patients in palliative care treated in home-based settings in the fi rst half of 2022. Results. There was a statistically signifi cant relationship between satisfaction with care, and the level of comfort provided (p<0.05). Those who strongly indicated satisfaction were characterized by signifi cantly higher levels of comfort provided (M=35.43; SD=5.32 vs. M=33.38; SD=4.63), compared to other patients. Conclusions. There is a correlation between the level of comfort perceived by patients, and methods of providing comfort to patients in home settings used by informal caregivers. Individuals, who are characterized by a higher feeling of comfort provision, at the same time achieve higher degree of comfort provided by the caregiver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of our study was to assess the level of social competencies among primary health care nurses, and to identify the work‐related determinants. Background: Developing social skills of nurses are necessary to establish better relations with patients. Improving these skills allows for higher quality of patient care, as well as patient and nurse satisfaction. Methods: For the study, 253 primary health care centres were randomly chosen in the Eastern Poland; 600 questionnaires were sent to the nurses employed in these facilities. After checking whether the data met the requirements, 446 nurses took part in the survey. The data were collected using the Social Competencies Profile, the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire, and the catalogue of primary health care nurse activities. Results: Older nurses possess lower level of social skills (r = −0.10, p = 0.04). Postgraduate education in the last 2 years differentiated the results of social competencies (p = 0.03) as well as place of residence in the subscale community awareness (p = 0.04). The predictors of social skills among psychosocial work conditions were as follows: Influence at Work (p = 0.02), Possibilities for Development (p < 0.001), Meaning of Work (p < 0.001), Social Support (p = 0.001), Quality of Leadership (p = 0.03), Job Satisfaction (p < 0.001), and General Health (p = 0.001). On the other hand, tasks like Activities in the treatment room (p = 0.003) and Promotion and prevention (p < 0.001) carried out by a nurse anticipated higher level of social skills. Conclusions: The results of the research proved that work‐related factors such as influence at work, professional development, sense of social support, understanding of the meaning of work, perception of the quality of leadership, and higher job satisfaction influence the development of social competencies of nurses; therefore, shaping an appropriate work environment is an important task, especially for leaders and managers of nursing. Implications for Nursing Management: We recommend that nursing leaders and health policy makers adopt new strategies and educational programs, which include social skills training as part of the curriculum for the development of the social competencies of nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Social skills are a very important element in the work of a nurse. These skills support patient-centered care and improve the quality of care, and for nurses, they are a protective factor against burnout syndrome, also they improve team work. Therefore, it is so important to search for their determinants. The objective of the article was to evaluate the relation between empathy and type D personality with the level of social competences of primary healthcare nurses. Material and methods. The research was conducted among primary healthcare nurses from the Lubelskie Voivodeship, using the following tools: The Social Competences Profile (PROKOS); Type D Personality Scale (DS-14), Empathic Understanding of Other People Questionnaire (KRE) and the sociodemographic data questionnaire. Results. We analyzed the responses of 446 nurses. In the study group 65% of the nurses had an average level of social competences. The research also evaluated the level of empathy demonstrated by primary healthcare nurses. The mean score for the level of empathy was M=64.63 points (SD=10.16). When it comes to 39% of the researched group of nurses (n=172), they demonstrated type D personality. The correlation analysis proved that the level of empathy among primary healthcare nurses significantly (p<0.001) supported their social competences. Furthermore the negative affectivity and social inhibition correlated significantly negatively (p<0.001) with social skills of nurses. Conclusions. Our research enabled us to discover the relations between empathy and type D personality with the level of social competences of primary healthcare nurses. Research further indicated insufficient level of social skills of nurses and the need to investigate factors, which could support their shaping. Further, in-depth research is required in this field, including quantitative analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. The aim of the study is to present the meaning, potential of use and legal issues related to the use of complementary, alternative and integrative medicine in the European Union member states. Material and methods. Non-systematic review. Analysis of the literature on the subject covering the issues related to using and legal issues of complementary and alternative medicine methods in the context of the integration of Evidence Based Medicine methods into conventional medicine. Results. Despite attempts to introduce restrictions and introduce legal regulations regarding the use of unconventional medicine, it is still common to use unconfirmed methods, based on information searched on the Internet or using the services of people without any education in a given field. Lack of or insufficient regulations to manage the quality, safety and effectiveness of complementary and alternative medicine methods, and the lack of integration between the health care system and CAM pose the greatest risk. Conclusions. Due to the ever-increasing public demand for the use of complementary medicine methods, it is necessary to take steps to introduce integrative medicine that will ensure safe and effective patient-centered care, taking into account the comparability and availability of CAM practices in European Union member states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Natural Fibers is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd 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.)

Purpose: The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence concerning metabolic syndrome (MetS) in a local community with a low socioeconomic status and a medium and high cardiovascular risk on the example of residents of Janów Lubelski district, eastern Poland. The second goal of the research was to analyze the relationship between residence and the occurrence of MetS. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 4040 people living in eastern Poland. A group of 3046 people with medium and high cardiovascular risk was selected among the respondents and included in further analyzes. The research adopted the definition criteria proposed by the National Cholesterol Education Program – Third Adult Treatment Panel (NCEP ATP III) to implement diagnostic evaluation of MetS. Results: It was observed that metabolic syndrome was significantly more frequent among the inhabitants of rural areas (40.56%; n=810) compared to those living in the city (35.27%; n=370) p=0.005. Among the inhabitants of rural areas, the percentage of people with elevated glucose levels was significantly higher, fasting blood glucose (FGB) p< 0.001, elevated blood pressure (HBP) p< 0.001, elevated serum triglycerides (TGs) p=0.01, and abnormal waist circumference (WC) p=0.003 compared to urban inhabitants. After adjusting for potential confounding variables (age, education, smoking, marital status, and level of physical activity), in both women and men, the odds of developing metabolic syndrome were approximately 30% higher in rural areas compared to urban residents (women: odds ratio (OR)=1.25, 95% confidence intervals (CI)=1.01– 1.56; men: OR=1.30, 95% CI=1.01– 1.67). Conclusion and Recommendations: A higher incidence of metabolic syndrome was observed among respondents living in rural areas than those living in cities. Similarly, across the gender strata, metabolic syndrome is more commonly diagnosed among men and women living in rural areas. Healthcare workers, especially in rural areas, should engage in education, prevention, and the promotion of a healthy lifestyle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Testicular cancer is the most common cancer among young men. Research suggests self-examination is a useful tool in the prevention of testicular cancer. The aim of the study is to evaluate the knowledge of students in eastern Poland on the topic of testicular cancer and how to prevent this. Materials and methods: A total of 410 male students were recruited from the cities of Lublin and Chełm in eastern Poland. The study was conducted by means of an original diagnostic opinion poll. The study was conducted in 2017. Results: The age range of respondents was 18-28 years. The average age was 21.24 ±1.43 years. The majority of respondents (46.1%, n = 189) had sufficient knowledge concerning testicular cancer prevention. Only 12.44% of the men declared regular testicular self-examination. Conclusions: Awareness of testicular cancer in the population of surveyed students is insufficient, which is the main reason for failure to regularly self-examine the testes. Implementation of educational programs and training on the prevention of testicular cancer is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Spirituality has a multi-dimensional nature which influences the professional activities of nurses in a caring profession. Aim. Identifying selected determinants of spirituality among nurses and their relationship with socio-demographic factors. Material and methods. Research was conducted in 2018 on 144 nurses. All of the respondents were active in their profession. The research was made with diagnostic survey method using standardized research tools, including a Self-Description Questionnaire (SDQ), the Spiritual Transcendence Scale (STS), and the Brief Religious Coping (RCOPE) questionnaire, (BR). Results. It was established that age and professional seniority positively correlate with Religious Attitude (SDQ), p<0.05; Transcendence Proper (STS), p<0.01; and with positive religious stress-coping strategies (BR), p<0.01. It shows that a declaration of relationship to faith positively correlates with the subscales of the questionnaire (SDQ), i.e. Religious Attitude (r=0.247, p<0.01), Ethical sensitivity (rho=0.230, p<0.01), and Harmony (r=0.218, p<0.05). Moreover, a strong correlation was confirmed with Transcendence Proper (STS), r=0.40, p<0.01, and with positive religious strategies for coping with stress (BR), r=0.505, p<0.01, and declared relationship to faith. Conclusions. The dimensions of spirituality are significantly related to age, seniority, declaration of attitude to faith, and positive religious stress-coping strategies. Predictors of spirituality among nurses are place of residence, spiritual openness and negative religious stress-coping strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) constitute the first cause of death among the population of developing and developed countries. Atherosclerosis, which is a disorder with multifactorial etiopathogenesis, underlies most CVDs. The available literature includes ample research studies on the influence of classic cardiovascular (CV) risk factors. However, environmental exposure to heavy metals, among other substances, is still an unappreciated risk factor of CVDs. This study aimed to assess the concentration of some heavy metals (copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co), and iron (Fe)) in the blood serum of postmyocardial infarction (post-MI) patients and patients free from myocardial infarction (MI) as well as estimate the relationship between the occurrence of MI and increased concentration of heavy metals. The concentration of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Mn, Co, and Fe) was assessed using the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry technique in a group of 146 respondents divided into two groups: post-MI group (study group (SG), n = 74) and group without cardiovascular event (CVE) having a low CV risk (control group (CG), n = 72). The concentration of the analyzed heavy metals was higher in SG. All the heavy metals showed a significant diagnostic value p < 0.001 . The highest value of area under the curve (AUC) was observed for manganese (Mn) (0.955; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.922–0.988), while the lowest value was found for zinc (Zn) (0.691; 95% CI = 0.599–0.782). In one-dimensional models, high concentrations of each of the analyzed heavy metals significantly increased the chances of having MI from 7-fold (Cu) to 128-fold (Mn). All the models containing a particular metal showed a significant and high discrimination value for MI occurrence (AUC 0.72–0.92). Higher concentrations of Cu, Zn, Mn, Co, and Fe were found to considerably increase the chances of having MI. Considering the increasingly higher environmental exposure to heavy metals in recent times, their concentrations can be distinguished as a potential risk factor of CVDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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.)

Introduction: Measuring nurses' cultural competence is an important aspect in monitoring the acceptable quality in multicultural populations, and is a means for efficient modification of the educational process of nurses based on this assessment. Purpose: The goal of this article is to offer a preliminary assessment of the cultural competence of nurses based on a Polish-language and -culture version of the Nurse Cultural Competence Scale (NCCS). Research method: An adaptive and diagnostic cross-disciplinary concept was used in the research. Two hundred thirty-eight professionally active nurses in the southeast region of Poland took part in this study. The NCCS-Polish version (NCCS-P) questionnaire was used after linguistic adaptation and analysis of psychometric properties. Results: Moderate levels of competence in the Cultural Knowledge Subscale (M = 3.42) were found in the group of nurses studied. The results indicate lowest competency levels in the Cultural Skill Subscale (M = 3.14). The highest values were obtained for the Cultural Awareness Subscale (M = 3.98) and the Cultural Sensitivity Subscale (M = 3.72). The Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient for the NCCS-P scale was 0.94, with the subscale values ranging from 0.72 to 0.95. Factor validity analysis of the Polish adaptation of the NCCS-P scale pointed to its four-factor structure. The Kaiser-Mayer-Olkin sampling adequacy test was 0.905, and the Bartlett test of sphericity result was χ2 = 5755.107; df = 820; p<0.001. The four-factor structure is affirmed by the Kaiser criterion and the scree test result. Conclusions: The NCCS-P psychometric properties were highly reliable and significant because of the opportunity for using them for research in Poland. Practical implications: The scale can be used in intercultural research for comparing cultural competence of nurses, including Polish ones. This scale facilitates the precise monitoring of cultural competence among nurses and nurse managers, which may help in developing nursing policies geared toward a commitment to expanding cultural competence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Palliative Medicine / Medycyna Paliatywna 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. The functioning of the family within the concept of family-centered care (FCC ) is an important issue in primary care. Understanding of the functioning of the patient’s family system is necessary to ensure effective care. The Family Apgar Questionnaire allows one to determine the family situation of those examined. Objectives. Assessment of the family situation of primary care patients using the Family Apgar Questionnaire and determination of its credibility in primary care in Poland. Material and methods. The study was conducted on a group of 154 primary care patients. The study used the Family Apgar Questionnaire and own questions about socio-demographic, disease and family factors. The reliability of the Family Apgar Scale was assessed using Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient. Results. Almost 26% of the respondents had disorders in the family system. Serious family dysfunction was detected in 1 patient, whereas in over 73%, there were no significant disturbances in the family system. Family situation was significantly related to the overall result of the Family Apgar Scale. The Family Apgar Questionnaire was shown to have high reliability (Cronbach’s Alpha > 0.81). Conclusions. The subjective assessment of the functioning of the family of primary care patients was at good level. The reliability coefficient of measurements indicates the right choice of questions and high consistency in responses to individual questions. The Family Apgar Questionnaire is a reliable tool for detecting disorders in the family system, which can be used in primary care in Poland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Spirituality is vital in the holistic approach to nursing care. The personal spirituality of nurses has been documented to have an impact on the spiritual nursing care they provide. Aim: To validate the Polish version of the Spiritual Attitude and Involvement List (SAIL) among nurses and to describe spiritual attitudes and involvement of nurses as measured with the tool. Design: A cross-sectional, validation study was performed according to the STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology guidelines. Methods: Study involving 163 nurses, with the use of four tools: (a) the SAIL; (b) the Self-Description Questionnaire; (c) the Scale of Spiritual Transcendence; and (d) the Brief Religious Coping questionnaire. Results: The Explanatory Factor Analysis identified six factors and 25 items were retained explaining a total variance of 67.96%. In the Confirmative Factor Analysis, acceptable index fit values were obtained. Correlations were found between SAIL and the Brief Religious Coping questionnaire, the Self-Description Questionnaire, and the Spiritual Transcendence Scale. Nurses reported the highest scores on 'Meaningfulness' (= 4.95 out of 6.0, Standard Deviation [SD] 0.56) and the lowest on the 'Transcendent Experiences' factor (= 3.21 out of 6.0, SD 0.93). A strong correlation was found between 'Spiritual Activities' and the religious involvement of nurses (r = 0.506), and between 'Connectedness with nature' and the nurses' age and work experience (r = 0.315 and r = 0.321, respectively). Conclusion: The Polish version of SAIL shows acceptable psychometric properties and construct validity. With the validation of SAIL, future studies can be undertaken with the aim of measuring the personal spirituality of nurses in various settings (hospital vs. community), cultures, and countries, thus increasing the opportunity to compare findings. Moreover, more studies should be performed in order to assess whether there is any connection between personal spirituality and the spiritual nursing care provided to patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Palliative Medicine / Medycyna Paliatywna 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 Nursing in the 21st Century is the property of Sciendo 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 Nursing in the 21st Century is the property of Sciendo 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 Palliative Medicine / Medycyna Paliatywna 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 concept of health literacy is often used as "health competence", "health ability. It involves the skills and motivation of people to obtain and understand health information. To improve health understanding and assessment of health literacy, many instruments have been developed to measure health competences in different populations. Among them there is the multidimensional, comprehensive questionnaire HLS-EU-Q16, developed by the Consortium of European Countries. Aim. Review of health literacy studies using the European Health Competence Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q16) based on literature analysis. Method. Thematic review, unsystematic literature covering the years 2010-2018. The number of 17 source items was analyzed by the authors. Results. The overall level of health literacy was higher in European research than in non-European research. Low levels of health literacy were found in the elderly and chronically ill, immigrants and prisoners, as well as people with low education. The analysis of the research shows that the limited health skills of the respondents are related to the deterioration of the functional state and cognitive skills in the elderly. The decisive determinant of the low level of health literacy among immigrants and prisoners is unemployment and low level of education. Adequate health education plays a key role in improving the social level of health awareness and contributes to the long-term health of the entire population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Social competences are indispensable in occupations reliant on interpersonal interactions, such as in medical professions, e.g. nursing, conditioning not only the effective construction of interpersonal relationships, but ever more often emphasizing a positive impact on strengthening coping skills in stressful situations. The object of our study was to assess the connection of social competences with the sense of general mental health and intensity of stress in the group of nurses. Materials and methods: In the study took part 291 nurses (ages 23-63, mean job seniority 11 years, SD = 10.22). We used the Social Competence Questionnaire (KKS) according to Anna Matczak, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), as adapted by Zygfryd Juczyński and Nina Ogińska-Bulik, and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) in the adaptation of Zofia Makowska and Dorota Merecz to collect information for the study. Results: Stress intensity among respondents averaged 16.83 points (SD = 4.47). In the 4 analyzed indicators of the GHQ-28, the mean point score was: somatic symptoms M = 8.45, anxiety and insomnia M = 8.75, functional disorders M = 8.07, depression symptoms M = 2.46. 38.1% of the results of the level of general mental health were in the range 5-6, which is the average level of mental health perceived in the group of nurses. Conclusions: The level of perceived stress among more than half of the surveyed group of nurses was average (52.6%). The level of social competences is not significantly correlated with the intensity of stress experienced. The level of general mental health of 38.1% of the nurses fell in the range of average. The level of social competences significantly correlates with the general mental health status of the nurse respondents (R = -0.254, p < 0.001). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Menopause is a difficult period in a woman's life, associated not only with the end of menstruation, but also with symptoms such as hot flashes, sweating, dizziness, and palpitations which occur due to fluctuations in the hormones oestrogen and progesterone. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of life of women (aged 48-55 years) in the physical, mental and social spheres, to determine the intensity of menopause symptoms and to ascertain whether the above indicators are influenced by sociodemographic factors. The study was conducted by diagnostic survey using two tools - the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire for the measurement of the quality of life and the Kupperman index, which measures the severity of menopause symptoms. A total of 161 women not using hormone replacement therapy were examined. In their case, the intensity of menopause symptoms was moderate. The respondents assessed their functioning in the social sphere with the highest number of points (3.65) and in the physical sphere with the lowest number of points (3.14). The intensity of menopause symptoms positively correlated with the evaluation of the quality of life by the respondents. Higher assessment of the quality of life was reported by women working in a given period of time, with good material status, sexually active. The respondents suffered from chronic diseases, most often arterial hypertension. The occurrence of chronic diseases - arterial hypertension, coronary artery disease, diabetes and osteoporosis - negatively affected the quality of life of the respondents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is insufficient research into informal caregivers' quality of life (QoL) in Poland. The purpose of this work is to study predictors that considerably affect QoL of informal caregivers (IC) providing home care for seniors with chronic diseases and a functional performance deficit. Materials and methods: In the cross-sectional research design, ICs were randomly chosen among the geriatric population receiving care in 5 primary health care settings. The WHOQoL-AGE questionnaire was used to assess QoL of ICs (n=138). The Barthel scale and Polish version of the Abbreviated Mental Test Score (AMTS) were applied to assess individuals with chronic diseases and functional and mental performance deficits (n=138). The Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form (GDS-SF) was used to measure the extent of risk of depressive symptoms in care-receivers. A hierarchical regression analysis was carried out to determine predictors of caregivers' QoL. Results: Mean values in the group of seniors provided with home care were as follows: the Barthel scale M=43.20, SD=27.06, the AMTS M=7.78 (SD=1.65), and the GDS-SF M=7.34 (SD=3.10). QoL of ICs (the WHOQoL-AGE) was M=70.14 (SD=15.31). Significant predictors of caregivers' QoL turned out to be support in care given by others β =0.605, p<0.001, experience in care β =–0.220; p<0.001, caregivers' health self-assessment β =0.174, p<0.001, and depressive disorders in care-receivers GDS β = −0.178, p<0.001. Conclusions: The QoL of ICs who provide care for individuals with chronic diseases and a functional performance deficit improves with an increase in the support they receive from others, their higher health self-assessment, and greater experience in care. An increase in depressive symptoms in care-receivers determines a lower level of caregivers' QoL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Palliative Medicine / Medycyna Paliatywna 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: Old age–based discrimination is observed as the most tolerated prejudice in society and has also been witnessed in healthcare institutions. Aims: The aim of this study is to explore age-based discrimination in healthcare institutions as perceived by seniors and students of Medicine and Nursing. Research design: A multi-method study design, by involving a triangulation design. Participants and research context: A purposeful sample of individuals aged 65+ (n = 80) and medical and nursing students (n = 100) in the eastern region of Poland. Ethical considerations: Ethical approval of the research protocol was received from the Ethics Committee at the Medical University of Lublin. Findings: 'Old age' was perceived by groups of participants based on three themes: (a) positive, (b) negative and (c) neutral connotations. The negative connotations predominated. The beginning of old age was defined by the metric of age and described by showing the complexity of the ageing process involving subjective, objective and societal aspects. Experience of age discrimination in healthcare institutions was reported by 24 (30%) seniors and witnessed by 47 (47%) students surveyed and for both groups occurred mainly at the hospital level and by physicians. Only 48 students (48%) declared a willingness to work with the older people in the future, and barriers were reported at the personal and professional levels, and also in some visions of older people. Conclusion: The conceptualization of old age as reported by seniors and students mainly carried negative connotations, reflecting the profoundly based stereotypes within society regarding the older people. Seniors have reported being exposed to ageism and have witnessed ageism episodes in HCIs; also, students have faced ageism episodes during their clinical education. There is a need for ethical education within medical and nursing courses to shape positive attitudes towards the older people. A positive vision of ageing should be promoted not only among young people but also among adults and older people to avoid self-stereotyping of older people and seeing old age from negative perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Nursing in the 21st Century is the property of Sciendo 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. Providing care to patients with low function agility in the home environment becomes a burden and leads to the worsening of the informal caregiver's quality of life. Objectives. Aim of the research was to assess the quality of life of informal caregivers in the context of their burden linked to the care provided to chronically ill patients with low function agility in the home environment. Material and methods. Research was conducted in five public healthcare facilities, from September 2016 until February 2017, and included 138 informal caregivers. The WHOQoL-AGE scale was used to assess caregivers' quality of life, and the COPE Index was employed to assessed caregivers' burden. Results. According to WHOQoL-AGE, the average value of caregivers' quality of life was 70.14 points. Caregivers' burden according to the COPE Index Negative Impact of Care subscale was: M = 11.80; Positive Value of Care subscale: M = 13.71; and in Quality of Support subscale: M = 12.46. Statistical importance was at p ≤ 0.01 for WHOQoL-AGE scale, and the burden according to the COPE Index. Conclusions. Informal caregivers' quality of life according to the WHOQoL-AGE scale corresponds significantly with caregivers' burden according to the COPE-Index, in all of the analysed domains. Along with the increase of the negative influence of the care, general quality of life with all its subscales, as well as satisfaction, decreases. Caregivers' quality of life increases along with the increase of the satisfaction connected to the provided care, and with receiving support from informal and formal healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]