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Di Piazza G, Lyytikäinen T, Ru G, Simmons M, Ortiz‐Peláez A. Evaluation of the application of the Czech Republic to be recognised as having a negligible risk of classical scrapie. EFSA J 2023; 21:e08335. [PMID: 37881330 PMCID: PMC10594138 DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2023.8335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The Czech Republic submitted a request to the European Commission to be recognised as a Member State with negligible risk of classical scrapie. EFSA has been asked to assess if the Czech Republic in its application has demonstrated for a period of at least 7 years (2015-2021) and proposed for the future, that a sufficient number of ovine and caprine animals over 18 months of age, representative of slaughtered, culled or found dead on farm animals, have been and will continue to be tested annually to provide a 95% level of confidence of detecting classical scrapie if it is present in that population at a prevalence rate exceeding 0.1%. A risk-based approach using stochastic scenario-tree modelling accounting for surveillance stream and species was applied. There is still a lack of data on the actual performance of the approved tests under field conditions, especially in sheep. Therefore, alternative scenarios were explored extending the range from the sensitivity provided by the past European Union evaluations of diagnostic screening tests to a sensitivity of 50%, consistent with published data obtained under field conditions in infected goat populations. Using data provided by the Czech Republic for 2015-2022, the estimated parameters of the scenario-tree model, the range of values of diagnostic sensitivity and applying the criterion for the 95% confidence level, it is concluded that the Czech Republic has tested annually a sufficient number of small ruminants to meet the requirement, for all combinations of years and diagnostic sensitivity scenarios except for 60% diagnostic sensitivity in 2021 and 2022, and 50% in 2015, 2016 and 2018-2022. Based on the proposed number of samples to be tested in 2023 and future years, the Czech Republic would test a sufficient number of animals to meet the requirement for all combinations of diagnostic sensitivity, except for the 50% scenario.
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Prokeš M. Sleep quality and sleep routines as mediators of stressors and life satisfaction in Czech university students: a structural equation model. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1231773. [PMID: 37727748 PMCID: PMC10505808 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1231773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Sleep is especially important to overall well-being. Some aspects of sleep have been well documented, for example sleep quantity and its effect on well-being, but the value of a consistent sleep routine remains poorly studied. University students are a population group especially susceptible to stress, mental health problems and poor sleep quality and experience changing daily schedules. Investigating the protective power of sleep in this population group is therefore an important avenue of research. Methods Applying a structural equation model, the current study surveyed a large sample of Czech university students during the COVID-19 pandemic in late spring, 2021, and observed the mediation effects of sleep on this group. Results and Discussion The study found that working, maintaining social contact and attending lectures in person had a strong effect on satisfaction with life. Increased personal study time indirectly supported consistent sleep routines and mediated perceptions of life satisfaction. As expected, the results indicated the importance of high-quality sleep. The results also verified partial mediation, directly and indirectly, through sleep quality, highlighting the significance of a consistent sleep routine in students on their self-reported satisfaction with life.
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Chroust M, Mazuch M, Ivanov M, Alba DM, Luján ÀH. Redescription of the soft-shell turtle Rafetus bohemicus (Testudines, Trionychidae) from the Early Miocene of Czechia. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15658. [PMID: 37525660 PMCID: PMC10387236 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The taxonomy of the soft-shell turtle Rafetus bohemicus (Liebus, 1930), family Trionychidae, subfamily Trionychinae, is revised based on new and previously mentioned material (including the type material) from the Early Miocene (Burdigalian, MN 3) sites of the Most Basin, Czechia. Given that the diagnosis was so far based only on plastral elements, here we focused on the cranial material and combined our study with previously published data on postcranial elements. 3D models of the skulls derived from CT scans allow us to provide the first complete skull description of R. bohemicus, including several new cranial diagnostic characters of the species. Our results not only enable the distinction of the trionychid genera Trionyx and Rafetus, both recorded from Central Europe during the Early Miocene, but further allow us to provide an emended diagnosis for R. bohemicus. We confirm the conclusions of a previous study according to which Trionyx pontanus, T. preschenensis, T. aspidiformis, and T. elongatus are nomina dubia. R. bohemicus from Břešt'any (MN 3) represents the oldest record of this genus in Europe as well as the oldest occurrence of the genus.
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Vésier C, Urban A. Gender inequalities in heat-related mortality in the Czech Republic. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2023:10.1007/s00484-023-02507-2. [PMID: 37428233 PMCID: PMC10386945 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-023-02507-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
It is acknowledged that climate change exacerbates social inequalities, and women have been reported as more vulnerable to heat than men in many studies in Europe, including the Czech Republic. This study aimed at investigating the associations between daily temperature and mortality in the Czech Republic in the light of a sex and gender perspective, taking into account other factors such as age and marital status. Daily mean temperature and individual mortality data recorded during the five warmest months of the year (from May to September) over the period 1995-2019 were used to fit a quasi-Poisson regression model, which included a distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) to account for the delayed and non-linear effects of temperature on mortality. The heat-related mortality risks obtained in each population group were expressed in terms of risk at the 99th percentile of summer temperature relative to the minimum mortality temperature. Women were found generally more at risk to die because of heat than men, and the difference was larger among people over 85 years old. Risks among married people were lower than risks among single, divorced, and widowed people, while risks in divorced women were significantly higher than in divorced men. This is a novel finding which highlights the potential role of gender inequalities in heat-related mortality. Our study underlines the relevance of including a sex and gender dimension in the analysis of the impacts of heat on the population and advocates the development of gender-based adaptation policies to extreme heat.
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Hůnová I, Brabec M, Malý M. Ambient ozone at a rural Central European site and its vertical concentration gradient close to the ground. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:80014-80028. [PMID: 37291343 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-28016-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The representativeness of ambient air quality of an in situ measurement is key in the use and correct interpretation of the measured concentration values. Though the horizontal representativeness aspect is generally not neglected in air pollution studies, a detailed, high-resolution vertical distribution of ambient air pollutant concentrations is rarely addressed. The aim of this study is twofold: (i) to explore the vertical distribution of ground-level ozone (O3) concentrations measured at four heights above the ground-namely at 2, 8, 50, and 230 m-and (ii) to examine in detail the vertical O3 concentration gradient in air columns between 2 and 8, 8 and 50, and 50 and 230 m above the ground. We use the daily mean O3 concentrations measured continuously at the Košetice station, representing the rural Central European background ambient air quality observed during 2015-2021. We use the semiparametric GAM (generalised additive model) approach (with complexity or roughness-penalised splines implementation) to analyse the data with sufficient flexibility. Our models for both O3 concentrations and O3 gradients use (additive) decomposition into annual trend and seasonality (plus an overall intercept). The seasonal and year-to-year patterns of the modelled O3 concentrations look very similar at first glance. Nevertheless, a more detailed look through O3 gradients shows that they differ substantially with respect to their seasonal and long-term dynamics. The vertical O3 concentration gradient in 2-230 m is not uniform but changes substantially with increasing height and shows by far the highest dynamics near the ground between 2 and 8 m, differing in both the seasonal and annual aspects for all the air columns inspected. We speculate that non-linear changes of both seasonal and annual components of vertical O3 gradients are due to atmospheric-terrestrial interactions and to meteorological factors, which we will explore in a future study.
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Hollá K, Ďad'ová A, Hudáková M, Valla J, Cidlinová A, Osvaldová LM. Causes and circumstances of accidents at work in the European Union, Slovakia and Czech Republic. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1118330. [PMID: 37408753 PMCID: PMC10318161 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1118330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
There are several challenges in occupational safety and health that need to be addressed. The basic premise is the reduction of occupational accidents in individual sectors. Finding effective tools to reduce them is very challenging. Safety culture is perceived differently in the countries of the European Union. The basic intention of this article is to compare the accidents number in these two countries and in the European Union in selected NACE categories. This comparison is based on the statistical processing of data by NACE category and representation of accident rates in individual industries. The main causes of accidents were identified, which give space for further research in this field a state measures to prevent work accidents to happen or to reduce its numbers.
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Šoupal J, Kao K, Brandner L, Grunberger G, Prázný M. Low Initial Adherence with Flash Glucose Monitoring is Not a Predictor of Long-Term Glycemic Outcomes: Longitudinal Analysis of the Association Between Experience, Adherence, and Glucose Control for FreeStyle Libre Users. Diabetes Ther 2023:10.1007/s13300-023-01422-4. [PMID: 37211580 DOI: 10.1007/s13300-023-01422-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Frequent scanning of FreeStyle Libre (FSL) flash glucose monitoring sensors is known to be important whilst wearing an active sensor, but adherence to sensor reapplication is also critical to effective glucose monitoring. We report novel measures of adherence for users of the FSL system and their association with improvements in metrics of glucose control. METHODS Anonymous data were extracted for 1600 FSL users in the Czech Republic with ≥ 36 completed sensors from October 22, 2018 to December 31, 2021. "Experience" was defined by the number of sensors used (1-36 sensors). "Adherence" was defined by time between the end of one sensor and the start of the next (gap time). User adherence was analyzed for four experience levels after initiating FLASH; Start (sensors 1-3); Early (sensors 4-6); Middle (sensors 19-21); End (sensors 34-36). Users were split into two adherence levels based on mean gap time during Start period, "low" (> 24 h, n = 723) and "high" (≤ 8 h, n = 877). RESULTS Low-adherence users reduced their sensor gap times significantly: 38.5% applied a new sensor within 24 h during sensors 4-6, rising to 65.0% by sensors 34-36 (p < 0.001). Improved adherence was associated with increased %TIR (time in range; mean + 2.4%; p < 0.001), reduced %TAR (time above range; mean - 3.1%; p < 0.001), and reduced glucose coefficient of variation (CV; mean - 1.7%; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS With experience, FSL users became more adherent in sensor reapplication, with associated increases in %TIR, and reductions in %TAR and glucose variability.
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Sedova P, Kent JA, Bryndziar T, Jarkovsky J, Tomek A, Sramek M, Skoda O, Sramkova T, Pokorová K, Littnerova S, Brown RD, Mikulik R. The decline in stroke hospitalization due to COVID-19 is unrelated to COVID-19 intensity. Eur J Neurol 2023; 30:943-950. [PMID: 36511840 PMCID: PMC9877601 DOI: 10.1111/ene.15664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic many countries reported a decline in stroke volumes. The aim of this study was to analyze if the decline was related to the intensity of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS The first pandemic year (1 March 2020 to 28 February 2021) overall and during the three COVID-19 waves were compared with the preceding year. Volumes of acute ischaemic stroke (AIS), subarachnoid hemorrhage, intracerebral hemorrhage and recanalization treatments (intravenous thrombolysis [IVT] and mechanical thrombectomy [MT]) were obtained from the National Register of Reimbursed Health Services. Door-to-needle time, onset-to-door time and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale at admission were obtained from the Registry of Stroke Care Quality. RESULTS During the pandemic year compared to the preceding year there were 26,453 versus 28,771 stroke admissions, representing an 8.8% decline (p < 0.001). The declines (-10%, -11%, -19%) appeared in COVID-19 waves (spring 2020, autumn 2020, winter 2021) except for an increase (2%) during summer 2020. Admissions for AIS declined by 10.2% (p < 0.001), whilst hemorrhagic stroke volumes were minimally decreased. The absolute volumes of IVT and MT decreased by 9.4% (p < 0.001) and 5.7% (p = 0.16), respectively. However, the proportions of ischaemic stroke patients receiving IVT (18% vs. 18%; p = 0.72) and MT (6% vs. 6%; p = 0.28) remained unchanged. CONCLUSIONS There was a decline in stroke admissions, but such decline was not related to COVID-19 incidence. The frequency of use of recanalization procedures (IVT, MT) and times (onset-to-door time, door-to-needle time) in AIS were preserved in the Czech Republic during the first year of the pandemic.
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Zeleníková R, Gurková E, Pěrůžková R, Štureková L, Jarošová D, Kajander-Unkuri S. Self-assessed competence of final-year nursing students. Nurs Open 2023. [PMID: 36882940 DOI: 10.1002/nop2.1708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM To examine the overall level of self-assessed competence of final-year nursing 'bachelors' degree students in the Czech Republic. In addition, the study aimed at the factors associated with the students' level of competence. DESIGN A cross-sectional observational study. METHODS Data were collected with the Czech version of the Nurse Competence Scale from 274 final-year nursing students of the bachelor's nursing program. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analyses. RESULTS Majority of the students (80.3%) assessed their level of competence as good or very good. The highest level of competence was assessed in the category of 'managing situations' (VAS mean 67.8) and 'work role' (VAS mean 67.2). Previous work experience in healthcare and successful supervisory experience had a positive association with self-assessed competence. Students who completed clinical placement during the COVID-19 pandemic assessed their level of competence as lower than students before the pandemic. No Patient or Public Contribution.
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Altová A. Trends in obesity-related cancer burden in Czechia. Wien Klin Wochenschr 2023; 135:134-141. [PMID: 35569084 DOI: 10.1007/s00508-022-02039-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Obesity is a major lifestyle risk factor that contributes greatly to the burden of disease, including cancer. Overweight and obesity have shown association with several types of cancer. As Czechia is one of the most overweight countries in Europe, and has high cancer mortality, this study aims to investigate the country's long-term burden of obesity-related cancer. METHODS Using the Czech National Cancer Register and the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC), standardized incidence and mortality rates were calculated for 12 types of cancer related to obesity for the years 1985-2018. Population attributable fractions (PAF) were calculated. Finally, the standardized attributable rates were calculated from the standardized incidence and mortality rates and the PAFs. RESULTS Approximately 11.0% of selected cancer cases in the male population and 12.3% in the female population were attributable to overweight and obesity in 2018. Since the beginning of the millennium, obesity attributable cancer mortality has dropped, while incidence has remained constant. The incidence throughout the whole period was almost twice as high (18.7 cases per 100,000 population in 2018) in women than in men (10.9 cases per 100,000 population in 2018). CONCLUSION Obesity-related cancer mortality in Czechia has declined in the last two decades, but the incidence has remained constant. Given the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity in western countries, this issue needs to be prioritized in future healthcare and policy making.
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Lob SH, Hawser SP, Siddiqui F, Alekseeva I, DeRyke CA, Young K, Motyl MR, Sahm DF. Activity of ceftolozane/tazobactam and imipenem/relebactam against clinical gram-negative isolates from Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland-SMART 2017-2020. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2023; 42:365-370. [PMID: 36670243 DOI: 10.1007/s10096-023-04549-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined for clinical gram-negative isolates from Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland, where published data for ceftolozane/tazobactam (C/T) and imipenem/relebactam (IMI/REL) is scarce. C/T was active against 94.3% of Enterobacterales, 10-18% higher than the tested cephalosporins and piperacillin/tazobactam. IMI/REL was the most active tested agent against non-Morganellaceae Enterobacterales (99.7% susceptible). C/T was the most active among all studied agents except colistin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (96.0% susceptible); susceptibility to IMI/REL was 90.7%. C/T maintained activity against 73.7-85.3% of β-lactam-resistant or multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa subsets. C/T and IMI/REL could represent important treatment options for patients from these countries.
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Papežová K, Kapounová Z, Zelenková V, Riad A. Nutritional Health Knowledge and Literacy among Pregnant Women in the Czech Republic: Analytical Cross-Sectional Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:3931. [PMID: 36900942 PMCID: PMC10001919 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20053931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Adequate nutrition and the nutritional status of pregnant women are critical for the health of both the mother and the developing foetus. Research has shown a significant impact of nutrition on the child's health and the future risk of developing chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. There is currently no data on the level of nutritional knowledge of Czech pregnant women. This survey aimed to evaluate their level of nutritional knowledge and literacy. An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in two healthcare facilities in Prague and Pilsen between April and June 2022. An anonymous self-administered paper-form questionnaire for assessing the level of nutritional knowledge (40 items) and the Likert scale for assessing nutrition literacy (5 items) were used. A total number of 401 women completed the questionnaire. An individual's nutritional knowledge score was calculated and compared with demographic and anamnestic characteristics using statistical methods. The results showed that only 5% of women achieved an overall nutritional score of 80% or more. University education (p < 0.001), living in the capital city (p < 0.001), experiencing first pregnancy (p = 0.041), having normal weight and being overweight (p = 0.024), and having NCDs (p = 0.044) were statistically significantly associated with a higher nutritional knowledge score. The lowest knowledge scores were found in the areas of optimal energy intake, optimal weight gain, and the role of micronutrients in diet during pregnancy. In conclusion, the study shows limited nutrition knowledge of Czech pregnant women in some areas of nutrition. Increasing nutritional knowledge and nutrition literacy in Czech pregnant women is crucial for supporting their optimal course of pregnancy and the future health of their offspring.
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Riad A, Drobov A, Alkasaby MA, Peřina A, Koščík M. Nuclear Anxiety Amid the Russian-Ukrainian War 2022 (RUW-22): Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:3551. [PMID: 36834256 PMCID: PMC9962827 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20043551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Nuclear anxiety, which refers to the fear of nuclear war and its consequences, is expected to increase amid the Russian-Ukrainian War of 2022 (RUW-22). This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of nuclear anxiety and its associated variables among university students in the Czech Republic during the first weeks of RUW-22. A cross-sectional survey-based study was carried out from March-April 2022, utilizing a digital self-administered questionnaire (SAQ) to collect data from the target population. The SAQ consisted of multiple-choice items inquiring about demographic characteristics; generalized anxiety symptoms using generalized anxiety disorder-7 (GAD-7); depressive symptoms using patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9); and attitudes towards civilian uses of nuclear power, and nuclear war-related anxiety. Of the 591 participating students, 67.7% were females, 68.2% were Czech nationals, and 61.8% followed the RUW-22 news at least once daily. The mean GAD-7 score of our participants was 7.86 ± 5.32 (0-21); and their mean PHQ-9 score was 8.66 ± 6.29 (0-27). Regarding the civilian uses of nuclear power, most participants agreed that nuclear power was safe (64.5%), denied being afraid that civilian use of nuclear power might deteriorate their health (79.7%), and thought that public acceptance was important for building new nuclear power plants (56.9%). About 42.1% and 45.5% of the participants reported feeling depressed at the possibility of nuclear war and agreed that the chances that there would be a nuclear war in their lifetime were very high, respectively. When asked about their preparedness measures during the previous four weeks, less than one quarter (23.9%) reported looking for recommendations for protection against nuclear accidents, and less than one-fifth (19.3%) were looking for the nearest bomb shelter. The depression about nuclear war possibility was positively and relatively strongly correlated with the level of "feeling concerned about the RUW-22" (rs = 0.401), and it was moderately correlated with GAD-7 (rs = 0.377) and PHQ-9 (rs = 0.274) scores and weakly correlated with RUW-2-related news-following frequency (rs = 0.196). Within the limitations of the present study, nuclear anxiety was common among Czech university students. Its associated factors may include but are not limited to the female gender; common psychological disorders such as generalized anxiety and depression; RUW-22-related news following-frequency; and the level of "feeling concerned".
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Očovská Z, Maříková M, Vlček J. Potentially clinically significant drug-drug interactions in older patients admitted to the hospital: A cross-sectional study. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1088900. [PMID: 36817138 PMCID: PMC9932507 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1088900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: An international consensus list of potentially clinically significant drug-drug interactions (DDIs) in older people has been recently validated. Our objective was to describe the prevalence and characteristics of drug combinations potentially causing clinically significant DDIs identified in the medication history of older patients admitted to the hospital and the prevalence and characteristics of manifest DDIs-DDIs involved in adverse drug events present at hospital admission, DDIs that contributed to ADE-related hospital admissions, and DDIs involved in drug-related laboratory deviations. Methods: The data were obtained from our previous study that examined the drug-relatedness of hospital admissions to University Hospital Hradec Králové via the department of emergency medicine in the Czech Republic. Patients ≥ 65 years old were included. Drug combinations potentially causing clinically significant DDIs were identified using the international consensus list of potentially clinically significant DDIs in older people. Results: Of the 812 older patients admitted to the hospital, 46% were exposed to drug combinations potentially causing clinically significant DDIs. A combination of medications that affect potassium concentrations accounted for 47% of all drug combinations potentially causing clinically significant DDIs. In 27 cases, potentially clinically significant DDIs were associated with drug-related hospital admissions. In 4 cases, potentially clinically significant DDIs were associated with ADEs that were present at admissions. In 4 cases, the potentially clinically significant DDIs were associated with laboratory deviations. Manifest DDIs that contributed to drug-related hospital admissions most frequently involved antithrombotic agents and central nervous system depressants. Conclusion: The results confirm the findings from the European OPERAM trial, which found that drug combinations potentially causing clinically significant DDIs are very common in older patients. Manifest DDIs were present in 4.3% of older patients admitted to the hospital. In 3.3%, manifest DDIs contributed to drug-related hospital admissions. The difference in the rates of potential and manifest DDIs suggests that if a computerized decision support system is used for alerting potentially clinically significant DDIs in older patients, it needs to be contextualized (e.g., take concomitant medications, doses of medications, laboratory values, and patients' comorbidities into account).
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Špačková M, Fabiánová K, Orlíková H, Košťálová J. Peculiarities of Q fever and human cases reported so far in the Czech Republic. EPIDEMIOLOGIE, MIKROBIOLOGIE, IMUNOLOGIE : CASOPIS SPOLECNOSTI PRO EPIDEMIOLOGII A MIKROBIOLOGII CESKE LEKARSKE SPOLECNOSTI J.E. PURKYNE 2023; 72:9-18. [PMID: 37185022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Q fever is a zoonosis with a worldwide occurrence. Coxiella burnetii infection is most commonly transmitted by inhalation of air containing contaminated dust in cow, sheep and goat farming areas. The other modes of transmission are alimentary route (ingestion) and through sucking ticks. We set ourselves the goal of presenting a descriptive analysis of cases of Q fever in the Czech Republic (CZ) and former Czechoslovakia and draw attention to this often-overlooked issue. METHODS Summary of available information about Q fever was processed, and a narrative search of published cases of Q fever in the CZ and former Czechoslovakia, in Czech, Slovak and English, without time restrictions was performed. Furthermore, a descriptive analysis of Q fever cases reported to the Czech infectious diseases reporting system in 1982-2021 was done. After analysis, the available information system data were supplemented with data from a search of published scientific literature and weekly reports on the current epidemiological situation of the public health protection authorities of the CZ. RESULTS The disease has been reported in former Czechoslovakia and then in CZ since 1952. In 1952-1954, six outbreaks were reported with a total of 150 cases, mostly in connection with work with cattle. In 1980, a large-scale outbreak of Q fever affected 526 employees of the cotton production plant at Staré Město near Uherské Hradiště. Otherwise, units to dozens of cases were reported. From 1993 to 2021, 27 cases of the disease were detected in the CZ, of which 22 (81.5%) occurred in men. The age range was 0-60 years (mean 31, median 30 years). Seasonality by reporting month was highest in January and September. CONCLUSION There has been a decline in human cases of Q fever in the European Union (EU) in recent years, and only few cases of the disease occur in the CZ. Still, due to potential severity of the disease, the current climate change with the consequent increase in the spread of ticks as vectors of Coxiella, and animal movements associated with the global market, it is important to consider Q fever in the differential diagnosis. As part of the prevention, it is necessary to ensure compliance with basic hygiene rules, especially in at-risk occupations, and to consume only pasteurized dairy products. Vaccination of humans is not available in EU countries, although vaccination of livestock is possible.
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Michenka P, Fialová L, Šlegerová L, Marx D. Analysis of Obligatory Involvement of Medical Students in Pandemic Response in the Czech Republic: Competencies, Experiences, and Legal Implications. Int J Public Health 2022; 67:1605187. [PMID: 36618435 PMCID: PMC9812944 DOI: 10.3389/ijph.2022.1605187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives: Medical students in the Czech Republic were mandated by the law to take part in the COVID-19 pandemic response in order to expand healthcare capacity. Our study aimed to analyze student's competencies defined in the legislation and compare them with competencies assigned to them in clinical settings during their deployment. Methods: Online survey with statistical analysis of collected data. Results: The survey was completed by 997 respondents. A major convergence between the system of credentials defined in the legal framework and the competencies that students performed were identified. Conclusion: Medical students represented a valuable resource for addressing shortages of qualified healthcare staff in critical situation. However, the system of competencies and credentials must be aligned with the educational framework to clearly define acquisition of competencies during the course of medical studies and the legal framework regulating students' deployment must ensure consistency of actual and formal competencies in order to guarantee high standards of care and safety of the patients.
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Liu H, Novotný JS, Váchová L. The effect of mobile phone addiction on perceived stress and mediating role of ruminations: Evidence from Chinese and Czech university students. Front Psychol 2022; 13:1057544. [PMID: 36600696 PMCID: PMC9806227 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1057544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction The rise in the capabilities of mobile devices and the associated increase in the proportion of time we spend on them has not only positive benefits but also several risks, including mobile phone addiction and its consequences. The complex mechanisms of the impact of this addiction on mental health, especially in a cross-cultural context, however, remain relatively unknown. The aim of this cross-cultural study was to investigate the mediating role of rumination on the association between mobile phone addiction and perceived stress. Methods A population of 358 Chinese and 282 Czech university students was tested using a battery of validated psychological tests that included a short version of the Smartphone Addiction Scale, the Ruminative Response Scale, and the Perceived Stress Scale. Results The results showed significant cross-cultural differences with Czech students manifesting greater rumination (d = 0.79) and perceived stress (d = 0.42) and Chinese students showing greater mobile phone addiction (d = 1.01). Mediation analyses showed that the effect of mobile phone addiction on stress levels was mediated through the rumination in both populations (45.6% and 80.9% of the explained variance for Chinese and Czech students, respectively) and did not differ between the two countries (estimate of difference [95%CI] = -0.052[-0.166, 0.037], p = 0.27). In contrast, the significant direct effect of mobile phone addiction on perceived stress was only present in Chinese students, where it was marginally larger than the indirect effect. In Czech students, the direct effect was not manifested and the difference between countries was significant (estimate of difference [95%CI] = 0.242 [0.035, 0.413], p < 0.001). In all of the cases, the association between the variables was positive, i.e., as one grew, so did the other. Finally, a moderated-mediation analysis confirmed that country of origin significantly moderated only the direct relationship between mobile phone dependence and perceived stress (p = 0.002). Discussion These results suggest that the mechanism of interaction between excessive mobile phone use and perceived stress is culturally conditioned, which may limit the transferability of research findings in a global context and requires further cross-cultural studies.
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Jirků M, Kašparová A, Lhotská Z, Oborník M, Brožová K, Petrželková KJ, Samaš P, Kadlecová O, Stensvold CR, Jirků K. A Cross-Sectional Study on the Occurrence of the Intestinal Protist, Dientamoeba fragilis, in the Gut-Healthy Volunteers and Their Animals. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232315407. [PMID: 36499734 PMCID: PMC9737029 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232315407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Dientamoeba fragilis is a cosmopolitan intestinal protist colonizing the human gut with varying prevalence depending on the cohort studied and the diagnostic methods used. Its role in human health remains unclear mainly due to the very sporadic number of cross-sectional studies in gut-healthy populations. The main objective of this study was to expand knowledge of the epidemiology of D. fragilis in gut-healthy humans and their animals. A total of 296 stool samples from humans and 135 samples from 18 animal species were analyzed. Using qPCR, a prevalence of 24% was found in humans in contrast to conventional PCR (7%). In humans, several factors were found to influence the prevalence of D. fragilis. A more frequent occurrence of D. fragilis was associated with living in a village, traveling outside Europe and contact with farm animals. In addition, co-infection with Blastocystis spp. was observed in nearly half of the colonized humans. In animals, D. fragilis was detected in 13% of samples from eight species using qPCR. Our molecular phylogenies demonstrate a more frequent occurrence of Genotype 1 in gut-healthy humans and also revealed a likely a new protist species/lineage in rabbits related to D. fragilis and other related organisms.
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Dleštíková T. (De)criminalisation of psychedelics in the Czech Republic-Where are we heading in drug policy and legislation? THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2022; 110:103900. [PMID: 36347160 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2022.103900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The article deals with the issue of decriminalization of drugs, in all relevant contexts, both in terms of criminal policy and legislation, as well as law enforcement, with focus on the Czech Republic. The article proceeds deductively from the general to the specific. First, it discusses the role of law in society and its legitimacy, with focus on legitimate criminal sanctions, which are discussed in the context of the principle of subsidiarity of criminal repression and the principle of opportunity (discretionary prosecution). After these general considerations, the article turns to the issue of drugs and discusses both drug policy and legislation, arguing that the general considerations are in favor of decriminalization tendencies in this area. In the final part, the article focuses on psychedelics, emphasizing a fundamental discrepancy between their factual and legal status and then considering ways of changing the perspective. At this point, the article outlines the importance of decriminalization of psychedelics for therapeutic use, which basically consist of rescheduling of these drugs. The aim of such decriminalization is to make psychedelic-assisted therapy legally available. The article concludes that this is the direction that criminal policy and law in the Czech Republic should take.
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Riad A, Drobov A, Rozmarinová J, Drapáčová P, Klugarová J, Dušek L, Pokorná A, Klugar M. Monkeypox Knowledge and Vaccine Hesitancy of Czech Healthcare Workers: A Health Belief Model (HBM)-Based Study. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:2022. [PMID: 36560432 PMCID: PMC9788212 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10122022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The recent human monkeypox virus (HMPXV) outbreak in non-endemic countries that started in May 2022 has raised concerns among public health authorities worldwide. Healthcare workers (HCWs) play a decisive role during epidemics in transmitting accurate information to the public and motivating them to pursue protective behaviours, including immunisation. METHODS A cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted in the Czech Republic in September 2022 to evaluate HMPXV-related knowledge and vaccination perceptions among HCWs. The study utilised a digital self-administered questionnaire (SAQ) to collect data from the target population. The proposed SAQ inquired about participants' sociodemographic and anamnestic characteristics, perceived knowledge of HMPXV, factual knowledge, and vaccination perceptions according to the health belief model (HBM). RESULTS A total of 341 participants were included in this study; most of them were females (88.9%), allied HCWs (89.4%), heterosexuals (87.1%), married (61.9%), and vaccinated against COVID-19 (91.2%). Only 8.8% of the participants agreed to receive vaccination against HMPXV; 44.9% rejected it, while 46.3% were hesitant. While digital news portals (47.5%) and social media (25.8%) were among the most utilised sources of information about HMPXV, the scientific journals (5.6%), ECDC (5%), and the U.S. CDC (1.5%) were the least common sources. The participants demonstrated suboptimal levels of factual knowledge, especially regarding HMPXV vaccines (1.5 ± 1.2 (0-4)) and treatments (0.9 ± 0.9 (0-4)). Additionally, several misconceptions were detectable among the participants, regarding topics such as the availability of effective vaccines and antivirals against HMPXV, the risk of vertical transmission, and homosexual stigmatisation. The HBM indicated that the cues to action and perceived susceptibility were the most important constructs to predict HMPXV vaccine acceptance. CONCLUSIONS the findings of this study call upon public health practitioners and health policymakers in the Czech Republic to act accordingly in order to determine the drivers of vaccine hesitancy among Czech HCWs. Dedicated educational campaigns should aim to counter the HCWs' misconceptions around HMPXV, and future studies should aim to explore the prevalence and drivers of HMPXV vaccine hesitancy among the general population.
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Han F, Vaculíková J, Juklová K. The relations between Czech undergraduates' motivation and emotion in self-regulated learning, learning engagement, and academic success in blended course designs: Consistency between theory-driven and data-driven approaches. Front Psychol 2022; 13:1001202. [PMID: 36467195 PMCID: PMC9716195 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1001202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 09/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Combining theory-driven and data-driven approaches, this study used both self-reported and observational measures to examine: (1) the joint contributions of students' self-reported undergraduates' motivation and emotion in their self-regulated learning, their observed online learning interactions, and their academic success in blended course designs; and (2) the extent to which the self-reported and observational measures were consistent with each other. The participants in the study were 54 social sciences undergraduates in the Czech Republic. The participants' self-reported self-efficacy, intrinsic goals, and anxiety were assessed using a Czech version of three scales from the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire. Their online engagement was represented by students' observed frequency of interactions with the six online learning activities recorded in the learning management system. The results of a hierarchical regression analysis showed that the self-reported and observational measures together could explain 71% of variance in academic success, significantly improving explanatory power over using self-reported measures alone. Departing from the theory-driven approach, students were clustered as better and poorer self-regulated learners by their self-reports, and one-way ANOVAs showed that better self-regulated learners had significantly more frequent online interactions with four out of six online learning activities and better final exam results. Departing from the data-driven approach, students were clustered as higher and lower online-engaged learners by the observed frequency of their interaction with online learning activities. One-way ANOVAs showed that higher online-engaged learners also reported having higher self-efficacy and lower anxiety. Furthermore, the strong association between the students' profiles in both self-reported measures and observational measures in cross-tabulation analyses showed that the majority of better self-regulated learners by self-reporting also had higher online engagement by observation, whereas the majority of poorer self-regulated learners by self-reporting were lower online-engaged learners, demonstrating consistency between theory-driven and data-driven approaches.
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Spetik M, Špetík M, Eichmeier A, Burgova J, Groenewald JZ, Crous PW. Calophoma clematidina causing leaf spot and wilt on Clematis plants in the Czech Republic. PLANT DISEASE 2022; 107:1952. [PMID: 36383995 DOI: 10.1094/pdis-09-22-2142-pdn] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Clematis L. is one of the largest genera of Ranunculaceae, accommodating over 300 plant species (Wang & Li 2005). They are mostly flowering creepers commonly grown as ornamentals. Clematis leaf spot and wilt is a fungal disease caused by Calophoma clematidina (Thüm.) Q. Chen & L. Cai. Infected plants initially show irregular brown to black leaf spots which later turn into large necroses, usually leading to wilt disease. In June 2021, Clematis plants displaying symptoms described above were observed in three independent nurseries located in three counties (Brno-venkov, Břeclav and Nymburk) in the Czech Republic. Around 60% of 120 inspected plants were symptomatic, including both mother plants and young plants. Leaves, stems and roots of 43 diseased plants originating from the three nurseries were collected, sectioned into small pieces (5 × 5 mm), surface sterilized (60 sec in 75% ethanol, followed by 60 sec in 1% sodium hypochlorite and rinsed three times using sterile distilled water), plated on potato dextrose agar (PDA) and incubated at 25°C for 5 weeks. Newly developed mycelia were immediately transferred to a fresh PDA plates and purified by single-spore isolation. A total of 21 strains morphologically resembled the genus Calophoma. Colonies on PDA (7 d at 25°C) were felty, white to olivaceous/iron grey in the centre. Conidiomata were dark brown, pycnidial, solitary or in groups, (117-220 × 65-170 μm). Conidia were cylindrical to ellipsoidal, hyaline, 0(-1)-septate, (4-8 × 2-3 μm). Two representative isolates were deposited at the Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands (CBS 149230 and CBS 149231). The partial internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions, large ribosomal subunit of the nrRNA gene (LSU), beta-tubulin gene (tub2) and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit gene (rpb2) were amplified from genomic DNA of both isolates following protocols previously described (Spetik et al. 2022). Sequences were deposited in NCBI GenBank (accession nos. ITS: ON107539, ON107540; LSU: ON108575, ON108576; tub2: ON314832, ON314833; rpb2: ON125007, ON125008), being 100% identical with that of the ex-type strain of C. clematidina (CBS 108.79), ITS (NR_135964), LSU (FJ515632), tub2 (FJ427100), and rpb2 (KT389588). Phylogenetically, the two representative isolates formed a fully supported clade with sequences of the ex-type and another culture of C. clematidina in the multigene phylogeny. To confirm Koch's postulates, leaves of ten two-month-old Clematis plants grown in pots were wounded by a needle and inoculated with a conidial suspension (1.0 × 106 conidia ml-1) of both strains (five plants per strain) following Golazar et al. (2011). Ten plants were mock-inoculated with sterile distilled water and served as controls. Within one month, inoculated plants exhibited dark necrotic leaf spots similar to the symptoms observed in the nurseries, while controls remained symptomless. Calophoma clematidina was reisolated from the inoculated plants, and its identity confirmed (ITS, GenBank OP363927). The experiment was repeated. Although known from Europe, this is the first report of Clematis leaf spot and wilt caused by C. clematidina in the Czech Republic. Clematis leaf spot and wilt represents a serious disease in Czech nurseries, with the pathogen present in leaves, stems and roots of Clematis spp.
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Kingsdorf S, Pancocha K, Vadurova H, Dosedel T. Piloting an E-Learning Applied Behavior Analysis Course for Caregivers of Children with Autism in the Czech Republic. JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL EDUCATION 2022; 33:1-32. [PMID: 36097521 PMCID: PMC9452282 DOI: 10.1007/s10864-022-09493-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The telehealth model can allow for cost-effective supports in areas where limited applied behavior analysis (ABA) services are available. As a result, e-learning programs for parents of children with autism have become part of the telehealth paradigm. In the Czech Republic, one of the many places where there are limited ABA supports and no available ABA e-learning courses for families, the development of an e-learning course that is freely available, and linguistically and culturally appropriate, is needed. It was anticipated that this course could mirror some of the free e-learning materials available to English-speaking caregivers and provide foundational knowledge to later support more intensive ABA services. Therefore, a pilot study was developed to assess an ABA e-learning course for caregivers in the Czech Republic with the aim of validating its efficacy and assessing whether a synchronous component was needed for the best outcomes. The materials were not meant to replace best practices in more intensive caregiver training but provide foundational skills for later more successful local services. Results demonstrated that a total of 33 caregivers completed the course, making statistically significant gains in their ABA knowledge and rating the course highly. Interestingly, the addition of the synchronous component only impacted the knowledge gain outcome. Suggestions for supporting caregivers in e-learning course completion and directions for future research are additionally explored.
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Odei SA, Hamplová E. Innovations in small businesses: do public procurement contracts and intellectual property rights matter? Heliyon 2022; 8:e10623. [PMID: 36177237 PMCID: PMC9513779 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e10623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) are known to drive innovations, economic growth, and job creation. Numerous studies have analysed small businesses' innovations using new products and processes, with indicators such as funding, innovation activities, and collaborations. However, other vital determinants such as public procurement contracts and intellectual property rights protections capable of influencing innovations have not received enough scholarly attention, especially in the context of Central European countries. This paper aims to examine whether public procurement contracts, market orientations, public subsidies, intellectual property rights, and other firm characteristics shape small businesses' innovation outcomes in the Czech Republic. The results based on a cross-sectional sample of 4,193 small businesses from the Community Innovation survey 2014 prove that European utility models positively influence major and minor forms of innovation but not general innovations. Our findings also show that foreign procurement contracts matter for small businesses' major and minor forms of innovation but not general innovations. Our results further demonstrate that exporting, collaborations with universities and other public research organizations, and external research and development positively influence major and minor forms of innovation but not general innovations. The results on the average treatment effects confirm that firms' collaborations with universities and public research organizations have the highest additionality effects on major and minor forms of innovations. Finally, we find evidence that firm size and belonging to the enterprise group positively impact small businesses’ general innovations. We conclude with practical implications for policymakers and firm managers in Visegrad economies on measures that could be adopted to develop and improve upon existing and new policy initiatives to increase the effect of major and minor innovation outcomes.
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Kingsdorf S, Pančocha K, Troshanska J, Rasimi TR. Examining the perceptions of needs, services and abilities of Czech and North Macedonian caregivers of children with autism and trainers. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2022; 70:479-492. [PMID: 38699490 PMCID: PMC11062262 DOI: 10.1080/20473869.2022.2111970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
Effective practices for supporting families with autistic children ensure a match between their needs and the expectations and competencies of the clinician. Applied behavior analysis (ABA) services are a common provision for serving autistic individuals. However, in regions where ABA is in its infancy, like the Czech Republic and North Macedonia, culturally relevant resources, regulations for practice, and standardized coursework are missing. In their absence, it is necessary to investigate the degree to which practitioners in the regions are meeting the behavioral needs of families. Assessing this match can set the stage for establishing more stable and effective services in the areas, as well as neighboring countries with similar historical foundations. Therefore, a survey was conducted to examine the perceptions of caregivers and trainers (those who self-identified as providing support to families with autistic children). A total of 233 caregivers and 204 trainers participated. Analysis of the survey responses verified the lack of behavioral knowledge on the part of the trainers, the apparent lack of access to ABA services for families in both regions, a potential misalignment between family needs and training targets, and the disparities between the two countries. The information evaluated here can be used to guide preservice training, dissemination efforts, and regulations surrounding behavioral practices.
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