Factors conditioning pain control and reduction in post-cesarean section parturients: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Pain experienced by women in the perinatal period constitutes a complex and multifaceted phenomenon. The aim of the study was to assess conditions of pain locus of control and pain reduction in post-cesarean section parturients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A cross-sectional quantitative study with convenience sampling was performed among 175 hospitalized post-cesarean section women in hospitals in Eastern Poland in accordance with the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement. A self-design questionnaire regarding general information and obstetrics/gynaecology medical interview, The Pain Coping Strategies Questionnaire (CSQ) and The Beliefs about Pain Control Questionnaire (BPCQ) were used. The inclusion criteria were as follows (1) age of ⩾18 years old; (2) cesarean section (CS); (3) period from the 13th hour to the end of the 72nd hour after the procedure; and (4) informed consent. The data was analyzed with IBM SPSS Statistics.

RESULTS

Internal locus of control (M = 14.02) was provided the highest value by the parturients and followed by chance events (M = 12.61) and doctors' power (M = 12.18). Dominant coping with pain strategies in the post-cesarean parturients were coping self-statements (M = 19.06), praying or hoping (M = 18.86). The parturients assessed their pain coping (M = 3.31) strategies along with pain reduction (M = 3.35) at the moderate level. Higher pain control was correlated with cognitive pain coping strategies (β = 0.305; t = 4.632; p < 0.001), internal pain control β = 0.191; t = 2.894; p = 0.004), cesarean section planning (β = -0.240; t = -3.496; p = 0.001) and past medical history of CS (β = 0.240; t = 3.481; p = 0.001). The skill of reduction of pain was positively associated with cognitive pain coping strategies (β = 0.266; t = 3.665; p < 0.001) and being in subsequent pregnancy (β = 0.147; t = 2.022; p = 0.045). Catastrophizing and hoping were related to lower competences of coping with pain (B = - 0.033, SE = 0.012, β = - 0.206, T = -2.861).

CONCLUSIONS

The study allowed for identification and better comprehension of factors conditioning pain control and pain reduction in parturients after the cesarean section. Furthermore, a stronger belief that pain can be dealt with is found in the parturients characterized by cognitive pain coping strategies and internal pain locus of control. The skill of reduction of pain is related to cognitive coping strategy and procreation status.

The relationship between socio-demographic factors and depression: a cross sectional study among civilian participants in hostilities in Ukraine

There is still a gap in scientific knowledge in relation to civilian participants in hostilities. This is despite the fact that there is an extensive body of literature on major depressive disorder (MDD) in individuals who have experienced armed conflict. The purpose of this article is to identify socio-demographic factors which are related to levels of depression among civilian participants in the war in Ukraine, based on a cross-sectional study that was conducted in 2019 from a convenience sample of 314 Ukrainian adults (235 males). Depression was assessed via the Beck Depression Inventory. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to identify possible predictors of depression. Significant predictors were: loss of a loved one, place of residence, age, health insurance, financial situation, and marital status (F (6, 224) = 10.515, p < 0.001, R2 = 0.21; Adjusted R2 = 0.19). They also show that symptoms of depression resulting from the loss of a loved one due to war can be reduced through participation in an educational system. Having children is associated with a risk of more severe depression. Specialists are encouraged to engage in face-to-face interviews and to maintain a supportive and safe environment for participants in hostilities, e.g., in the area of education.

Turning to religion as a mediator of the relationship between hopelessness and job satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic among individuals representing the uniformed services or working in professions of public trust in Poland

INTRODUCTION

During the COVID-19 pandemic individuals performing uniformed service or working in a profession of public trust were particularly exposed to chronic stress. The exposure to stress contributes to a decrease in quality of life across various domains, including professional performance. The perceived mental difficulties can lead to a feeling of hopelessness which, in turn can generate a decrease in job satisfaction. Religiosity is a factor which, in stress-inducing conditions, not only stops the spiral of perceived resource losses but also triggers gains in the resources possessed.

AIM

The aim of the study was to assess the preference for positive religious coping strategies, namely turning to religion as a mediator for the relationship between perceived hopelessness and job satisfaction in the individuals declaring religiosity during the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis has been performed based on the Conservation of Resources theory (COR).

METHODS

The study encompassed 238 individuals representing the uniformed services or working in professions of public trust in Poland. The Inventory for Measuring Coping with Stress (MINI-COPE) and the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) were used in the research.

RESULTS

The mediating role of turning to religion in relationship between perceived hopelessness and job satisfaction was confirmed only in the group of women. The relationship found in this group indicates that perceived hopelessness is alleviated by turning to religion, which simultaneously leads to an increase in job satisfaction.

CONCLUSION

The obtained results prove that counselling should be standard practice after potentially traumatic events in the workplace; moreover, emotional and/or instrumental support should be offered along with spiritual one.

Psychometric Properties of the Polish Version of the FACIT-Sp-12: Assessing Spiritual Well-Being Among Patients with Chronic Diseases

BACKGROUND Spirituality plays a crucial role in enhancing quality of life. The Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being (FACIT-Sp) scale is a reliable tool to assess an individual's spiritual well-being, specifically in the context of chronic illness. Although the instrument is widely used worldwide, it has not yet been validated for Polish conditions. The aim of this study was to translate and investigate the reliability and validity of the Polish version of the FACIT-Sp-12 and examine whether it is associated with measures of religiosity and religious practice. MATERIAL AND METHODS The self-administered FACIT-Sp questionnaire, containing 12 spiritual well-being items, was translated into the Polish language, following the FACIT multilingual translation methodology. A group of 355 patients with chronic diseases were enrolled. Validation analysis was conducted. The reliability of the scale and subscales was evaluated with internal consistency coefficients. RESULTS A confirmatory factor analysis corroborated a 3-factor model (Meaning, Peace, and Faith) of the FACIT-Sp-12 Polish version, which showed moderate internal consistency. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.614 for the overall scale, 0.657 for the Meaning subscale, 0.873 for the Peace subscale, and 0.855 for the Faith subscale. The mean score was 29.46 (SD=6.69) for the overall spiritual well-being scale. Total scores of the FACIT-Sp-12 were strongly correlated with the Polish version of the Duke University Religion Index. CONCLUSIONS The psychometric properties of the Polish version of the FACIT-Sp-12 were satisfactory, and the scale can be used in Poland for assessing the spiritual well-being of patients with chronic illness.

Factors Determining the Quality of Life of Polish Women during Menopause Based on the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire

BACKGROUND

The aim of the study was to present the process of cultural adaptation to Polish conditions and the validation of a scale assessing the quality of life of Polish women during the menopause and to identify the factors determining this quality of life.

METHODS

The research tools were the menopause-specific quality of life (MENQOL) questionnaire and a standardized interview questionnaire comprising questions on the participants' characteristics. The study involved 516 women using health care services who had symptoms caused by the menopause.

RESULTS

The value of the Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.923. The discriminative power coefficients of all the questionnaire items were higher than 0.3. The study confirmed the validity and internal consistency of the Polish version of the MENQOL questionnaire for measuring the quality of life of postmenopausal women, suggesting that the tool can be used for screening menopausal symptoms in women. There was a relationship between general quality of life and age (p = 0.002), marital status (p < 0.001), education (p = 0.021), the impact of professional work (p < 0.001), the impact of physical activity (p < 0.001) and the impact of social life (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

In the group of women who took part in the study, the authors observed a lower quality of life during menopause reported by older women who were married/in a stable relationship, with no formal education (no formal education) and who, according to their subjective assessment, negatively evaluated the impact of the accompanying menopause-related symptoms on their work, physical activity and social life.

PTSD as a Moderator of the Relationship Between the Distribution of Personal Resources and Spiritual Change Among Participants of Hostilities in Ukraine

The theory of conservation of resources (COR) can be used to search for mechanisms that explain spiritual changes caused by trauma. The present study aimed to verify whether PTSD could be a potential moderator between the distribution of personal resources and spiritual changes. The study included a total of 324 adults (75 women and 243 men) aged 18-74. The mean age was 34.3 (SD = 9.9). The Polish adaptation of Hobfoll's Conservation of Resources-Evaluation (COR-E), the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Checklist-Civilian Version and the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory were employed in the research. This study analyzed the spiritual change, which is one of the five domains of posttraumatic growth. The outcomes indicated the significant role of PTSD as a moderator of the relationships between 1) personal resources gain and spiritual change and 2) personal resources loss and spiritual change. PTSD is not a moderator in the relationship between assigning value to personal resources and spiritual change.

Translation and Cross-Cultural Adaptation of the International Questionnaire to Measure the Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (I-CAM-Q) for the Polish and Cross-Sectional Study

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) encompasses a broad set of health care practices that are not part of a country's traditional or conventional medicine and are not fully integrated into the prevailing health care system. The aim of this study is the linguistic and cross-cultural adaptation of the Polish version of the International Questionnaire to Measure Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (I-CAM-Q) and the assessment of the occurrence and factors related to CAM among patients in Poland. A methodological model of translation and cross-cultural adaptation of research tools according to Beaton et al. with a Delphi-Technique was used for the linguistic and cultural adaptation of the Polish version of I-CAM-Q. The Delphi consensus was achieved in the scale assessment between the experts in two rounds (with a score of above 80% of expert agreement). Data was collected using an online survey within 38 thematically different groups on Facebook, among 524 participants. Over half (59.7%, n = 313) of the respondents used the services of at least one CAM practitioner. On the other hand, 50.8% (n = 266) of the respondents declared using physician's advice. The use of herbs and plant products was reported by 84.7% (n = 444), and vitamins and minerals by 88.4% (n = 463) of respondents. The most commonly used self-help practices among the respondents were relaxation techniques (49.6%), praying for one's health (43.3%) and meditation (41.2%). The consensual methodology of validating the Polish version of the I-CAM-Q scale allowed for creation of a conceptually and linguistically equivalent tool with the original international instrument. A high frequency of CAM use was found among the respondents. Therefore, strategies should be implemented to improve patient-physician communication on the use of CAM in Poland.

Hospital ethical climate survey - selected psychometric properties of the scale and results among polish nurses and midwives

BACKGROUND

The hospital ethical climate affects the quality of nursing care. A positive ethical climate is likely to reduce the proportion of those who consider leaving the profession, so it is necessary to develop tools which will enable assessment and analysis of the hospital ethical climate. The aim of this study was to examine selected psychometric properties of the Polish version of the Hospital Ethical Climate Survey, assess the hospital ethical climate perceived by nurses and midwives from Polish hospitals, and to determine its correlations with job-related variables.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study among 558 nurses and midwives working in hospitals in Poland.

RESULTS

The 21-item model showed acceptable model fitness between the hypothetical model of ethical climate and the data in the study. Five items with low factor loadings were removed from the study. The internal consistency was satisfactory (0.93). The mean score for the overall hospital ethical climate was 3.62. The highest mean score of hospital ethical climate in the present study was found in the "peers" subscale and the lowest in the "physicians" subscale. A positive correlation was found between overall hospital ethical climate and respondents' satisfaction with work, salary, and working time. The hospital ethical climate was associated with problems found in nurses and midwives' work, such as: limited time for direct face-to-face care, the lack of equipment and resources to provide high-quality health care, strained relations with hospital managers and other health care professionals, limitations to one's own competences or those of other medical professionals, moral dilemmas related to patient care, the low prestige of nurses'/midwives' work, physical and mental burden, and the risk of making a mistake.

CONCLUSION

The Polish 21-item version of the Hospital Ethical Climate Survey is a reliable tool. Correlations revealed that relationships with managers and physicians, and working conditions should be improved in order for the hospital ethical climate to improve.

The Mediating Role of Dispositional Optimism in the Relationship between Health Locus of Control and Self-Efficacy in Pregnant Women at Risk of Preterm Delivery

Difficult situations during pregnancy, such as threatened preterm labor, trigger negative experiences in women. The levels of stress experienced and the way individuals cope with it depend on their personal resources, such as optimism, internal health locus of control, and self-efficacy, among other factors. The purpose of this paper was to determine the role of dispositional optimism in the relationship between health locus of control and self-efficacy in pregnant women with threatened preterm labor. Dispositional optimism plays the role of mediator in relationships between: (1) internal health control and self-efficacy; and (2) impact of random events on one's health and self-efficacy. Dispositional optimism does not mediate the relationship between the perceived impact of others on one's health and self-efficacy. For women with a high-risk pregnancy, dispositional optimism is a significant resource for coping with the problems they encounter. It changes the direction (from negative to positive) of the association between experiencing the impact of external factors (random events) on one's health and perceived self-efficacy. It prevents the cycle of loss caused by the interpretation of random events as having an impact on one's health, and acts as a mediator to initiate a cycle of gains that leads to greater perceived self-efficacy. Optimistic pregnant women maintain a positive outlook, even when confronted with difficult, negative experiences such as threatened preterm labor.

The level of spiritual care competence of Polish nurses and the psychometric properties of the spiritual care competence scale (SCCS)

BACKGROUND

Providing effective spiritual nursing care requires development of professional competence which, when regularly evaluated, allows one to direct undergraduate and postgraduate nursing education in order to develop knowledge, skills and attitudes of nurses in the scope of spiritual care.

AIM

The aim of this study was to analyse the level of spiritual competence of professionally active nurses in Poland and, additionally, to analyse the psychometric properties of the Spiritual Care Competence Scale (SCCS).

METHODS

A cross-sectional study among Polish nurses (n = 343) was performed in accordance with the STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology guidelines.

RESULTS

An exploratory factor analysis identified five factors with 27 items explaining a total variance of 64.75%. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the subscales ranged from 0.70 for 'Attitude toward the patient's spirituality' to 0.92 for 'Professionalisation and improving the quality of spiritual care'. Nurses reported a high level of spiritual competence (104.39 points) with better results in 'Attitude toward the patient's spirituality' and 'Communication, personal support and patient counselling' than in the 'Assessment and implementation of spiritual care', 'Professionalisation and improving the quality of spiritual care', and 'Referral, consultation and spiritual care'. Significant correlation was found between nurses' age, job seniority and spiritual competence, and between religiosity and spiritual competence.

CONCLUSIONS

The study showed satisfactory psychometric properties of the Polish version of the Spiritual Care Competence Scale, confirming its potential to measure the level of spiritual competence of nurses, both in education and research processes. SCCS-PL revealed five-factor structure with good internal consistency. The findings highlight the importance of providing professional education in respect of spiritual nursing care, especially in its practical dimension regarding skills development in which nurses obtained lower scores.

Relationship between psychological capital and quality of life among seniors working after retirement: The mediating role of hope of success

INTRODUCTION

As a result of the increasing average human life expectancy and the related population growth in many countries, research on factors increasing seniors' quality of life is becoming particularly important. An event critical for seniors' functioning is retirement. A concept reflecting the dynamics of seniors' personality associated with the changes taking place in their life situation is psychological capital. This concept was identified as a factor that is constituted by four personality variables changing because of experiences: self-efficacy, optimism, psychological resilience, and hope of success. An interesting issue is the relationship between psychological capital and quality of life in seniors working after retirement.

AIM

The aim of this paper was to analyze the relationship between psychological capital (self-efficacy, dispositional optimism, psychological resilience) and quality of life in seniors working after retirement, as well as the mediating role of hope of success in this relationship.

METHODS

A total of 304 seniors-103 women and 201 men-participated in the study. The mean age was 65.24. The Quality-of-Life Scale (CASP-19), the Polish adaptation of Life Orientation Test (LOT-R), the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), the Hope of Success Questionnaire (KNS), and polish adaptation of the Resilience Assessment Scale (SPP-25) were employed in the research. A mediation model was applied to explore the pathway from psychological capital via hope of success to quality of life.

RESULTS

The tested components of psychological capital correlate positively with working senior citizens' quality of life. The mediating role of hope of success between psychological capital and quality of life was confirmed. The study presented three mechanisms in which hope of success strengthens the relationships between the components of psychological capital and working senior citizens' quality of life.

CONCLUSIONS

The mediating role of hope of success between the remaining components of psychological capital and quality of life confirms pattern posited in the COR theory, namely, that increasing one resource leads to the activation of others, which results in a spiral of personal resources being generated. One the one hand, people who have greater resources have a greater capacity for generating spirals of gains. One the other hand, individuals who lack personal resources are both more exposed to losing them and less capable of starting a spiral of gains in resources.

Social support and subjective assessment of psychophysical condition, health, and satisfaction with quality of life among women after pregnancy loss

Background

The task of modern medicine is not just to heal, but also to improve the patient’s well-being and achieve non-medical goals in the therapy process that enable effective physical, mental and social functioning of the patient. Social support in difficult situations mobilizes an individual’s strength and resources to cope with problems. Research on social support and women’s condition after pregnancy loss reflects a holistic approach to the patient and is important from the perspective of increasing the level of hospital care.

Objective

The aim of our study was to assess the impact of social support on the psychophysical condition, health, and satisfaction with quality of life among women after miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy.

Methods

The cross-sectional study was carried out in a group of 500 patients after miscarriage and 110 with ectopic pregnancy, hospitalized in hospitals in Lublin (Poland). The study was conducted with the use of a diagnostic survey, comprising the Berlin Social Support Scales (BSSS) and an original survey questionnaire (psychophysical condition, satisfaction with health and quality of life on a scale of 1–4, sources of support on a scale of 1–10, with 1 being the poorest rating).

Results

Respondents after miscarriage and those after ectopic pregnancy assigned the highest scores to the degree of perceived available instrumental support (respectively, miscarriage: M = 3.79, EP: M = 3.77). Women after pregnancy loss assigned the highest score to the support obtained from their partner (respectively, miscarriage: M = 9.26, EP: M = 9.23). Social support was significantly correlated with the condition of patients hospitalized as a result of pregnancy loss (p < 0.05). The assessment of psychophysical condition, health, and QoL of the respondents is determined by their education, financial standing, and obstetric history (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Women hospitalized due to miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy assigned high scores to the level of perceived available instrumental, emotional, and actually received social support. There is a positive relationship between social support and subjective opinion about psychophysical condition, health and satisfaction with quality of life among women after pregnancy loss. The assessment is determined by sociodemographic factors and the respondents’ obstetric history.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12884-021-04093-w.

The Polish Version of the Nursing Delirium Screening Scale (NuDESC PL)-Experience of Using in Nursing Practice in Cardiac Surgery Intensive Care Unit

Introduction: Delirium is a common complication of patients hospitalized in Intensive care units (ICU). The risk of delirium is estimated at approximately 80% in intensive care units. In the case of cardiac surgery ICU, the risk of delirium increases due to the type of procedures performed with the use of extracorporeal circulation. The aim of this study was to provide an official translation and evaluation of Nursing Delirium Screening Scale (NuDESC) into Polish. The NuDESC scale is a scale used by nurses around the world to detect delirium at an early stage in treatment. Methods: The method used in the study was the NuDESC tool, which was translated into Polish. The study was conducted by Cardiac ICU nurses during day shift (at 8 a.m.), night shift (at 8 p.m.) and in other situations where the patients showed delirium-like symptoms. Results: Statistically significant differences were observed between the first and second day in the studied group of patients in the case of illusions/hallucinations. Delirium occurred more frequently during the night, but statistical significance was demonstrated for both daytime and nighttime shifts. It was not demonstrated in relation to the NuDESC scale in the case of insomnia disorders. The diagnosis of delirium and disorientation was the most common diagnosis observed in patients on the first day of their stay in the ICU, followed by problems with communication. Delirium occurred on the first day, mainly at night. On the second day, delirium was much less frequent during the night; the biggest problem was disorientation and problems with communication. Conclusion: This study contributed to the development of the Polish version of the scale (NuDESC PL) which is now used as the Polish screening tool for delirium detection. The availability of an easy-to-use nurse-based delirium instrument is a prerequisite for widespread implementation.

The Risk of Self-medication among Students from Urban and Rural Areas

Objectives: We assessed the influence of the risk of self-medication on health locus of control and the experienced symptoms - physical, psychological, and spiritual in a group of students from urban and rural regions. Methods: This cross-sectional study included a convenience sample of 200 students from urban (N=100) and rural (N=100) areas. We used 3 research tools: Multidimensional Health Locus of Control (MHLC); List of Noo-Psychosomatic Symptoms (LS-NPS); and Self-medication Risk Questionnaire (SMRQ). Results: We found a statistically significant difference between rural and urban residents in the area of the influence of chance (CHLC) on the control of health (p < .05). The correlations between the general assessment of the risk of self-medication and two health locus of control factors were statistically significant (p < .05). A greater tendency to undertake the risk of self-medication is connected to living in the city and prescribing importance in the control of one's health to others or chance. Conclusions: Predictors of the assessment of the risk of self-medication were 2 measures of health locus of control, ie, influence of others and chance and the residence of students.

Religiosity and Attitudes towards Health, Disease, Death and the Use of Stimulants among Jehovah's Witnesses

Religiosity is considered as one of the many factors shaping an individual's health consciousness. The aim of the study is an analysis of the correlation between the religiosity of Jehovah's Witnesses and their attitudes towards health and disease. A cross-sectional study was performed on the convenience sample of 171 Jehovah's Witnesses from eastern Poland with the use of two research tools: the author's questionnaire, focusing on attitudes towards health, disease, death and the use of stimulants, and the Duke University Religion Index (DUREL). The research involved 99 females (57.9%) and 72 males (42.1%), with an average age of 37.25 (SD = 12.59) years. On average, they have been a Jehovah's Witness for 29.21 (SD = 13.22) years and are characterised by a high ratio of organisational religious activity (ORA) (M = 5.60; SD = 0.62) and intrinsic religiosity (IR) (M = 4.81; SD = 0.37). Those who had never smoked before becoming one of Jehovah's Witnesses had a higher IR (Z = -2.822; p = 0.005), similarly to those respondents who smoked cigarettes before they became Jehovah's Witnesses (Z = -2.977; p = 0.003) and those who did not abuse alcohol before they became Jehovah's Witnesses (Z= -1.974; p = 0.048). Jehovah's Witnesses are a group characterised by a high degree of consistency when it comes to religiosity, attitudes regarding health and disease and health behaviours. This means that they follow the teachings of their religion with regard to health issues. Knowledge about the association between religiosity and health behaviours is important to provide effective health education, health promotion and development of health prevention policy, specifically when dealing with more religious groups of clients.

Social support as a moderator between the perception of the disease and stress level in lung cancer patients

INTRODUCTION

Many studies attempt to explain the relationship between living in highly industrialized societies and the development of various diseases among people. Nowadays, the incidence of lung cancer is increasing worldwide. This is a highly stressful situation, both psychologically and physically. The study investigates the variable of social support and its moderating role between stress level and the perception of the disease among patients diagnosed with lung cancer.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to verify the hypothesis that there is a correlation between the subjective appraisal of one's disease and the level of stress, as well as the hypothesis that social support is a moderator between the perception of the disease and stress level in patients diagnosed with lung cancer.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study involved 97 respondents diagnosed with lung cancer - 50 men and 47 women. The following methods were used for the study: the Disease-Related Appraisals Scale, the Disease-Related Social Support Scale, and the Perceived Stress Scale. Socio-demographic data were also collected.

RESULTS

The results show that informational support may increase the level of perceived stress in lung cancer patients. It can be concluded that social support fulfils its moderating function in forming a stress response to cancer. A statistically significant moderating effect was observed of social support on the relationship between the appraisal of one's disease as harmful and the stress level.

CONCLUSIONS

The research findings demonstrate that social support plays a substantial role. It is important to diagnose the individual specific needs of lung cancer patients concerning the support they need.

Nurses' spiritual attitudes and involvement-Validation of the Polish version of the Spiritual Attitude and Involvement List

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.

The Level of Health Literacy of Seniors Living in Eastern Region of Poland. Preliminary Study

Health literacy (HL) is recognised as an important, modifiable factor in the self-management and health performance of elderly people. The aim of this preliminary study was to identify and analyse the level of health literacy among the elderly living in one of the eastern regions in Poland. The cross-sectional study was conducted among a convenience sample of 200 seniors aged 65+ after cognitive pre-screening with the use of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scale. To collect data, the Polish version of the HLS-EU-Q47 was used. More than half of the elderly surveyed presented problematic levels of general HL (GEN-HL), and also problematic levels of other dimensions: health care health literacy (HC-HL), disease prevention health literacy (DP-HL), and health promotion health literacy (HP-HL). The level of seniors' HL is dependent on the level of their education, place of living, participation in activities run by Daily Center for the Elderly, and their self-assessment of health condition (p < 0.05). These results imply the important message that there is a need to create initiatives and programs improving health literacy targeted at seniors living in rural areas, those with lower levels of education, and those with poor access to activities organised by institutions supporting seniors.

Lifestyle Practices, Satisfaction with Life and the Level of Perceived Stress of Polish and Foreign Medical Students Studying in Poland

The adaptation of foreign students to a new country can be complicated due to different cultural values, language barriers and the way university courses are structured. The aim of the study was to analyze the lifestyle practices, satisfaction with life and the level of perceived stress of Polish and foreign students studying various medical disciplines in Poland with regard to chosen sociodemographic characteristics. The study included 231 foreign and 213 Polish students (n = 444) taking different medical disciplines at the medical university in eastern Poland. Three research tools were used: Fantastic Lifestyle Questionnaire (FLQ), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). Additionally, students' sociodemographic data was collected. Two-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed and correlations between variables were also examined. Our research indicated that Polish students obtained higher results in FLQ than foreign students. It also demonstrated a significantly higher level of stress among Polish students in comparison to foreign students. The self-assessment of their health condition, lifestyle, and rank associated to being healthy correlated with FLQ, SWLS and PSS-10. The present research can aid the development of support programs for foreign students so that the cultural adaptation processes would more positively influence their lifestyle and an education environment.

Perception of health, health behaviours and the use of prophylactic examinations in postmenopausal women

Background

Pro-health behaviours aim at disease prevention, recovery from an illness and maintenance of good health in a physical, mental and social sphere. The study had two main objectives: (a) to analyse health behaviours of postmenopausal women and their understanding of the notion of health, and (b) to analyse the relationship between individual categories of health behaviours and prophylactic activities undertaken by postmenopausal women.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among a convenience sample of 510 postmenopausal women. Three study instruments were used: an original questionnaire and two instruments designed by Juczyński: the List of Health Criteria and the Health Behaviour Inventory.

Results

In the view of the respondents health was primarily synonymous with a feature, because the following three associations were given the highest priority when defining health: to be healthy means ‘have all body parts functioning well’ (M = 1.82), ‘do not experience any physical problems’ (M = 1.43) and ‘not be sick, only occasionally suffer from flu, cold or indigestion’. The score for health behaviours was average (M = 86.18). The highest score was achieved in the area of prophylactic behaviours. General indicator of health-related behaviours was higher in women who rated their health as very good (p < 0.05). Women whose general indicator of health-related behaviours was higher regularly performed prophylactic gynaecological examinations (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Results showed that women after menopause treat health mainly as a feature of their body and condition specific for this period of life. The analysis of postmenopausal women’s health behaviours and their perception of health helped to identify areas that require the focus of medical personnel in regard to health promotion and prophylaxis. The average general indicator of health-related behaviours is positive for this group of women as it shows that they care about their health, especially in terms of prophylaxis.

The role of emotional intelligence in attitudes towards elderly patients - Comparative study of medical students from rural and urban areas

INTRODUCTION

Medical care in geriatrics has its own specificity, and in order to build a successful doctor-patient relationship it is important while studying medicine to learn some functioning aspects of this age group.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to explore and describe the role of emotional intelligence in the attitudes of medical students towards elderly patients, taking into account their the place of residence. The place of residence has an impact on social relations and socialization, which could effect with disparities in behaviour towards elderly patients.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Medical University of Lublin students from rural (N=71; M=23.44 SD=1.80) and urban (N=87; M=23.34; SD=1.38) areas took part in the study. Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (INTE) and Attitude Towards Elderly Patients Questionnaire (ATEP) were used.

RESULTS

There are statistically significant differences between medical students from rural and urban areas in their attitude towards elderly patients (p=0.001), but no differences were observed between rural and urban residents in terms of emotional intelligence (general result, action factor and cognitive factor). Positive correlations were observed between action factor (r=0.322), cognitive factor (r=0.311) and general INTE result (r=0.358) and attitude towards elderly patients in the group of medical students from rural area.

CONCLUSIONS

Medical students from rural areas are characterized by a more positive attitude towards elderly patients than medical students from urban areas. The predictors of attitudes towards elderly patients are the cognitive factor of emotional intelligence and the place of residence of medical students. The results give the opportunity to design a well-developed programme of a geriatric course which could be matched to the personal predispositions of students.

Lifestyle of the elderly living in rural and urban areas measured by the FANTASTIC Life Inventory

INTRODUCTION

A healthy lifestyle can help older people maintain their functional ability and, therefore, satisfaction with life. An important aspect of health promotion is the assessment of lifestyle factors over which patients have some control.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to analyze the lifestyle of the elderly in urban and rural areas using the Fantastic Life Inventory (FLI).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The research group comprised 138 people aged 65-94 years (M = 72.41, SD = 6.90). Participants were recruited from urban 78 (56.5%) and rural 60 (43.5%) areas. The FLI used in this study has 25 closed-ended questions that explore nine domains, including physical, psychological, and social lifestyle components.

RESULTS

The overall lifestyle of most seniors was 'excellent' (45.7%) or 'very good' (41.3%); none of the respondents scored in the lowest category - 'needs improvement'. The domains that mostly demonstrated the need for a change were related to activity, nutrition, insight, sleep, stress. Participants from rural areas tended to have lower scores in the activity (p= 0.017) and nutrition (p= 0.015) domains. The lifestyle of the elderly is determined by several factors, including age, gender, health status, level of education, and the place of residence.

CONCLUSIONS

The majority of older persons demonstrated an 'excellent' or 'very good' lifestyle with healthy habits. The adoption of healthy lifestyle patterns, in particular a regular balanced diet and proper physical activity, can help prevent functional limitations among the elderly in rural areas.

Antibacterial, mechanical and surface properties of Ag-DLC films prepared by dual PLD for medical applications

Silver doped diamond-like carbon layers were deposited by dual pulsed laser deposition using two KrF excimer lasers. The concentration of Ag, determined by XPS and WDS, moved from zero to ~10at%. We found that the sp²/sp³ ratio, film roughness and the number of droplets (SEM and AFM) increased with increasing silver concentration. The sp³ content measurement (XPS) was influenced by ion cluster surface sputtering and varied from 71.0% (undoped DLC) to 36.2% (for 9.3at% Ag). Transmission was measured on the scale from 200nm to 1100nm, and decreased with increasing silver content. An increase of Ag content has an effect on the decrease of the storage modulus (E') and the indentation hardness (H_IT). The highest values H_IT=51.9GPa and E'=270.6GPa were measured on a sample with 0at% Ag. The lowest values H_IT=26.0GPa and E'=180.2GPa were measured on a sample of 9.3at% Ag. Film adhesion was studied using the scratch test and was up to 20.8N for the highest Ag concentration. The contact angle (CA) measurements for water showed that the CA of Ag-DLC films was higher (78°-98°) that of DLC film (77°). The surface free energy of DLC and of Ag-DLC was about 40mJ·m^-2. Antibacterial properties were studied using gram positive and gram negative bacteria. The antibacterial effects increased with the Ag concentration and were ~99.9% after 24h for the layers with the highest silver content (9.3at%). Our results demonstrate that the Ag-doped DLC films are potentially useful biomaterials having both good mechanical properties and antimicrobial characteristics.

PRIME NOVELTY STATEMENT

Unique manufacturing technique dual pulsed laser deposition was applied on hydrogen-free diamond-like carbon doped by Ag including topological, physical and antibacterial characterization.

The comparison of Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQL) in patients with GERD, peptic ulcer disease and ulcerative colitis

PURPOSE

The aim of the study was to compare HRQL in patients with three common gastroenterological chronic conditions: gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), peptic ulcer disease (PUD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), as well as to assess the correlation between HRQL scores and the disease activity in patients with ulcerative colitis.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study group comprised of 45 patients with GERD, 35--with PUD and 30--with UC. Among patients with UC, 7 were in remission, 13--in mild active and 10--with severe phase of the disease, according to Rachmilewitz. HRQL was assessed using 8 domains of Polish version of 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36).

RESULTS

The highest mean HRQL scores in all groups were obtained in physical and social functioning SF-36 domains. Among patients with GERD and PUD the worst HRQL results were noted in bodily pain subscale; in patients with UC--in general health perception subscale. UC patients with remission showed significantly higher HRQL scores compared with those with mild active and severe phase of the disease; especially in social functioning, mental health and vitality (p < 0.001). Patients with severe UC clinical course had mean HRQL scores statistically lower than those with mild active disease only in vitality and social functioning domains. Mean SF-36 bodily pain parameters were significantly lower in GERD and PUD compared with UC.

CONCLUSIONS

All the evaluated diseases have a significant negative impact on patients' HRQL parameters, which needs to be considered in those diseases management. The severity of UC clinical course contributes to impaired HRQL.

[A new model of computerized encephalovolumeter for monitoring of acute cerebrovascular insufficiency]

A new model of the computerized encephalovolumeter (EVM.IR) is presented. Infrared light is used as an information carrier enabling to follow the dynamics of intracerebral equilibrium and blood flow disorders. The authors suggest that this model would help clinical examination in the acute cerebral flow failure, and increase better evaluation of the efficiency of drugs improving cerebral blood flow. It should also help to foresee the outcome and prognosis. A new model of EVM.IR and its programs require further constructional and experimental studies before the routine use at ICUs.

Comparative light microscopical and X-ray microanalysis study of barium granuloma

A barium granuloma occurring in the gastric wall was examined by various light microscopical methods and with the scanning electron microscope in association with an energy dispersive x-ray spectrometer. Barium sulphate is present in the form of a slightly granular, yellowish and greenish substance within the cytoplasm of macrophages, and shows no birefringence. Needle-shaped and rhomboid birefringent crystals are rich in magnesium and silicon, and most probably present talc crystals, one of the admixtures in common commercial preparations used for contrast x-ray examination of the gastrointestinal tract, rather than crystals of barium sulphate proper as erroneously interpreted in the literature.

Hand skill measurement: a gauge for treatment

Objective measurements of performance are vital with the increasing necessity to justify the need for occupational therapy services, and to conduct studies that measure the effectiveness of treatment procedures. This paper reports on a measurement of hand skill that was standardized by comparing hand skill performance among the able-bodied, or normal, population. The performance on this test o patients with various types of disabilities and the implications for treatment are discussed. For the paraplegic, the hand skill test indicates the need for occupational therapy services; for the quadriplegic, the test measures the effectiveness of functional orthotic devices; and for the hemiplegic, the hand skill test determines the potential for success in one aspect of self-care, dressing.