Cent Eur J Public Health 2009, 17(1)
Effects of Family History and Personal Experience of Illness on Inclination to Change Health-Related Behaviour
Per Andersson, Rickard L. Sjöberg, John Öhrvik, Jerzy Leppert
Cent Eur J Public Health 2009, 17(1):3-7 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3506 
The aim of the present study was to examine how a personal experience of illness and a family history of cardiovascular disease (CVD), adjusted for sex, level of education and nationality, affect risk behaviour. Participants were 1,011 and 1,043, 50-year-old men and women from Sweden and Poland, respectively, who were recruited from a primary health care screening programme. Family history, personal experience of illness and risk behaviour (smoking and exercise habits, BMI level) were self-reported. The results showed that smoking behaviour was affected by a personal experience of illness but not by a family history of CVD. No effects of these variables...
Health Systems and the Challenge of Communicable Diseases: Experiences from Europe and Latin America
Anne-Marie Yazbeck
Cent Eur J Public Health 2009, 17(1):7-13
Short-term Association between Air Pollution and Emergency Room Admissions for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Niı, Serbia
Suzana Milutinoviĉ, Dragana Nikiĉ, Ljiljana Stoıiĉ, Aleksandra Stankoviĉ, Dragan Bogdanoviĉ
Cent Eur J Public Health 2009, 17(1):8-13 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3508
The present study assesses the short-term association between black smoke (BS) and sulphur dioxide (SO2) levels in urban air and the daily number of emergency room admissions for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Niı, Serbia.Generalised linear models extending Poisson regression were fitted controlling for time trend, seasonal variations, days of the week, temperature, relative humidity, air pressure, precipitation, rainfall, snowfall, overcast, and wind velocity.The emergency room admissions for all ages for COPD were significantly associated with previous-day level of BS and lag 0-2 (1,60% and 2,26% increase per 10 μg/m3,...
Healthy Behaviours, Lifestyle Patterns and Sociodemographic Determinants of the Metabolic Syndrome
Magdalena Kwaĥniewska, Dorota Kaleta, Elżbieta Dziankowska-Zaborszczyk, Wojciech Drygas
Cent Eur J Public Health 2009, 17(1):14-19 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3512
Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the influence of healthy behaviours, lifestyle patterns and sociodemographic factors on risk of the metabolic syndrome (MS) in adult residents of rural, small town and large urban areas in Poland.Material and methods: Cross-sectional analysis of randomly selected representative sample of 1,187 men and women aged 20-74 years participating in the nationwide health survey WOBASZ. Metabolic syndrome was defined by AHA/NCEP criteria (2005). Analysed healthy behaviours included nonsmoking, healthy weight, adequate fruits and vegetables consumption, regular leisure-time physical activity. The 4 lifestyle factors...
Improving Quality of Prevention of Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission Services in Ukraine: a Focus on Provider Communication Skills and Linkages to Community-Based Non-Governmental Organizations
Kateryna Gamazina, Iryna Mogilevkina, Zhanna Parkhomenko, Amie Bishop, Patricia S. Coffey, Tracy Brazg
Cent Eur J Public Health 2009, 17(1):20-24 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3478
Background: Ukraine has the highest rate of HIV infection in Europe, with an estimated adult prevalence of 1.6 percent. The epidemic in Ukraine remains largely driven by injection drug use, and women of reproductive age are being increasingly affected. Prior research has highlighted the need to improve the quality of services for prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) and to address other issues related to HIV counseling, testing, and care, especially in the context of antenatal and obstetric services.Methods: From 2004 to 2007, PATH led a collaborative effort to improve the quality of PMTCT services in Ukraine. Initial assessments...
Experience of Antiretroviral Treatment in Georgia
Tengiz Tsertsvadze, Natalia Bolokadze, Nino Gochitashvili, Lali Sharvadze, Otar Chokoshvili, Natia Dvali, Amiran Gamkrelidze, Lali Khotenashvili, Srdan Matic
Cent Eur J Public Health 2009, 17(1):25-30 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3463
Introduction: HIV infection is the major public health, social and economic problem in Georgia. Although the HIV epidemic is in its nascent phase in the country, the potential risk for development of a wide spread HIV epidemic is very high.The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of ARV treatment principles in Georgia, including treatment and monitoring methods. Materials and Methods: The study included 985 people living with HIV/AIDS in Georgia registered at Infectious Disease, AIDS and Clinical Immunology Research Center since 2004. To ensure universal access to ARV therapy all HIV/AIDS individuals included in the study were investigated...
Reassessment of Selected Healthcare Associated Risk Factors for HBV and HCV Infections among Volunteer Blood Donors, Karachi, Pakistan
Muhammad Younus, Azfar-e-Alam Siddiqi, Saeed Akhtar
Cent Eur J Public Health 2009, 17(1):31-35 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3489
Epidemiologic studies conducted in the 1990s identified several independent healthcare associated risk factors for HBV and HCV infections in Pakistan. In 2002, we re-examined healthcare associated HBV and/or HCV infection risk factors in volunteer blood donors.In this case-control study, we collected data using a structured questionnaire on socioeconomic attributes, putative healthcare related risk factors, and other known factors for HBV and HCV infections in Karachi, Pakistan.The multivariable logistic-regression model (166 cases, 394 controls) after adjusting for socio-demographic attributes and other known HBV and HCV risk factors revealed...
Helth and Conflict Prevention
Michal Andìl
Cent Eur J Public Health 2009, 17(1):35-40
Mercury and Methylmercury in Hair of Selected Groups of Czech Population
Kateĝina Wranová, Mája Èejchanová, Vìra Spìváèková, Vlasta Korunová, Miloslav Vobeckŭ, Václav Spìváèek
Cent Eur J Public Health 2009, 17(1):36-40 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3513
As the concentration of methylmercury (MeHg) in the environment is insignificant, hair can be used as a suitable matrix to estimate endogenous MeHg exposure. A validated analytical method with AMA 254 spectrometer was used for the determination of inorganic mercury and methylmercury species in the hair of dentists, workers in fish industry and professionally non-exposed adults. ANOVA and QC Expert software was used for statistical evaluation. The number of amalgam fillings in oral cavity, consumption of fish, gender, smoking habits and age of the subjects were taken into account. A significantly higher level of inorganic bound mercury (Hgin) was found...
The Influence of Marital Status on Epidemiological Characteristics of Suicides in the Southeastern Part of Serbia
Branislav Petroviĉ, Biljana Kociĉ, Dragana Nikiĉ, Maja Nikoliĉ, Dragan Bogdanoviĉ
Cent Eur J Public Health 2009, 17(1):41-46 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3493
Background: The support of close persons is a protective factor in the suicide epidemiology. The aim of this paper is to determine if there are differences between epidemiological characteristics of the suicides committed by married people in relation to singles.Methods: In order to determine epidemiological characteristics of suicide among married and single people in the southeastern Serbia 628 suicides committed from 1995 to 2002 among persons 20 years of age and over were analysed. To compare suicide rates between married and single persons χ2 test was performed.Results: From 628 registered suicides, 188 were performed by...
Tick-Borne Diseases of Humans
Jindĝich Jíra
Cent Eur J Public Health 2009, 17(1):46
Selected Aspects of Tobacco Control in Croatia
Patricia R. Loubeau
Cent Eur J Public Health 2009, 17(1):47-52 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3407
This paper seeks to outline the challenges of tobacco consumption control in the transitional economy of Croatia. It focuses on issues of taxation, high unemployment, and smuggling while attempting to meet European Union (EU) accession requirements for tobacco control legislation that reduces smoking consumption. The issue of tobacco control is not a simple one and requires a multi-pronged approach. While Croatia has made good progress in adopting legislation, it needs to strengthen its efforts both in terms of enforcement and increased taxation of cigarettes.