Cent Eur J Public Health 2010, 18(4)

Correlates of Smoking among Polish Adults: Socioeconomic Status, Leisure Time Physical Activity and Alcohol Consumption among Polish Adults from Randomly Selected Regions

Donata Woitas-Ślubowska, Elżbieta Hurnik, Anna Skarpańska-Stejnborn

Cent Eur J Public Health 2010, 18(4):179-185 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3585  

Aim: To determine the association between smoking status and leisure time physical activity (LTPA), alcohol consumption, and socioeconomic status (SES) among Polish adults. Material and methods: 466 randomly selected men and women (aged 18-66 years) responded to an anonymous questionnaire regarding smoking, alcohol consumption, LTPA, and SES. Multiple logistic regression was used to examine the association of smoking status with six socioeconomic measures, level of LTPA, and frequency and type of alcohol consumed. Smokers were defined as individuals smoking occasionally or daily. Results: The odds of being smoker were 9 times (men)...

Changes over Fourteen Years in Adult Obesity in Estonia: Socioeconomic Status and Use of Outpatient Health Services

Mare Tekkel, Tatjana Veideman, Mati Rahu

Cent Eur J Public Health 2010, 18(4):186-191 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3588  

It has been noted that great socioeconomic and lifestyle changes have triggered an epidemic of obesity among Eastern Europeans. The objective of this study was to assess the change of adult obesity in Estonia by socioeconomic status and the use of outpatient healthcare services among obese individuals over time. It can be maintained that obesity distribution in Estonia in 1990-2004 developed similarly to an average Western country and, regardless of an increasing level of male obesity, obesity prevalence for 16-64 year-olds was on the average level in Europe in 2004-14.0% for men and 14.9% for women. Change in obesity prevalence correlates quite well...

Food Intake, Leisure Time Activities and the Prevalence of Obesity among Schoolchildren in the Slovak Republic

Eva Vitáriušová, Katarína Babinská, Ľudmila Košťálová, Jozef Rosinský, Anna Hlavatá, Zuzana Pribilincová, Katarína Babinská jr., László Kovács

Cent Eur J Public Health 2010, 18(4):192-197 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3607  

Aim of the study: In 2006-2008 a survey analyzing food patterns, intake of main food items and leisure time activities of 5,410 schoolchildren was carried out. Methods: The study was performed in 13 randomly selected regions of Slovakia. 5,410 elementary school children (2,848 girls and 2,562 boys) aged from 6.3 to 15.9 years, mean age was 11±2.6 years, were included. The data collected by questionnaire concerned nutrition and leisure time activities. Results: Noteworthy results are that only 63% of participants eat breakfast regularly. Almost all of the children eat lunch during workdays regularly and 60.9% prefer a cooked...

Promoting Health in Rural Transylvania, Romania. A descriptive Analysis of Health Promotion Activities

Cătălin O. Baba, Alexandra Brînzaniuc, Emanuela O. Şirlincan, Răzvan M. Cherecheş

Cent Eur J Public Health 2010, 18(4):198-201 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3609  

Even though efforts are made to reduce health disparities, promote health for all social groups and improve health outcomes, inconsistencies still exist. Existing evidence shows that lack of funding, lack of properly trained workforce, as well as heavy workload on health care workers, are the most employed explanations for the limited number of health promotion interventions in the area. This paper presents the results of a descriptive study that pursues to render a comprehensive image of health promotion efforts undertaken in rural Transylvania, Romania. This descriptive analysis is conducted on data extracted from a larger dataset, obtained through...

Why to Smoke? Why not to Smoke? Major Reasons for Children's Decisions on Whether or not to Smoke

Drahoslava Hrubá, Iva Žaloudíková

Cent Eur J Public Health 2010, 18(4):202-208 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3626  

This study, aimed at the primary prevention of smoking behaviour in children and adolescents, attempts to find the main factors that distinguish smokers and non-smokers in the period of their first experimentation with cigarettes. There are only a few studies dealing with investigations into current motivations of teenagers as to whether or not to smoke. The programme entitled "Normal is not to smoke", using evaluation questionnaires given to children in the 3rd and 5th classes, also contains - among many other things - specifics on reasons children have for making the decision whether to become a smoker or non-smoker. The results are reported in this...

Symptoms and Clinical Signs Associated with Hospital Admission and Mortality for Heart Failure

Dirk Devroey, Viviane Van Casteren

Cent Eur J Public Health 2010, 18(4):209-214 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3606  

Little information is available on the predicting factors for hospitalisation and mortality in heart failure. The aim of this study was to determine the symptoms and clinical signs at the time of the diagnosis of heart failure that predict hospitalisation within the first month after diagnosis and mortality within the first six months after diagnosis. Data were prospectively collected during a two-year period by a nationwide network of sentinel family practices. All adult patients for whom the first time the diagnosis of heart failure was clinically suspected were registered. One, six and twelve months after the initial diagnosis, the family physicians...

Health Differences between Populations of the United States of America and the European Union

Emil Ginter, Vladimir Simko

Cent Eur J Public Health 2010, 18(4):215-218 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3613  

This review documents health care outcome in relation to health expenditure in the US and in the European Union (EU) and it attempts to interpret the root cause of observed differences. In comparison with the US where the per capita expenditure for health care is close to 8,000 international dollars, health expenditure in the Western European Countries (WEC) (France, Germany, Britain, Italy) is approximately only half of hat in the US. In the Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) it is 20 per cent or less of the US health care budget. Infant mortality in the US is much higher than in the WEC and some CEEC (Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and...

Acute Poisoning among Children Admitted to a Regional University Hospital in Northern Greece

Aggelos Tsalkidis, George Vaos, Stefanos Gardikis, Katerina Kambouri, Gregorios Tripsianis, Elpis Mantadakis, Emmanuel Paraskakis, Athanassios Chatzimicael

Cent Eur J Public Health 2010, 18(4):219-223 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3617  

Objectives: The aim of our study was to elucidate the current pattern of acute poisoning among children admitted to a regional University Hospital in the prefecture of Evros in Northern Greece. We also compared the obtained findings with those of two previous studies performed in the same region. Methods: Demographic and clinical data, management, and outcome of children with acute poisoning were recorded in our region, during the past 5-years (2005-2009, period C) and compared to similar studies carried out in the periods 1985-1989 (period A) and 1995-1999 (period B). Results: Comparison between the three periods showed that in...

Environmental Exposure to Hydrogen Sulfide in Central Slovakia (Ružomberok Area) in Context of Health Risk Assessment

Marek Drimal, Kvetoslava Koppová, Zuzana Klöslová, Eleonóra Fabiánová

Cent Eur J Public Health 2010, 18(4):224-229 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3610  

The activities of the kraft pulp-mill in Ružomberok have great impact on ambient air quality in the town and the neighboring villages. The malodorous sulfur compounds adversely contribute to the overall emission profile. The reduced sulfur proportion forms the inorganic and organic compounds containing sulfur atoms in their lowest oxidation condition (S^2-). The total sulfur proportion reduced includes hydrogen sulfide, mercaptans, dimethyl sulfide, dimethyl disulfide and other sulfur compounds. Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) - as mentioned above - is of prime importance. The kraft pulp-mill has measured of hydrogen sulfide contained in...

The TICKPRO Computer Program for Predicting Ixodes ricinus Host-seeking Activity and the Warning System Published on Websites

Milan Daniel, Tomáš Vráblík, Jaroslav Valter, Bohumír Kříž, Vlasta Danielová

Cent Eur J Public Health 2010, 18(4):230-236 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3620  

The computer program with the acronym TICKPRO (tick prognosis) facilitates medium-range forecasts of the level of host-seeking activity in ticks within a 1-4 day horizon. The program is based on the medium-range weather forecast routinely produced at the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (CHMI), as well as on previously developed mathematical models describing the correlation of meteorological factors with the host-seeking activity of Ixodes ricinus. These models are based on a 6-year whole-season monitoring of I. ricinus host-seeking activity on experimental fields in the Central Bohemia Region in a typical habitat, oakhornbeam forest,...

Global polio eradication initiative launches 2010-2012 Strategic Plan for interrupting polio worldwide.

Cent Eur J Public Health 2010, 18(4):185, 191  

Tuberculosis global facts 2010/2011.

Cent Eur J Public Health 2010, 18(4):197  

WHO global tuberculosis control report 2010. Summary.

Cent Eur J Public Health 2010, 18(4):237