Cent Eur J Public Health 2013, 21(3)

Patients' Satisfaction with Sexual and Reproductive Health Services Delivered in HIV Clinics across European Regions

Tom Platteau, Matthias C. Müller, Sibylle Nideröst, Peter Csepe, Nikos Dedes, Ludwig Apers, Ward Schrooten, Christiana Nöstlinger

Cent Eur J Public Health 2013, 21(3):123-127 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3839  

Background: Throughout Europe, differences in satisfaction with HIV-care of people living with HIV (PLHIV) persist, despite a tendency towards harmonisation of policy and management. Methods: A European sample of 1,549 PLHIV responded to an anonymous questionnaire assessing demographic background, general health, mental health, sexual health, and HIV-service provision. We compared the results across 3 regions: Western, Southern and Central/Eastern Europe. Results: PLHIV differed in several socio-demographic variables (gender, migrant status, sexual orientation, and financial situation) as well as specific psychosocial aspects (HIV-related...

What Can Public Endorsement for a Smoking Ban Policy Really Mean? Preliminary Findings from a Qualitative Study

Agnieszka Borowiec, Izabella Lignowska, Marta Makowska

Cent Eur J Public Health 2013, 21(3):128-133 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3781  

Objectives: The aim of the study is to describe attitudes which underlie Pole's declarations of support for a smoking ban in public places. Methods: The qualitative study using semi-structured individual in-depth interviews was conducted. The 30 IDI-s (in depth interviews) being a part of a larger research project entitled 'Lay meanings of health and life orientation of Polish society versus prevention and health promotion attitudes' were realized between 2007-2009. People belonging to all key socio-demographic categories identified by variables such as sex, age, education, and place of domicile were interviewed. The resulting material...

Global Health Professions Student Survey - Turkey: Second-hand Smoke Exposure and Opinions of Medical Students on Anti-tobacco Law

Tacettin Inandi, Özge Karadağ Çaman, Neriman Aydın, Ayşe Emel Önal, Ayşe Kaypmaz, Ebru Turhan, Toker Ergüder, Wick C. Warren

Cent Eur J Public Health 2013, 21(3):134-139 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3851  

Aim: This study, as a part of the "Global Health Professions Student Survey" (GHPSS), aimed to assess medical students' tobacco use, exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke (SHS), and opinions as well as smoking policies at medical faculties in Turkey. Methods: The study was conducted in 2010 as a school-based survey of third-year students in 12 medical schools. GHPSS uses a standardised methodology for selecting schools (probability proportional to student enrolment size) and data processing. In total, data from 1,217 of third year medical students were analysed. Results: Prevalence of current tobacco use among participating students...

The Impact of the July 2007 Heat Wave on Daily Mortality in Belgrade, Serbia

Dragan C. Bogdanović, Zoran G. Milošević, Konstansa K. Lazarević, Zana Ć. Dolićanin, Dragan M. Ranđelović, Stefan D. Bogdanović

Cent Eur J Public Health 2013, 21(3):140-145 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3840  

Objective: Mortality has been shown to increase with heat waves. Serbia experienced the hottest heat wave in July 2007. In this study, we examined patterns of non-traumatic excess mortality in Belgrade during this event. Methods: The numbers of deaths observed during the 9-day heat wave were compared to those expected on the basis of mortality rates reported for the previous eight years and two following years. Excess mortality was analyzed by age, gender and cause of death. Results: There was a total of 167 excess deaths (38%) between 16 and 24 July. People aged 75 years and older accounted for 151 (90%) of all excess deaths....

Hygiene Training of Food Handlers in Hospital Settings: Important Factor in the Prevention of Nosocomial Infections

Konstansa Lazarević, Dušica Stojanović, Dragan C. Bogdanović, Zana Ć. Dolićanin

Cent Eur J Public Health 2013, 21(3):146-149 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3843  

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of food hygiene training of food handlers on sanitary-hygienic conditions in hospital kitchens, based on microbiological analysis of smears taken in hospital kitchens. The study was conducted in the 1995-2009 period at the Clinical Centre Niš, Serbia. The food hygiene training was conducted in February 2005, by an infection control officer. 1,076 smears in the central kitchen and 4,025 smears in distributive kitchens were taken from hands and work clothes, work surfaces, equipment, and kitchen utensils. Microbiological analysis of smears was carried out in an accredited laboratory of the Public Health...

Occupational Exposures in Healthcare Workers in University Hospital Dubrava - 10 Year Follow-up Study

Tihana Serdar, Lovorka Đerek, Adriana Unić, Domagoj Marijančević, Durda Marković, Ana Primorac, Mladen Petrovečki

Cent Eur J Public Health 2013, 21(3):150-154 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3803  

Occupational hazardous exposure in healthcare workers is any contact with a material that carries the risk of acquiring an infection during their working activities. Among the most frequent viral occupational infections are those transmitted by blood such as hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Therefore, they represent a significant public health problem related to the majority of documented cases of professionally acquired infections. Reporting of occupational exposures in University Hospital Dubrava has been implemented in connection with the activity of the Committee for Hospital Infections since...

Associations between Overweight/Obesity and Physical Fitness Variables in Korean Women

Jong-Hyuck Kim, Wi-Young So

Cent Eur J Public Health 2013, 21(3):155-159 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3828  

Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether physical fitness variables are related to overweight or obesity in Korean women. Methods: From 2007 to 2011, 10,790 women aged 20-82 years visited a public health centre for evaluation of cardiovascular function, health-related physical fitness, and motor-related physical fitness. We used the definitions of overweight and obesity provided in the World Health Organization's Asia-Pacific Standard Report. Cardiovascular function was evaluated using the Resting Heart Rate (RHR) and vital capacity. Health-related physical fitness was evaluated using the VO₂max measure, sit-up...

Age- and Gender-Specific Prevalence of Self-Reported Symptoms in Adults

Zalika Klemenc-Ketiš, Miljenko Križmarić, Janko Kersnik

Cent Eur J Public Health 2013, 21(3):160-164 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3822  

Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the age- and gender-specific prevalence of predefined symptoms in adults. Methods: Cross-sectional study using a method of computer assisted telephone interview. Results: At least one of the symptoms was experienced by 71.4% of men and 84.6% of women in the past month. Most common symptoms in men were back pain, joint pain, irritability, nervousness, and muscle pain; in women back pain, joint pain, fatigue, headache, and nervousness. The trend of symptoms' prevalence through the age groups was increasing, stable or biphasic. Conclusions: The results from this study are important...

Effect of TiO₂ Nanofibres on Selected Bronchoalveolar Parameters in Acute and Subacute Phase - Experimental Study

Marta Hurbánková, Silvia Černá, Zuzana Kováčiková, Soňa Wimmerová, Dominika Hrašková, Jana Marcišiaková, Štefánia Moricová

Cent Eur J Public Health 2013, 21(3):165-170 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3881  

Titanium dioxide nanofibres (TiO₂) were intratracheally instilled in dose of 4 mg/0.2 mL saline solution per animal (Wistar rats). After 48 hours and 14 days the animals were exsanguinated (under i.p. thiopental narcosis), bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was perfomed and cells from BAL fluid were isolated. Following inflammatory, cytotoxic and oxidative stress BAL parameters were examined: differential cell count (% of alveolar macrophages (AM), polymorphonuclears and lymphocytes); the viability and phagocytic activity of AM; the proportion of immature cells; the proportion of multinucleated cells; count of AM/mL lavage; count of BAL cells/...

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus - Disease Impact on Patients

Želmíra Macejová, Michaele Záriková, Mária Oetterová

Cent Eur J Public Health 2013, 21(3):171-173 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3818  

Aim: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an inflammatory autoimmune disease that can affect almost all organs of the body. Lupus is a non-curable disease and the treatment is based on symptom control by immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory treatment. The disease itself as well as treatment-related adverse events have a significant negative impact on life expectancy and quality of life of patients. The aim of this study was to identify the impact of the disease on life of SLE patients. Methods: Data were collected anonymously using a special questionnaire. The survey involved 76 patients with SLE, results were processed by conventional...

Healthy Working Lives in Healthy Businesses: New OSH Strategy for Small Enterprises?

Milan Tuček

Cent Eur J Public Health 2013, 21(3):174-176 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.b0003  

Occupational safety and health (OSH) is an area concerned with protecting the safety, health and welfare of people engaged in work or employment. Successful and productive companies around the world look after the safety and health of their workers and follow certain principles of good practice for the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases. Massey University of New Zealand hosted in February 2013 interdisciplinary conference "Understanding small enterprises" (USE Conference). Conference had a dual aim of improving both well-being of the worker (healthy working lives) and equally of the business (healthy business). This contribution represents...

WHO releases guidance on mental health care after trauma.

Cent Eur J Public Health 2013, 21(3):127  

Breastfeeding: only 1 in 5 countries fully implement WHO's infant formula code.

Cent Eur J Public Health 2013, 21(3):133, 139  

New UN food safety and nutrition standards will benefit consumers.

Cent Eur J Public Health 2013, 21(3):145  

HPV vaccine could also prevent oropharyngeal cancer, says IARC.

Cent Eur J Public Health 2013, 21(3):149, 154