Cent Eur J Public Health 2015, 23(4)
Climatic Factors and Epidemiologic Characteristics of Head and Neck Skin Malignancies in Osijek Baranja County, Croatia
®elimir Orkić, Dinko Puntarić, Domagoj Vidosavljević, Ida Puntarić, Eda Puntarić, Vlatka Gvozdić, Dijana Mayer, Marina Vidosavljević, Andrijana Muller Vranjeą
Cent Eur J Public Health 2015, 23(4):275-285 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a4075 
Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the incidence and epidemiological characteristics of head and/or neck skin malignancies in Osijek-Baranja County, Croatia, and to connect them with relative climatic indicators such as the number and intensity of sunny and cloudy days over a longer period of time. Methods: The study included patients from Osijek Baranja County with confirmed pathohistological diagnosis of the head and/or neck malignancies from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2012. The patients were analyzed according to gender, age, residence, occupation, type and location of the neoplasm, and hair and eye colour....
Validity of Asthma Control Test in Assessing Asthma Control in Czech Outpatient Setting
Elena Gurková, Patrice Popelková
Cent Eur J Public Health 2015, 23(4):286-291 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a4056
Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the reliability and validity of the agreement between the Asthma Control Test (ACT) and Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) in classifying asthma control in the Czech Republic. Methods: A sample of 316 people with asthma was recruited from the Clinic of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases of the University Hospital in Ostrava between November 2011 and July 2012. Two questionnaires were used in this study, the Asthma Control Test and Mini Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (Mini-AQLQ). Regardless of the questionnaire results the asthma specialist assessed the asthma control status of enlisted...
Asthma Exacerbations and Symptom Variability in Children Due to Short-term Ambient Air Pollution Changes in Ostrava, Czech Republic
Helena Velická, Vladimíra Puklová, Josef Keder, Marek Brabec, Marek Malý, Martin Bobák, Bohumil Kotlík, Vítězslav Jiřík, Vladimír Janout, Helena Kazmarová
Cent Eur J Public Health 2015, 23(4):292-298 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a4548
Aim: The Ostrava region suffers from high levels of air pollution during winter inversions. We investigated the association between short-term elevations of air pollutant concentrations and worsening of respiratory problems, use of asthma medication and restriction of daily activities in asthmatic patients in Ostrava. Methods: One-hundred and forty-seven child and adolescent patients (aged 6-18 years) with a confirmed diagnosis of mild to moderate persistent asthma were included in the study. Participants' parents completed diaries covering the period of November 2013 to February 2014; this analysis included 18,228 person-days. Daily...
Socioeconomic Disparities in Age of Initiation and Ever Tobacco Smoking: Findings from Romania
Dorota Kaleta, Bukola Usidame, Elżbieta Dziankowska-Zaborszczyk, Teresa Makowiec-D±browska
Cent Eur J Public Health 2015, 23(4):299-305 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a4067
Aim: Smoking initiation is considered the fundamental behaviour that determines the future health burden of tobacco smoking in a society. The aim of the study was to evaluate the socio-demographic factors associated with initiation of regular smoking among adults. Methods: The data source was the 2011 Global Adult Tobacco Survey Romania (GATS), which is a cross-sectional, nationally representative study. Multivariate logistic regression model was applied for relevant analysis. Results: Among males, the regular smoking initiation rate was significantly higher compared to females (52.4% vs. 18.5%; p<0.001). Mean age of smoking...
Eating Habits and Dietary Intake: Is Adherence to Dietary Guidelines Associated with Importance of Healthy Eating among Undergraduate University Students in Finland?
Walid El Ansari, Sakari Suominen, Anastasia Samara
Cent Eur J Public Health 2015, 23(4):306-313 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a4195
Aim: Poor eating habits among young adults are a public health concern. This survey examined the eating habits of undergraduate university students in Finland. We assessed students' dietary intake of a variety of food groups, their adherence to international dietary guidelines (whole sample and by gender), and the associations between importance of eating healthy and dietary guidelines adherence (whole sample and by gender). Methods: During the 2013-2014 academic year, 1,189 undergraduate students enrolled at the University of Turku in southwestern Finland completed an online self-administered questionnaire. Students reported their eating...
Housing Satisfaction in Finland with Regard to Area, Dwelling Type and Tenure Status
Maria Pekkonen, Ulla Haverinen-Shaughnessy
Cent Eur J Public Health 2015, 23(4):314-320 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a4080
Aim: This study presents a comprehensive examination of housing satisfaction in Finland and how it associates with different types of residential area, dwelling and tenure status taking into account socio-demographic and socioeconomic variables. Method: Associations between housing satisfaction and types of residential area, dwelling and tenure status were analysed by multivariate logistic regression using questionnaire data from a random sample of Finnish households (response rate 44%, N=1,308). Results: Respondents from rural areas and those living in houses were statistically significantly (p<0.05) more satisfied with indoor...
Factors Associated with Parental Refusal of Routine Vaccination in the Czech Republic
Jana Dáňová, Jiří ©álek, Aneta Kocourková, Alexander M. Čelko
Cent Eur J Public Health 2015, 23(4):321-323 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a4395
Aim: Routine vaccination is one of the most important preventive methods which is responsible for the decreasing trend of morbidity and mortality of vaccine preventable infectious diseases, their complications and sequelae. The impact of vaccination on declining trend of these diseases is well known and confirmed by a large number of epidemiological studies. In the Czech Republic, there is high vaccination coverage in regards to most vaccine preventable diseases. However, during the last decade proportion of parents refusing routine vaccination of their children due to different factors is increasing. The presented study evaluates current situation...
Assessing the Prevalence of Latent Tuberculosis among Health Care Providers in Zagazig City, Egypt Using Tuberculin Skin Test and QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube Test
Rehab H. El-Sokkary, Ashwak M. Abu-Taleb, Omnia S. El-Seifi, Haidy E. Zidan, Eman M. Mortada, Dalia El-Hossary, Salama E. Farag
Cent Eur J Public Health 2015, 23(4):324-330 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a4101
Aim: Early detection of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) will prevent development of active TB among health care providers. The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of LTBI among health care providers and compare the QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube Test (QFT-GIT) and Tuberculin skin test in efforts to detect LTBI and to investigate possible associated risk factors of infection. Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out during the period of 6 months in the Chest Hospital in Zagazig city and the Nephrology Unit at Zagazig University Hospitals in 132 randomly selected health care providers who were examined for LTBI by QFT-GIT...
Monitoring of Microscopic Filamentous Fungi in Indoor Air of Transplant Unit
Ondřej Holý, Ivanka Matouąková, Alena Kubátová, Petr Hamal, Lucie Svobodová, Eva Jurásková, Luděk Raida
Cent Eur J Public Health 2015, 23(4):331-334 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a4062
Aim: The aim of the study was to control the microbial contamination of indoor air monitored monthly at the Transplant Unit of the University Hospital Olomouc from August 2010 to July 2011. Methods: The unit is equipped with a three-stage air filtration system with HEPA filters. The MAS-100 air sampler (Merck, GER) was used. Twenty locations were singled out for the purposes of collecting a total of 720 samplings of the indoor air. Swabs of the HVAC diffusers at the sampling locations were always carried out after the sampling of the indoor air. Results: In total, 480 samples of the indoor air were taken for Sabouraud chloramphenicol...
The Relationship between Levels of Physical Activity and Quality of Life among Students of the University of the Third Age
Justyna Krzepota, Elżbieta Biernat, Beata Florkiewicz
Cent Eur J Public Health 2015, 23(4):335-339 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a4136
Aim: The assessment of quality of life (QoL) among elderly people is of great importance when preparing health care programmes for this social group. Many researchers indicate that poor health is less frequently observed in senior citizens who display levels of physical activity (PA) prescribed by WHO. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between the level of PA among students of the University of the Third Age (U3A) and their self-assessment concerning their QoL. Methods: The research sample consisted of 131 students from three U3A in West Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. PA was assessed with the aid of a short Polish...
Percentile Values of Physical Fitness Levels among Polish Children Aged 7 to 19 Years - a Population-Based Study
Janusz Dobosz, Daniel Mayorga-Vega, Jesús Viciana
Cent Eur J Public Health 2015, 23(4):340-351 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a4153
Aim: The objective of the study was to report gender and age-specific percentile values for fourteen commonly used field-based physical fitness tests among a national representative sample of Polish children aged 7 to 19 years. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional and population-based study examines the physical fitness among a random and large national representative sample of schoolchildren aged 7 to 19 years in Poland. A sample of 49,281 children and adolescents (25,687 boys and 23,594 girls) was assessed by the EUROFIT fitness test battery, the International Committee on the Standardization of Physical Fitness Tests and Cooper Test...
Estimating the Baseline and Threshold for the Incidence of Diseases with Seasonal and Long-Term Trends
Bohumír Procházka, Jan Kynčl
Cent Eur J Public Health 2015, 23(4):352-359 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a4392
In epidemiology, it is very important to estimate the baseline incidence of infectious diseases. From this baseline, the epidemic threshold can be derived as a clue to recognize an excess incidence, i.e. to detect an epidemic by mathematical methods. Nevertheless, a problem is posed by the fact that the incidence may vary during the year, as a rule, in a season dependent manner. To model the incidence of a disease, some authors use seasonal trend models. For instance, Serfling applies the sine function with a phase shift and amplitude. A similar model based on the analysis of variance with kernel smoothing and Serfling's higher order models, i.e. models...
Survey of Participation in Organised Cervical Cancer-Screening Programme in Hungary
Anikó Gyulai, Attila Nagy, Vera Pataki, Dóra Tonté, Róza Ádány, Zoltán Vokó
Cent Eur J Public Health 2015, 23(4):360-364 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a4068
Aim: Cervical cancer mortality is high in Hungary, with more than 400 deaths per annum. In 2003, a national cervical cancer screening programme was launched to provide screening services for women who otherwise would not use services themselves. The aim of this survey was to study the socioeconomic and lifestyle factors related to participation in the organised cervical cancer screening programme. Methods: A questionnaire-based health survey was conducted using a representative sample of women from 25-65 years of age in 11 Hungarian counties. A logistic regression analysis was used to study the association between participation in the...
Is Mild Cognitive Impairment a Precursor of Alzheimer's Disease? Short Review
Jana Janoutová, Omar ©erý, Ladislav Hosák, Vladimír Janout
Cent Eur J Public Health 2015, 23(4):365-367 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a4414
Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) may be a precursor of Alzheimer's disease (AD). There is a boundary area between normal aging and dementia. In practice, the term "age related cognitive decline" has been used interchangeably with "normal aging". Alternatively, the term "aging associated cognitive decline" was introduced and defined by a performance on a standardized cognitive scale focused on learning and memory, attention and cognitive speed, language, or visuoconstructional abilities. The term "mild cognitive impairment" was adopted by Petersen in 2004 to describe a period in the course of neurodegenerative disease where cognition is no longer normal...