Dorota Żołnierczuk-Kieliszek

Predictors of quality of life in peri- and postmenopausal Polish women living in Lublin Voivodeship

ABSTRACT Objectives The aim of this observational cross-sectional study was to establish the factors that determine the quality of life in a sample of peri- and postmenopausal women and to answer the question of whether the quality of life of these women is dependent on currently or previously received hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Methods The research was carried out by means of a survey method, postal questionnaire technique. Three standardized questionnaires: WHOQOL-BREF, Womens Health Questionnaire (WHQ) and SF-36 were used as research tools. An original questionnaire was also used. The study comprised a representative sample of the female population aged 45–65 years living in Lublin Province. The sample size was 2143 women. The domains of quality of life established by the WHOQOL-BREF, WHQ and SF-36 questionnaires were treated as dependent variables, whereas the sociodemographic variables, data concerning the womens gynecological history, their state of health and whether they received HRT or not were treated as independent variables. Results At multivariate analysis, self-assessment of the state of health as poor or fair, the presence of urinary incontinence, the presence of chronic diseases, self-assessment of living conditions as poor, self-assessment of financial situation as poor, eligibility for benefits (pensions) for the disabled, and lower education level represented the most important predictors of poor quality of life. HRT use had an independent impact on womens quality of life only in one quality-of-life domain – sleep problems in the WHQ. Current HRT users were characterized by a slightly lower risk of quality of life reduction when compared with past HRT users and women who never used HRT. Conclusions Strong predictors of the worse quality of life established in the research make it possible to single out a group of women who need special attention in the process of undertaking preventive or curative steps.

Knowledge about osteoporosis prevention among women screened by bone densitometry

Introduction Osteoporosis is an illness characterized by the handicapped endurance of the bones, causing an increased risk of fracture. Aim of the study Aim of the study was to establish the level of knowledge about osteoporosis prevention among women screened by bone densitometry and to answer the question whether the level of knowledge is dependent on socio-demographic factors. Material and methods The research was realized by means of a survey method, a poll technique in 2014. The study involved 292 women aged 51-83. The examined women were patients undergoing bone densitometry in the healthcare centres in Lublin. The osteoporosis knowledge test (OKT, revised 2011) by Phyllis Gendler was used as a research tool. Gathered material was subject to descriptive and statistical analysis. Tukeys test, t-Student test and variance analysis (ANOVA) were all applied. A statistical significance level was set at α = 0.05. Results and conclusions Respondents presented the basic exercise knowledge (M = 9.97) and low knowledge concerning risk factors, screening and treatment of osteoporosis (M = 7.87). The calcium knowledge remained on an average level (M = 14.03). Better educated women, city inhabitants as well as women having very good or good social and welfare conditions showed a significantly higher level of knowledge about osteoporosis prevention. Even women undergoing bone densitometry examination present insufficient knowledge about osteoporosis prevention.

Influence of sociodemographic factors on quality of life in women living in Lublin Province in Poland.

The aim of the study The aim of the study is to evaluate the impact of sociodemographic factors on the quality of life (QOL) in 45-65-year-old women. Material and methods The research by means of a survey method, postal questionnaire technique, comprised 2143 women – a representative sample of the female population living in Lublin Province. Three standardized questionnaires – WHOQOL-BREF, Womens Health Questionnaire and SF-36 – as well as an original questionnaire were used as research tools. In statistical analysis Students t-test for two groups, an analysis of variance, Dunnetts T3 test for multiple comparisons, a one-way analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA) and a stepwise logistic regression analysis were used. Results In the population of peri- and postmenopausal women a significantly better quality of life in comparison with the rest of the studied women was established in women aged 45-49 years, respondents living permanently in urban areas as well as better educated women, those with full-time employment, especially those doing intellectual work, women remaining in a long-lasting relationship, and women assessing their financial situation and living conditions as well. Logistic regression analysis showed that the strong predictors of poor quality of life were as follows: self-assessment of living conditions as poor, self-assessment of financial situation as poor, permanent place of residence in the country, lower education level (incomplete primary education, primary education). Conclusions The group of women with worse quality of life should become the main addressee of preventive programmes and health policy programmes designed for peri- and postmenopausal women.

General self-efficacy level and health behaviours in women over the age of 45 years who have undergone osteoporosis treatment

Introduction Contemporary people do not follow the civilisation development in every life domain, their lifestyle is not always healthy. Self-efficacy is the factor that plays an important role in undertaking actions towards struggling with the disease. The aim of the study The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between the general self-efficacy level and health behaviours as well as chosen sociodemographic features in women over the age of 45 years who have undergone osteoporosis treatment. Material and methods The study comprised 151 women over the age of 45 years. The research was conducted in 2016 in health care centres in Lublin, a city in south-eastern Poland. The Generalised Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) by R. Schwarzer, M. Jerusalem and Z. Juczyński and an original questionnaire were used as research tools. The obtained material was subjected to descriptive and statistical analysis. χ2 test, Kruskal-Wallis test, Mann-Whitney Test and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient were all applied. Results The analysis of obtained results showed that as much as 73.5% of the respondents showed very low and low generalised self-efficacy level. On the other hand, only 22.5% of the examined were characterised by high and very high generalised self-efficacy level. The longer the duration of osteoporosis treatment (rho = 0.251; p = 0.002) and the better the self-estimation of health status (rho = 0.473; p = 0.000), the higher the respondents’ generalised self-efficacy level. The women’s self-efficacy level declined with increasing ailments (rho = –0.190; p = 0.019). Conclusions The generalized self-efficacy level and the health behaviours are not satisfactory.

The contemporary look at the problem of recognizing and diagnosing postmenopausal osteoporosis and eliminating the risk of a fall

Osteoporosis constitutes a relevant health, social and economic problem of the contemporary world. As a chronic disease, often nicknamed the “silent thief”, it is an object of the clinical research and a reason for many ambiguities. The most noticeable and basic symptom of osteoporosis is a low-energy fracture, which brings pain, physical disability, and a noticeable decrease in ones quality of life. Osteoporosis affects the entire population; however, women in the postmenopausal period and the elderly are mostly exposed to its progress. The risk of falling ill concerning women simply grows with the age and doubles with every decade after the age of 65. It is estimated that osteoporosis affects 200 million women worldwide, and about 20-25% of them will sustain an injury in the form of a bone fracture. In Poland, the problem of osteoporosis concerns 2.4 million women. The article attempts to show current views on examining and diagnosing postmenopausal osteoporosis and prevention of the fall risk. The BMD (bone mineral density) is considered the basis of osteoporosis diagnosis in postmenopausal women as well as an absolute 10-year risk of fractures and experienced osteoporotic fractures. All people at an increased fall risk should be provided with the multifactorial programme of fall prevention.

Men’s knowledge about osteoporosis and its risk factors

Introduction Until recently osteoporosis was seen mainly as a woman’s problem. However, in the last ten years there has been rising awareness in society that osteoporosis constitutes an inseparable element of getting old for men as well. The aim of the research was to evaluate men’s knowledge about osteoporosis and its risk factors contributing to the development of the disease. Material and methods The study included 205 men aged 20-60. The examined men were patients of selected healthcare centres in Lublin Voivodeship. The study was conducted between September 2014 and April 2015. The research was performed by means of the survey method, using a poll technique. Purposive sampling and an original questionnaire were used. Gathered material was subjected to descriptive and statistical analysis. The Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis test were applied. The statistical significance level was set at α = 0.05. IBM SPSS Statistics software was used to perform the statistical analysis. Results The respondents’ level of knowledge about osteoporosis and its risk factors can be estimated as average. The polled men showed better knowledge on osteoporosis risk factors (M = 59.78) than general osteoporosis knowledge (M = 53.71). Significant differences were found between the respondents’ education and their general osteoporosis knowledge as well as between the respondents’ living conditions and their knowledge about osteoporosis risk factors. Conclusions Because of the insufficient level of knowledge about osteoporosis and its risk factors in the male population it is advisable to launch prevention programmes aimed at men focusing on this issue.

Professional activity of Polish peri- and postmenopausal women

Introduction The menopausal transition as one of the stages in women’s life can bring many ailments which complicate the accomplishment of professional duties. The situation of women on the Polish job market is determined by many barriers and stereotypes which impede women’s access to jobs and professional promotions. Material and methods The aim of the study was to estimate the professional status and job satisfaction of women aged 40-65. The research was carried out by a survey method, a poll technique in the period from January to March 2016. An original questionnaire consisting of 35 questions was used as a research tool. Results The analysis of obtained results shows that the arithmetic mean of the age of women in full-time employment was 51.84 years whereas the arithmetic mean of the age of women in part-time or seasonal employment was 52.64. Women aged 45-60 were characterised by a significantly lower job satisfaction than women over 60 years of age. The highest percentage of women in full-time employment lived in large cities. The financial situation of working women determined their job satisfaction. Well-off respondents were more pleased with their jobs than women in a worse financial situation. Conclusions There is a strong need of education about counteraction of gender and age discrimination on the Polish labour market. The struggle against discrimination requires support on each level of the state administration through the implementation of numerous regulations facilitating the final period and resumption of women’s professional activity.

Self-assessment and woman’s health control location after gynaecological operations

Introduction: Surgical treatment in gynaecology has a specific influence on a woman’s life and has a psychological effect because of the organs involved. Self-assessment and women’s health control location after gynaecological operation determine the treatment and rehabilitation process. Aim of the research: Self-assessment and women’s health control location after gynaecological operation evaluation was the aim of this study. Material and methods: There were 167 women after gynaecological treatment evaluated. Patients were registered in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology department and the Gynaecology outpatient Clinic in Chełm Public Specialist Hospital. MHCL version B scale with polish adaptation (Z. Juszyński) and sociodemographic, self-evaluation, and health control questionnaires created by the authors were used. This analysis used Kołmogorow-Smirnow, U Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Confidence intervals of p < 0.05 and p < 0.01 were established. IBM SPSS Statistics software was used. Results and conclusions: Most of the women after their gynaecological operations (61.1%) revealed their health perception as good and only one (0.6%) as poor. Over half of the patients self-assessed themselves as a valuable person (56.3%) and womanlike (55.1%), whilst a small number of patients stated as not attractive, impoverished, worse than others, useless, or worthless. The highest self-assessment scores were from women in early stages after their operation, e.g. from one month to one year after treatment (M = 14.95). MHLC scale analysis showed that most of the patients overbalanced internal health self-control (M = 25.33), indicating that life control is dependent on the patient. Respondents who stated their health status as poor in every health control scale had higher results. Age and education had a significant influence on the MHCL and self-assessment scales (p < 0.001).

Chosen risk factors for osteoporosis and the level of knowledge about the disease in peri- and postmenopausal women.

Introduction Osteoporosis as a chronic disease, affecting especially women in postmenopausal age, is an important, social and economic health problem especially of women of todays world. The aim of the study was to assess the level of knowledge of women in the peri- and postmenopausal period about the prevention of osteoporosis and show the influence of chosen risk factors on the level of this knowledge. Material and methods A group of 300 women aged 45-65, being patients of healthcare centres in Chełm, Lublin and Zamość (Lublin voivodeship, south-eastern Poland) were included in the study. The purposive sampling was used. Osteoporosis Knowledge Test (OKT) 2011 was the research tool. Gathered material was subjected to descriptive and statistical analysis. Tukeys test, t-student test and variance analysis (ANOVA) were all applied. An accepted p materiality level was < 0.05 and p < 0.01. Results Respondents presented the average level of knowledge about the role of physical activity in the prevention of osteoporosis (M = 13.93) and a low level of knowledge about well-balanced diet rich in calcium (M = 9.77). The knowledge about risk factors, screening and treatment remained on the average level (M = 8.00). An influence of socio-demographic factors on the level of knowledge was shown. Also some behaviours, associated with the lifestyle indeed influenced the level of this knowledge. Conclusions Professional educational programs on osteoporosis should be implemented in the population of Polish peri- and postmenopausal women.

Ochrona danych medycznych zawartych w dokumentacji medycznej, a wykorzystanie bezpiecznego podpisu elektronicznego

A presentation of the regulations concerning the protection of personal data at health care units is a purpose of the work. Medical data i.e. sensitive data constitute the special category of personal details (sensitive ones) which concern medical condition, information about the genetic code or addictions. A general prohibition on the processing of sensitive data exists, except for the situation, when provisions of the law allow it. In the legal status being in force processing both information referring directly to the medical condition of man, and information the average recipient can acquire these data is forbidden. Processing sensitive personal details without the written consent of the person which they concern, is possible only in the objective of protection of medical condition, providing medical services or curing patients by persons being engaged professionally in curing or with providing other medical services, provided there are created full guarantees of the protection such data.. Medical data gathered by the health-service units must be provided with the full legal protection, predicted in the act from 29.08.1997 about the protection of personal data. For creating appropriate conditions of storing medical documentation a manager of the health care unit is held responsible.