Izabela Wróblewska

Analysis of spirometry results in hospitalized patients aged over 65 years.

Introduction and objective The growing population of the elderly, as well as the occurrence of coexisting diseases and polypharmacy, is the reason why diseases of patients aged

Determinants of long-term home nursing care among people over 65 years of age

65 years belong to the major issues of the contemporary medicine. Among the most frequent diseases of the elderly, there are respiratory system diseases. They are difficult to diagnose because of the patient group specificity, which is the reason for increased mortality among seniors, caused by underdiagnosis. The study objective was to assess the factors influencing spirometry results in hospitalized patients aged ≥65 years with respiratory system disorders. Material and methods In the research, 217 (100%) patients aged ≥65 years who underwent spirometry at the Regional Medical Center of the Jelenia Góra Valley Hospital in Poland were analyzed. In the statistical analysis, the STATISTICA 9.1 program, the t-test, the Shapiro–Wilk test, the ANOVA test, and the Scheffé’s test were applied. Results The majority of the patients (59.4%) were treated in the hospital. The most frequent diagnosis was malignant neoplasm (18%). The study showed a statistically significant dependence between the forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), and FEV1/FVC parameters and the time of hospitalization, as well as between the FVC and FEV1 parameters and the age of patients. The FVC parameter values turned out to be dependent on the main diagnosis. Highest results were noted in patients with the diagnosis of sleep apnea or benign neoplasm. A low FVC index can reflect restrictive ventilation defects, which was supported by the performed analyses. Highest FEV1/FVC values were observed in nonsmokers, which confirms the influence of nicotine addiction on the incidence of respiratory system diseases. Conclusion The respondents’ sex and the established diagnosis statistically significantly influenced the FVC index result, and the diet influenced the FEV1/FVC parameter result.

Health status, health behaviors, and the ability to perform everyday activities in Poles aged ≥65 years staying in their home environment

Introduction: With age comes increasing loss of efficiency, and thereby increasing dependence on others and increasing demand for nursing and care services Aim of the research: To determine the factors of demand for long-term home nursing care among people over 65 years old. Material and methods: The research was conducted on 504 subjects aged between 66 and 94 years. The qualified respondents for the long-term home-based nursing care scored no more than 40 points in Barthel’s Index. The following research tools were used: Barhel’s Index, IADL, GDS, AMTS, and an authorial interview questionnaire. Results: For long-term home-based nursing care 15.67% (n = 79) of subjects were qualified; there were more women (n = 61) than men (n = 18) (p < 0.05). The age of respondents qualified for long-term nursing care was higher than the age of other test subjects (p < 0.001). Among subjects qualified for long-term home-based nursing care there were more people with incomplete primary education (p < 0.01) and a higher number of multi-diseases than with the rest (p < 0.01). Moreover, people qualified for long-term nursing care had worsened agility to perform complex life activities and worsened cognitive and emotional performance (p < 0.001) than people who did not qualify for such services. Conclusions: The need for long-term nursing care was determined by progressing ageing, functional, emotional, and cognitive disorders, more frequent with women, people with low education, and multi-diseases.

CZĘSTOTLIWOŚĆ POWIKŁAŃ WYSTĘPUJĄCYCH U OSÓB W PODESZŁYM WIEKU CHORUJĄCYCH NA CUKRZYCĘ, OBJĘTYCH OPIEKĄ PIELĘGNIARKI ŚRODOWISKOWEJ

Background The incidence of chronic diseases increases with age; about 73% of people who are aged ≥60 years suffer from at least 1 chronic disease, and among those older than 70 years, chronic diseases afflict more than >84% of the population. According to epidemiological data, at least 4 chronic disease types coexist in senior citizens, causing their disability. These are mainly cardiovascular diseases; motor system diseases; ophthalmological, auditory, neurological, and mental diseases; and mental impairment. They worsen or limit self-dependence in everyday activities. The process begins with complex activities and advances with age. At first, functional performance deficits are discreet; then, they may gradually lead to complete dependence on other people or institutions. Objective This study aimed to assess the relationship between diseases and health behaviors, as well as the everyday functioning of people aged ≥65 years staying in their home environment. Methods The research involved 504 elderly people. The inclusion criteria were age (≥65 years) and staying in one’s own home environment. The direct interview technique was applied, as well as use of proprietary interview questionnaire and standardized tools used in geriatrics: Barthel scale, measuring performance in everyday activities, and the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living scale, assessing complex everyday activities. Results The most frequent disease among the responders was arterial hypertension (77.58%), followed by degenerative joint disease (62.10%), and circulatory failure (43.23%). Lower functional performance was associated with circulatory failure, cerebral stroke, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, degenerative joint disease, and bronchial asthma. Performance worsening significantly influenced the frequency of hospitalizations, with a mean score of 4.31 per person. Medical rehabilitation was practiced by 18.65% of the responders. Conclusion Circulatory failure, cerebral stroke, atherosclerosis, bronchial asthma, diabetes, degenerative joint disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease negatively affect functional performance in elderly people. Hospitalization rates increase with lowering independence in everyday functioning. Future research is needed with regard to the relationship between the practiced rehabilitation and independence in everyday functioning of the elderly.

Socioeconomic Indicators Shaping Quality of Life and Illness Acceptance in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

1Uniwersytet Medyczny im. Piastów Śląskich we Wrocławiu, Wydział Nauk o Zdrowiu 2Karkonoska Państwowa Szkoła Wyższa w Jeleniej Górze 3Instytut Ochrony Zdrowia, Państwowa Wyższa Szkoła Techniczno-Ekonomiczna w Jarosławiu 4Instytut Turystyki i Rekreacji, Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego we Wrocławiu 5Wydział Przyrodniczo-Techniczny, Karkonoska Państwowa Szkoła Wyższa w Jeleniej Górze 6Katedra i Zakład Profilaktyki Zdrowotnej, Wydział Nauk o Zdrowiu, Uniwersytet Medyczny w Poznaniu 7Państwowa Szkoła Wyższa im. Papieża Jana Pawła II w Białej Podlaskiej