Magdalena Weber-Rajek

Mental and Physical Well-being of People Working in Helping Professions, Employed in Youth Educational Centres and Sociotherapy Centres

Representatives of helping professions are particularly exposed to occupational stress. The aim of the study was to evaluate mental and physical well-being, as well as their correlates and predictors in a group of employees working at youth educational centres and sociotherapy centres. A total of 96 employees working at youth educational centres and sociotherapy centres in Kujawsko-Pomorskie voivodeship took part in the study. The following psychometric tools were used: the Psychosocial Working Conditions Questionnaire, the Mini-COPE, the LOT-R, and the GSES. The results obtained indicate that people working in helping professions experience mental and physical health problems. Only 3% of the subjects declared they sleep all night. Over 40% and over 35% of the subjects estimate they suffer from low mood and irritation episodes, respectively, rather frequently or continually. Subjects with poorer mental health are more likely to use Helplessness, Avoidance behaviours, or Turning to religion to cope with stress. The strongest predictor of mental well-being is the sense of self-efficacy. Whereas, the strongest predictor of physical well-being is the ability to cope with stress by giving into the feeling of Helplessness. The study demonstrated poor mental and physical well-being of the subjects. A statistically significant correlation was found between sex and the level of mental and physical health. Employees working at youth educational centres and sociotherapy centres with better mental and physical well-being had a stronger sense of self-efficacy and a higher level of life optimism. Hence, the sense of self-efficacy is a predictor for better mental well-being.

Are TNC gene variants associated with anterior cruciate ligament rupture susceptibility

OBJECTIVES To investigate the role of inter-individual variations in a particular glycoprotein, TNC, and its potential contribution to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury susceptibility in Polish Caucasian participants. ACL rupture is one of the most prevalent and severe knee injury that predominantly occurs during sports participation, primarily via a non-contact mechanism. Several polymorphisms in genes encoding glycoproteins either independently or as allelic combinations, modulate the risk of musculoskeletal soft tissue injuries. Specifically, the TNC rs1330363 (C>T), rs2104772 (T>A) and rs13321 (G>C) variants, independently or in haplotype combinations, were analysed in this context. DESIGN Case-control genetic association study. METHODS A group of 421 physically active, unrelated participants were recruited where 229 individuals with surgically diagnosed primary ACL rupture and 192 apparently healthy participants without any history of ACL injuries. Participants were genotyped for the above variants. RESULTS Genotype and allele frequencies of TNC variants did not differ between cases and controls. Haplotype analysis revealed no association between TNC and predisposition to ACL rupture. CONCLUSIONS Our analyses did not reveal a significant association between these TNC variants and risk of ACL rupture in Polish Caucasian participants.

The impact of pelvic floor muscle training on the quality of life of women with urinary incontinence: a systematic literature review

Purpose The purpose of this review was to assess the effectiveness of pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) in the treatment of urinary incontinence (UI) in women, with a particular focus on the impact of this form of therapy on the patients’ quality of life (QoL). Methods The following electronic databases were searched: PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library (articles only in English, 1990–2017). Search terms were as follows: urinary incontinence, pelvic floor muscle training, pelvic floor exercises, quality of life. Systematic review methods were based on the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) statement. Results The assessment of the impact of PFMT on the QoL of women with UI was conducted among 2,394 women in 24 selected studies. After the end of treatment, the majority of patients in the experimental groups noted a statistically significant improvement in QoL. Conclusion The results of this literature review demonstrate that PFMT is an effective treatment for UI in women. PFMT significantly improves the QoL of women with UI, which is an important determinant of their physical, mental, and social functioning.

The impact of pelvic floor muscle training on the myostatin concentration and severity of urinary incontinence in elderly women with stress urinary incontinence – a pilot study

Objective The aim of the study was to assess the myostatin concentration and an improvement in the severity of urinary incontinence (UI) after pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) in a group of elderly women with stress UI. Methods A total of 74 participants were included in the analysis: 40 participants in the experimental group (EG) and 34 participants in the control group (CG). The EG underwent PFMT, whereas no therapeutic intervention was applied to the CG. Myostatin concentration and UI severity (Revised Urinary Incontinence Scale [RUIS]) were assessed in all women before and after the treatment. Results By comparing the results before and after the treatment, we have been able to demonstrate a statistically significant decrease in myostatin concentration (P<0.0001) and an improvement in the severity of UI (RUIS) (P<0.0001) in the EG. No statistically significant differences in all measured variables were reported before and after the treatment in the CG. A lower myostatin concentration (P=0.0084) and an improvement in the severity of UI (RUIS) (P=0.0008) were observed after the treatment in the EG compared to that in the CG. Conclusion Effective PFMT causes downregulation of myostatin concentration and an improvement in the severity of UI in elderly women with stress UI. Further trials on a larger EG and an assessment of long-term treatment outcomes are required.

Resilience as a predicator of mental health of incarcerated women

OBJECTIVES Serving a prison sentence is an experience that bears the hallmarks of a trauma. Scientific findings on how people handle traumatic The aim of the following research was to analyze the way in which psychological resilience differentiates mental states of incarcerated women and to identify the predicator of mental well-being in this group.experiences show that there are numerous personal and social resources that allow for better adaptation. One of the concepts used to describe the process reflecting relatively good adaptation is psychological resilience. METHODS The study included women incarcerated in the External Department of Czersk Penitentiary for juvenile female offenders who serve a prison sentence for the first time and penitentiary recidivists. The following scales were used in the research: the Resilience Measurement Scale - RMS-25 and the HADS-M scale, which allows to conduct a test for symptoms of depression. RESULTS The results revealed crucial statistical correlations between the results of the resilience scale and results of the HADS-M. It was also found that the predicators of anxiety and depression in the study group are the level of personal coping skills and tolerance of negative emotions (RMS-25). Additionally, a crucial factor in predicting the state of anxiety is the number of years of imprisonment. The conducted regression analysis also showed that the level of personal coping skills and tolerance of negative emotions (RMS-25) as well as openness to new experiences and sense of humor (RMS-25) are essential predicators of the level of aggression. CONCLUSIONS The concept of psychological resilience is significant in analyzing the differences in mental health of incarcerated women and may help to create conditions that are conducive to reducing negative effects of prisoners staying in conditions of institutional constraint.

Craniosacral therapy as a relaxation method for hyperreactivity in a child with sensory integration disorder – a case report

Katarzyna Strojek, Magdalena Weber-Rajek, Agnieszka Radzimińska

THE IMPACT OF CLASSICAL MASSAGE ON SPINE MOBILITY

Введение: Нарушения подвижности позвоночника влияют на большую часть общества и проблема затрагивает людей во все более раннем возрасте. Классический массаж является одной из форм механотерапии, что влияет на регулирование работы мышц, суставов, сухожилий и связок. Цель : Цель данного исследования состояла в том, чтобы оценить эффективность классического массажа секции грудопоясничного позвоночника, чтобы увеличить подвижность в этих сегментах. Материал : Исследование проводилось на 36 здоровых добровольцах (20 женщин и 16 мужчин) в возрасте от 21 до 27 лет (средний возраст - 23,8 года), которые были подвергнуты серии из пяти сеансов классических массажа (в соответствии со строго установленным протоколом). Для того, чтобы объективировать эффекты у всех испытуемых до и после серии процедур были сделаны следующие измерения: тест касание пальцами пола; тест Otto-Wurna; выпрямление позвоночника; боковое сгибание позвоночника; поворот позвоночника. Результаты: Статистически существенное различие было показано в результатах всех протестированных переменных перед первым и после последнего применения классического массажа. Выводы: Результаты собственных исследований применимы к молодых здоровым добровольцам. Следует продолжить исследование воздействия этого вида терапии в случае ограничений подвижности позвоночника при наличии спинальных болевых синдромов.

Burnout in officers of the prison service units.The role of personality and selected professional characteristics

BACKGROUND The researchers involved in the studies of burnout indicate its 3 sources: the structure of the personality, the specificity of interpersonal relationships, and the organizational factors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of burnout and personality characteristics of prison officers, as well as to determine predictors of burnout in this occupational group. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study was conducted among prison officers, who were divided into 2 groups, the officers working in direct contact with prisoners (group I) and those employed in the prison administration (group II). The study used 2 tools: NEO-Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) and Link Burnout Questionnaire (LBQ). RESULTS Analysis of personality traits in the study group showed high severity traits of neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness. However, the best results were obtained in terms of extraversion and the lowest in the range of conscientiousness. The level of burnout in both groups was found to be within the upper limit of the average results, without statistically significant differences between the groups. The results showed that people working in direct contact with prisoners experience greater disappointments and psychophysical exhaustion at work. The analyses showed that the level of exhaustion and disappointment of the employees surveyed increases with increasing seniority. It was also shown that the level of neuroticism, extraversion and agreeableness is the predictor of effectiveness. CONCLUSIONS The level of burnout in the study group falls within the upper limit of the average results. Personality traits are an important determinant for the development of symptoms of burnout in the penitentiary officers, and their role changes over the years of continuous prison service. The position at work diversifies the degree of experiencing symptoms of burnout. Med Pr 2017;68(1):85-94.

Falls in the elderly – risk assessment and procedding

The aging of society was an incentive to the development of many fields of medicine including geriatric physiotherapy. Rehabilitation in geriatrics involves a range of issues connected with the involutional and/or disease related changes in the organism of an elderly person. To highlight the most important ones, so called ‘great geriatric problems’ were distinguished. One of them are falls. The risk of falls rises significantly after the age of 65. Among people older than 65 the chances of falls are 40% higher than among younger people. The article aims at showing the issues connected with the role of physiotherapy in falls prophylaxis in the elderly. The problem of falls in the elderly is mainly connected with the consequences of falls. Falls may lead to injuries, disability and even death. Falls prophylaxis should start with complex geriatric assessment. To assess the risk of falls a physiotherapist may use special scales: the stand up and go and the Tinetti test. After thorough analysis of the state of health of the elderly person appropriate prophylaxis measures may be chosen: removal of the environmental threats, appropriate selection of shoes as well as the assisting equipment, acute and chronic diseases treatment, pharmacotherapy modification, physiotherapy. Anti-fall rehabilitation usually focuses on balance training, expanding the range of motion, gait re-education and analgesic measures. In some medical centres special anti-fall programs are being developed, where physical activities and appropriate assisting equipment play the most important role. Modern physiotherapy methods enable individual anti-fall prophylaxis adjustment to the elderly person’s needs. The use of rehabilitation to diminish the risk of falls in the elderly is more and more common.