Teresa Bernadetta Kulik

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.

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.

Differences in the Perception of Social Support Among Rural Area Seniors—A Cross-Sectional Survey of Polish Population

Introduction and objective: Social support constitutes an important determinant of an elderly person’s health and of functioning in his or her living environment. It depends on available support networks and the type of help received. Measurement of social support should encompass both its structure and the functions it fulfills, which enables detailed assessment of the phenomenon. The aim of the study was to compare the perception of social support among rural area seniors provided with institutional care with those living in a home setting. Material and method: Using the diagnostic survey method and the technique of the distribution of a direct questionnaire, 364 respondents from rural areas were examined: those living in an institutional environment (n = 190) and those living in their home (natural) environment (n = 174). The respondents were selected on the basis of a combined sampling method: proportionate, stratified, and systematic. Variables were measured with the following questionnaires: Courage Social Network Index (CSNI) and Social Support Scale (SSS). Results: The living environment has been proved to differentiate average values of support both in the structural and functional dimensions in a statistically significant way (p < 0.001). An untypical phenomenon was higher average values pertaining to emotional bonds, frequency of direct contacts, and help received in the group of respondents living in an institutional environment. Conclusions: The living environment and demographic variables affect the perception of social support among elderly people. Full-time institutional care of a senior citizen leads to the deterioration of social support; therefore, keeping an elderly person in a home environment should be one of the primary goals of the senior policy.

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.

Aktywność fizyczna i formy spędzania czasu wolnego wśród uczniów w wieku 12–15 lat

Introduction. Physical activity is a very important element in human life. Adolescence allows the proper shaping of widely understood attitudes of children and young people, and affects normal psychomotor development. Physical activity undertaken by adolescents during physical education classes and after-school helps to strengthen a healthy lifestyle and take responsibility for their own health. Objective. The aim of this study is to assess the physical activity and leisure activities among adolescents. Materials and method. The study was conducted in the Rzeszow Region among 125 adolescents attending School No. 5 in Jarosław. A diagnostic survey method, with the use of a questionnaire designed by the author allowed the collection of information on physical activity, which was subjected to statistical computer analysis. Results. The test results revealed that the adolescents performed physical activity on level recommended for this age group of 1 hour of moderate efforts daily. The vast majority of respondents regularly participated in physical education classes and undertook additional physical activity during the day. The most frequently chosen form of additional activity was cycling. It is an alarming fact that the amount of time spent at the computer by a considerable percentage of adolescents was more than three hours daily. Conclusion. Not attending compulsory physical education classes, for reasons other than health, should be completely eliminated from the habits and health behaviours of adolescents. Daily physical activity of adolescents in the form of cycling, should be used by parents, caregivers and teachers, as an opportunity to strengthen a healthy lifestyle, and thus shaping health promoting attitudes among young people.

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.

Analysis of the doctor-patient communication if breast cancer is diagnosed

The aim of the paper is the recognition and evaluation of demand for medical information among patients suffering from breast cancer. The research was conducted among 120 women with diagnosed breast cancer in the Oncological Surgery Clinic of the Independent Public Research Hospital No 1 in Lublin, the Oncological Clinic of the Independent Public Research Hospital No 1 in Lublin and the Rehabilitation Centre with the Rehabilitation Clinic at the Lublin Oncology Centre. The research included women from the Club of Women after Mastectomy “Amazons”, the Club “Amazons” at the Complex of Specialist Clinics in Ostrowiec Świetokrzyski and the Club “Amazons” in Radom. Research showed that the demand for medical information among women with diagnosed breast cancer is very high. Respondents want to know all the information concerning the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis (93%). They also expect that the doctor will give them medical information concerning further consequences of cancer and its influence on future health and life (78%). Most of the respondents expect to receive information concerning medicaments which should be taken (77%) and the essence of the conducted treatment (93%). The research analysis showed that women with diagnosed breast cancer expect that the doctor will give them reliable and real medical information. Patients want the doctor to present them the probable course of the cancer (85%) and all the possible side effects connected with it (89%).

Quality of Life Assessment in Post-Stroke Patients

Abstract Aim. Presentation of quality of life of post-stroke patients treated in the Neurology Ward of the District Specialist Hospital. Material and methods. The research covered 80 patients after stroke, treated in the Neurology Ward of the District Specialist Hospital. The study used the diagnostic survey method, the questionnaire technique and the standardized research tool: the Polish version of the Stroke-Specific Quality of Life Scale (SS-QOL), authored by Williams et al. The scale comprised 12 subscales and an overall result, all of which ranged between 1 and 5 points. Higher scores corresponded to higher quality of life. Differences between the variables were verified with nonparametric tests. The significance level was established at p<0.05. Results. Quality of life of post-stroke patients treated in the Neurology Ward of the District Specialist Hospital was at the level of 2.64, that is below the average established in the middle of the 1-5 scale. The overall quality of life was higher among women (3.02) than among men (2.39). Patients after ischemic stroke had significantly higher quality of life (at the level of 2.83) than patients after hemorrhagic stroke (at 2.23). Conclusions. The problem of patients after stroke is not only limitation of mobility due to paresis. Identification of bio-psycho-social disorders and help in overcoming them can radically change the patient’s situation. The assessment of quality of life is an indispensable task because it enables evaluation of the patient’s condition, not only in terms of effectiveness of therapy, but above all, in terms of a possibility for improvement of the patient’s quality of functioning, in the mental and social aspects.

Attitudes of women after the age of 50 towards preventive screening

INTRODUCTION Prevention is one of the major branches of the health sector. The National Health Programme encompasses main risk factors, elimination of which may lead to a reduced incidence of illnesses in the society. At the same time, the criteria of selecting people eligible for preventive screening are established according to risk groups determined by sex, as well as age in the population of women. The perimenopausal and menopausal period contributes to occurrence of numerous systemic diseases and to an increased risk of illnesses, especially cancers. OBJECTIVE The objective of the research was to evaluate the performance of preventive screening tests of women after 50 aimed at early detection of cervical and breast cancer. Furthermore, the research estimated frequency of pathological lesions detected and regularity of their monitoring. MATERIALS AND METHODS The research covered 150 women after 50 years of age. The database was statistically examined with STATISTICA software. RESULTS A low percentage of the respondents, in comparison to the risk increasing with age, had a Pap test (61.3%) and mammography (51.3%) in the last two years. In the case of women whose latest Pap test or mammography showed abnormalities and was the basis for diagnosing pathological lesions, 69.2% of them were under regular medical supervision if abnormalities were identified by a Pap test and 68.7% if lesions were detected in breast structure. CONCLUSIONS In the examined group we observed a small percentage of women undergo Pap tests and mammography. Furthermore, medical recommendations regarding early detection of cancers are frequently ignored and disregarded by patients.

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.