Cent Eur J Public Health 2014, 22(4)

Implementation of Health Impact Assessment in Danish Municipal Context

Stella Rebecca Johnsdatter Kræmer, Louise Theilgaard Nikolajsen, Gabriel Gulis

Cent Eur J Public Health 2014, 22(4):211-214  

Aims: Implementation of Health Impact Assessment (HIA) in Danish municipalities has been analyzed using the Roger's Diffusion of Innovation Theory. Municipalities were chosen from among those who presented their health policies on websites according to the status of inclusion of HIA into health policy. Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted in 6 municipalities (3 with HIA inducted in their health policy and 3 without it) gathering information on knowledge and attitudes to HIA, barriers to its implementation, social system and communication channels used or expected to be used for implementation of HIA. Results: No significant...

The Role of Dietary and Lifestyle Factors in the Development of Colorectal Cancer: Case Control Study in Minia, Egypt

Eman Mohamed Mahfouz, Refaat Raouf Sadek, Wafaa Mohamed Abdel-Latief, Fadia Abdel-Hamed Mosallem, Ebtesam Esmail Hassan

Cent Eur J Public Health 2014, 22(4):215-222  

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide, after lung and breast cancer, and is associated with the population dietary and lifestyle factors. Aim: To determine the relation between dietary and lifestyle factors and development of CRC in patients attending Minia oncology centre and compare them with their control. Methods: Study included 150 CRC patients attending Minia oncology centre and 300 control subjects matched by age and sex. Subjects participating in the study filled in a questionnaire including questions about socio-demographic data, medical data concerning CRC and its treatment as well...

Public Awareness about Diabetes: Cross Sectional Study of Lithuania's Residents

Lina Jaruseviciene, Leonas Valius, Alminas Jarasunas, Gediminas Jarusevicius

Cent Eur J Public Health 2014, 22(4):223-228  

Background: Type 2 diabetes is a growing health problem globally; however, awareness about diabetes remains low. Aim: To assess the public perception of diabetes - how much does the public know about it? What are the beliefs about this challenging issue? Methods: A public opinion survey was performed in April 2012. Interviews with a random sample of 1,002 residents of Lithuania aged 16-74 were conducted in the households of the respondents. This sample took into account age, sex, education, employment, family status, and the size of the residential location. The topics covered by the 15-item questionnaire used for these interviews...

Habits and Attitudes of First-Year Female Students at Warmia and Mazury University: a Call for Implementing Health Education Programme at Universities

Robert Podstawski, Dariusz Choszcz, Jarosław Klimczak, Ewelina Kolankowska, Piotr Żurek

Cent Eur J Public Health 2014, 22(4):229-238  

Introduction: Entering university frequently brings about considerable changes in the students' lifestyle, which often affect negatively their health. Therefore, it seems to be of great importance to promote pro-health habits and attitudes particularly among 1st-year-students and thus, it is necessary to accurately assess their lifestyles and needs in this regard. Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the habits and attitudes towards healthy lifestyle of 762 first-year female students enrolled at the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn so as to detect health risks and ultimately present the need for remedial measures. Methods:...

HIV and Risk Behaviour among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Slovakia (2008-2009)

Danica Staneková, Patrícia Kramárová, Soňa Wimmerová, Monika Hábeková, Mária Takáčová, Mária Mojzesová

Cent Eur J Public Health 2014, 22(4):239-244  

The HIV infection remains a major public health issue in the world and especially in those countries where there exists unprotected sexual intercourse between people of the same sex. It is namely the category of men having sex with men (MSM) that still represents a group at high risk of being infected with HIV or transmitting the virus. The aim of our study was to present HIV 2nd generation surveillance data on MSM in Slovakia in the period between the years 2008 and 2009. Time-location sampling (TLS) was used to recruit participants and oral fluid samples together with completed anonymous questionnaires were collected simultaneously. The oral fluids...

Comparison of Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviour of Health Professionals and Parents Regarding Child Injuries

Nikolina Brčina, Aida Mujkić, Milan Milošević, Maja Miškulin, Anne Baber Wallis

Cent Eur J Public Health 2014, 22(4):245-250  

Objective: We wanted to primarily examine the knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of parents and health workers (community nurses and paediatricians) regarding child injuries in order to understand the essence of the problem and to find out the most common misconceptions. Methods: Respondents were tested through an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire and all p values below 0.05 were considered significant. Results: Of all respondents, paediatricians answered accurately most of the questions considering knowledge than the other groups. More than 90% of respondents, in all groups, identified correct answers to 10 questions...

Twenty Year Development of Occupational Diseases in the Czech Republic: Medical and Geographical Aspects

Jan Jarolímek, Pavel Urban

Cent Eur J Public Health 2014, 22(4):251-256  

The study analysed occupational diseases in the Czech Republic from the viewpoint of occupational medicine and medical geography. It used a dataset consisting of 32,646 cases of occupational diseases reported during the period of 1994-2013. The descriptive part of the study analysed occupational diseases according to their spatial distribution, occurrence in different branches of economic activities, employees' gender, and according to chapters of the List of occupational diseases. The incidence of occupational diseases showed an overall decreasing trend, which can be related to several factors - transformation of the national economy (shift from heavy...

Occupational Rhinitis in the Slovak Republic - a Long-Term Retrospective Study

Slavomír Perečinský, Ľubomír Legáth, Marek Varga, Martin Javorský, Igor Bátora, Gabriela Klimentová

Cent Eur J Public Health 2014, 22(4):257-261  

Background: Allergic and non-allergic rhinitis ranks among the common occupational health problems. However, data on the incidence of occupational rhinitis are lacking, since comprehensive studies are rare. Methods: The study includes a group of patients in the Slovak Republic who were reported as having occupational rhinitis in the years 1990-2011. The following parameters were tracked in the investigated sample: age, gender, number of cases by individual years, occupations, causative factors and the length of exposure to the given agent. Possible progression of rhinitis to bronchial asthma was evaluated as well. The diagnostic algorithm...

Prevalence of Latex Allergy among Healthcare Workers in Izmir (Turkey)

Şükran Köse, Aliye Mandıracıoğlu, Bengü Tatar, Selma Gül, Mehmet Erdem

Cent Eur J Public Health 2014, 22(4):262-265  

The purpose of this study was to determine prevalence of natural rubber latex (NRL) allergy among healthcare employees and identify sensitive individuals. A total of 1,115 healthcare workers (HCWs) employed in Izmir Tepecik Education and Research Hospital participated in the study. Information on age, gender, occupation, history of allergy, and complaints were collected through a questionnaire. Serum latex-specific IgE level was determined. Among HCWs enrolled in the study, prevalence of latex sensitization was determined as 4.2%. More frequent occurrence of latex allergy was detected among nurses. Family history of allergy and history of personal...

How Parental Attitudes Affect the Risky Computer and Internet Usage Patterns of Adolescents: a Population-based Study in the Bursa District of Turkey

Yeşim Uncu, Pınar Vural, Çağatay Büyükuysal, Züleyha Alper, Emine Zinnur Kılıç

Cent Eur J Public Health 2014, 22(4):266-272  

Background: We aimed to evaluate the computer usage patterns of adolescents and to determine the effects of family life and parental attitude on these patterns. Methods: This was a descriptive, cross-sectional, population-based survey that included 935 children between 11 and 16 years of age who were students in the second level of primary school and their parents as well. The following instruments were used in the survey: student and parent questionnaires on computer usage patterns and the Parental Attitude Research Instrument (PARI) to assess parental attitudes towards child-rearing and family life. Results: Of the study population,...

Heavy Metals in Hair Samples: a Pilot Study of Anaemic Children in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan

Zuzana Derflerová Brázdová, Joceline Pomerleau, Jindřich Fiala, Lenka Vorlová, Dana Müllerová

Cent Eur J Public Health 2014, 22(4):273-276  

Background: Heavy metals with their potential haematotoxic effect can contribute to the risks of anaemia in children in the Central Asian Republics (CAR), where burden and exposure to these metals is still not sufficiently known and reported. Methods: Cross-sectional study was performed in Central Asian countries in hospitals in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan with the aim to investigate the potential contribution of heavy metals to anaemia in children. In each country, 20 children were recruited, all were hospitalised with diagnosed anaemia. A sample of hair was taken from each child to assess the hair concentration of lead, cadmium...

Increasing Incidence of Tick-Borne Encephalitis and Its Importance in the Slovak Republic

Erik Dorko, Kvetoslava Rimárová, Peter Kizek, Milan Stebnický, Ľubica Zákutná

Cent Eur J Public Health 2014, 22(4):277-281  

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is caused by tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), a virus species of the genus Flavivirus within the Flaviviridae family. In Western Europe, TBEV is transmitted primarily by the Ixodes ricinus (I. ricinus) tick. During the last 30 years, there has been a continued increase in human cases of TBE in Europe. A total number of 102 cases in Slovakia was reported in 2012 (1.89/100,000), with two local outbreaks after the ingestion of raw milk and dairy products. Active vaccination is the most effective method of preventing TBE. According to the available data in Slovakia from 2012, 8,491 children...

Seroprevalence of Rubella Antibodies among Adult Egyptian Females Aged 20-30 Years. Is there a Need for Rubella Vaccination?

Mohsen Gadallah, Nasr El Sayed, Amr Kandeel, Ibrahim Moussa, Amira Mohsen, Sahar Dewedar

Cent Eur J Public Health 2014, 22(4):282-286  

Introduction: Egypt adopted a comprehensive strategy to eliminate measles and rubella by conducting a catch up campaign (in 2008) targeting children and young adults in the age group 10-19 years. This study aimed to explore the seroprevalence of rubella among females aged 20 to 30 years in order to provide the Ministry of Health with information to develop future strategies for rubella supplemental immunization activities among women of childbearing age before marriage and conception. Methods: A total of 339 females in the age group 20 to 30 were selected. The study group comprised women who attended the central laboratory of the Ministry...

National Registry of Congenital Anomalies of the Czech Republic: Commemorating 50 Years of the Official Registration

Antonín Šípek, Vladimír Gregor, Jiří Horáček, Antonín Šípek Jr.

Cent Eur J Public Health 2014, 22(4):287-290  

Difficulties in Recording Mortality Resulting from Drug Abuse

Ivana Marasović Šušnjara, Marija Definis Gojanović, Davor Vodopija, Ankica Smoljanović

Cent Eur J Public Health 2014, 22(4):288-290  

It is considered, according to statements from different sources, that data on the number of deaths in the population of a certain country or region are accurate and correct, but determining causes of death is, for different reasons, often incorrect. There is, therefore, a justified doubt that there are more inaccurately registered drug abuse-related deaths in state registries. Hence, this paper tends to show the most frequent difficulties encountered when recording mortality resulting from drug abuse.

Improved data reveals higher global burden of tuberculosis.

Cent Eur J Public Health 2014, 22(4):228  

"Ageing well" must be a global priority.

Cent Eur J Public Health 2014, 22(4):265