Cent Eur J Public Health 2024, 32(4)
Long-term consequences of COVID-19 on mental and physical health in young adults
Darina Falbová, Viktória Kovalčíková, Radoslav Beňuš, Lenka Vorobeľová
Cent Eur J Public Health 2024, 32(4):219-224 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a8118 
Objectives: This study investigates the impact of COVID-19 on various long-term psychological and physical symptoms in young adults from Slovakia. Methods: We assessed 229 Slovak young adults aged 18 to 30 years. Probands were interviewed using standardised questionnaires. The relationship between COVID-19 and long-term health symptoms was determined using Pearson's chi-square test. The McNemar test was used to determine the differences in health symptoms before and after COVID-19 recovery. Results: The statistically significant effect of COVID-19 after recovery on adverse cognitive health was only documented in women in the following symptoms: memory...
Attitudes of pregnant women toward vaccination against COVID-19 – a study conducted in Poland in the first quarter of 2022
Magdalena Konieczny, Dariusz Sobieraj, Aleksandra Niezgoda, Izabela Gąska, Aneta Mielnik, Mateusz Niemiec, Elżbieta Cipora
Cent Eur J Public Health 2024, 32(4):225-230 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a8177
Objectives: The study aimed to assess the attitudes of pregnant women toward vaccination against COVID-19. Methods: The research was conducted using a diagnostic survey with our original questionnaire among 283 pregnant women. The survey was carried out in Poland in the first quarter of 2022. Statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS 26.0 (p < 0.05). Results: It was shown that 140 (49.5%) pregnant women were vaccinated against COVID-19, of which 90 (64.3%) received vaccination during pregnancy. In the group of 143 (50%) unvaccinated people, only 11.9% of respondents expressed willingness to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The most frequently...
Post-pandemic health literacy: COVID-19 knowledge among future teachers in the Czech Republic
Tereza Sofková, Michaela Hřivnová
Cent Eur J Public Health 2024, 32(4):231-235 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a8091
Objectives: The global situation concerning the incidence of infectious diseases emphasises the need for increased health literacy, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic. A large part of this need relates to the area of education. The aim of this study was to analyse health literacy in relation to the cognitive dimension in the field of knowledge about the COVID-19 disease in the post-pandemic period among future teachers. Methods: The research sample comprised 286 female students in the first year of Bachelor's teacher training courses at the Faculty of Education in the Czech Republic. The research study was conducted during the academic year 2022/2023....
Postpartum depression in Ukrainian refugee women who gave birth abroad after beginning of large-scale war
Olena Kostiuk, Yelyzaveta Shunko, Roma Jusiene, Rima Breidokiene, Violeta Drejeriene, Sigita Lesinkiene, Arunas Valiulis
Cent Eur J Public Health 2024, 32(4):236-242 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a8003
Objectives: The Russian military aggression against Ukraine in February 2022 became the cause of the biggest humanitarian crisis. Postpartum depression (PPD) is a type of mood disorder of pregnant and postpartum women. It was earlier reported that depression of pregnant women is increased in a combat zone, while effects of war on pregnant refugee and displaced women are less studied. The aim of the study was to determine the features of emotional state of temporarily displaced Ukrainian women who gave birth in Lithuania in spring-autumn 2022, and compare it with the state of Lithuanian women who were not directly affected by war. Methods: The study...
Risk of metabolic syndrome linked to tobacco smoking and caffeine consumption among Palestinian university students
Ahmad Farhoud, Ibrahim Mahamid, Mohab Najjar, Anas Owda, Omar Safarini, Majdeddin MohammedAli, Ammar Thabaleh, Ahmed Mousa, Abdulraziq Zarour, Yazan Alhabil, Lubna Suadi, Zaher Nazzal, Basma Damiri
Cent Eur J Public Health 2024, 32(4):243-250 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a7320
Objectives: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its association with the use of tobacco smoking and caffeine consumption among Palestinian university students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2020 among university students at An-Najah National University in the West Bank. MetS was diagnosed according to the National Cholesterol Education Programme. We employed adjusted multiple logistic regression models to address the association between MetS and tobacco smoking and caffeine consumption. Results: The number of participants was 392. The findings revealed that 9.2% of the students met...
Influence of smoking on human hearing – literature review
Karol Myszel, Piotr Henryk Skarżyński
Cent Eur J Public Health 2024, 32(4):251-255 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a8218
Objectives: Smoking is a strong addiction, that affects a huge number of people worldwide, including the young ones. Due to composition of cigarette smoke, which contains nicotine and other chemical substances, lots of harmful effects on human health were described. Apart from the influence on other organs smoking is associated with hearing loss. Methods: The literature review was conducted using PubMed and the combination of the following words: smoking, hearing impairment and hearing loss. Results: The total number of 585 articles published in the recent 10 years were analysed. The review results show a strong association of hearing loss with smoking,...
Factors affecting smoking cessation success in individuals who applied to a smoking cessation centre
Türkan Günay, Nur Acar, Duygu Lüleci, Fatma Seven, Nurcan Şentürk Durukan, Hakan Baydur, Oğuz Kilinç, Şafak Taner
Cent Eur J Public Health 2024, 32(4):256-262 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a8295
Objectives: This study aims to assess the frequency of smoking cessation and to identify the factors affecting smoking cessation success among individuals seeking assistance at a smoking cessation centre. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 1,570 individuals who applied to the smoking cessation centre in Izmir, Turkey, between 2009 and 2018, and completed three follow-ups. Data were obtained from the centre's records. Factors affecting smoking cessation success were analysed using logistic regression in multivariate analysis. Results: The median age to start smoking was 19 (17-22), and the median number of cigarettes consumed per day was 20...
Association between polychlorinated biphenyls and circulatory immune markers: results from NHANES 1999–2004
Ma Yuzhu, Li Wei, Liu Ying, Chen Yong, Hu Kesheng
Cent Eur J Public Health 2024, 32(4):263-272 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a8056
Objectives: Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), a family of persistent toxic and organic environmental pollutants, were associated with multiple organ damages in humans once accumulating. However, association between PCBs exposure and circulatory immune markers were not clear. Methods: Data was collected from participants enrolled in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 1999-2004. PCBs were categorized by latent class analysis (LCA). Weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression was used to investigate effects of PCBs exposure on circulatory immune markers including leukocyte counts, monocyte-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), neutrophil-lymphocyte...
Acrylamide content in selected food products collected from Montenegrin market and health risk assessment
Dijana Đurović, Miljan Bigović, Ljubica Ivanović, Maja Blagojević, Amil Orahovac
Cent Eur J Public Health 2024, 32(4):273-278 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a8260
Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the acrylamide exposure of different children and adult population groups (10-14 years, 15-17 years, 18-24 years, 25-44 years, 45-64 years, and 65-74 years) resulting from the consumption of potato chips and wheat-based bread from Montenegrin market and to evaluate it in terms of health risk. Methods: The acrylamide content was monitored in 51 samples of bread and 20 samples of chips. The carcinogenic health risk in different population groups was assessed through the incremental lifetime cancer risk (CR) and total cancer risk (TCR). Results: The average acrylamide content in potato chips and bread was calculated...
Sugar-sweetened beverages: taxation evidence from seven European countries and recommendations for implementation in other EU regions
Pavel Semerád, Petra Hospodková, Markéta Lamačová, Vladimír Rogalewicz, Ondřej Babuněk, Marian Dobranschi
Cent Eur J Public Health 2024, 32(4):279-287 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a8210
Objectives: Higher-than-recommended sugar consumption (< 10% of total energy intake; WHO) leads to negative health impacts and the development of serious diseases. Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) proved to be among the leading sources of free sugar intake, as they contain large amounts of added sugar. Our article aims to propose tax measures that will help change consumer behaviour and reduce SSBs consumption. Methods: For a comparison of the forms of taxation, the experience of seven countries (Denmark, France, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Catalonia - Spain, and the UK) were analysed. The evolution of sugar consumption, consumption of sweetened drinks...