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Cigarette smoking during pregnancy has been causally associated with an increased risk of both intrauterine growth retardation and preterm delivery but most strongly with low birth weight. No such study to date had ever dealt with the Cypriot population. In interviews with their gynaecologists 65,530 pregnant women were asked between January 1990 and August 1996 to answer two questions, whether they had been smoking before and whether they had been smoking during pregnancy. Data from 59,014 births were considered to have valid birth weight data for this investigation. In 81.2% of the cases the mother explicitly declared that she had neither smoked before or during pregnancy whereas in 1.4% of the cases the mother said that she had smoked both before and during pregnancy and in 1.4% of the cases the mother said that she had smoked before but not during pregnancy. Finally, in 15.3% of the cases no answer to "smoking question" was given, whereas in 0.7% of the cases the answer that was given was deemed as not clear. The average birth weight of babies born to women who had stopped smoking was insignificantly different than that of those born to never smokers. The average birth weight of babies born to women who smoked during pregnancy was lower compared to babies born to non smokers' babies by 92 grams, 66 grams, and 109 grams for all babies, singleton boys and singleton girls respectively. The greatest effect to their mean birth weights was observed in babies whose mothers did not answer the question on smoking. Their babies had birth weights lower than non smokers' babies by 203 grams, 197 grams, and 201 grams for all babies, singleton boys and singleton girls respectively.

Background: The proportion of occupational infectious diseases (ID) in the total number of occupational diseases reported in the Slovak Republic (SR) and the Czech Republic (CR) was decreasing from 1973 to 2010. Our study presents a longitudinal analysis of the occurrence of occupational infectious diseases in the Slovak Republic and the Czech Republic in the period from 1973-2010 with special focus on viral hepatitis. Methods: The sources of data were national health statistics of Czechoslovakia, the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic. Descriptive statistical methods were used for data analysis. Incidence rate of reported diseases was calculated per 100,000 general population or per 100,000 people insured. Results: During the studied period, a total of 2,931 and 8,318 cases of occupational viral hepatitis (VH) were reported in the Slovak Republic and the Czech Republic, respectively. The incidence culminated in the late 1970s when hepatitis represented almost 50% of all reported occupational infectious diseases. Most cases of occupational hepatitis occurred in health and social services. Since the early 1980s, a steep decrease in the incidence of hepatitis has been observed due to the gradual implementation of mandatory vaccination against hepatitis A and B in risk groups. In SR in 1973, the incidence rate of occupational infectious diseases and that of occupational viral hepatitis was 10.85/100,000 and 1.86/100,000, respectively. In 2010, these rates decreased to 0.74/100,000 and 0.20/100,000, respectively. In CR, the incidence rates of occupational infectious diseases and that of occupational viral hepatitis reported in 1973 were 11.75/100,000 and 3.69/100,000. In 2010, reported incidence rates were 1.71/100,000 and 0.10/100,000, respectively. Conclusion: Although the incidence of occupational viral hepatitis has dramatically decreased in the Slovak and the Czech Republic as well as in other Visegrad group countries during the studied period, we emphasize the necessity of continuing epidemiological surveillance of hepatitis, especially with regard to the recent incidence increase of viral hepatitis C.

Objective: The aim of our study was to identify and analyze selected factors influencing alcohol use among primary school children aged 8 to15 years in the academic year 2009/10. Methods: The sample consisted of children from 28 primary schools. Data of this cross-sectional study were collected using questionnaires. Chi-Square test was used to test differences in proportions of observed phenomena between boys and girls. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the influence of selected factors on the variable "child's alcohol drinking per week". Results: The sample consisted of 2,494 respondents (52% of boys, 48% of girls). In the study group 78% of all respondents (95% CI=76-80) drank alcohol infrequently (less than once a week) or did not drink alcohol at all, and 22% of respondents (95% CI=20-24) drank alcohol at least once a week. More boys than girls considered alcoholic beverages such as beer, wine and spirit as quite easily available. We performed the model of multi-variate logistic regression analysis using the independent variables: age of respondents, gender of respondents, mother's alcohol drinking, father's alcohol drinking, sibling's alcohol drinking, parental rules, parental control, and mental support from parents (if their children have problems) to identify their effect on the dependent variable - child's alcohol drinking per week. We found out that mother's alcohol drinking and a lack of mental support from parents did not have a statistically significant influence on child's alcohol drinking per week. Conclusion: The results of our study point to the fact that it is necessary to focus on the prevention of alcohol drinking in general and among school children in particular. We recommend greater control of the sale of alcoholic beverages, so as to prevent the purchase by people under 18 years of age.

Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the age- and gender-specific prevalence of predefined symptoms in adults. Methods: Cross-sectional study using a method of computer assisted telephone interview. Results: At least one of the symptoms was experienced by 71.4% of men and 84.6% of women in the past month. Most common symptoms in men were back pain, joint pain, irritability, nervousness, and muscle pain; in women back pain, joint pain, fatigue, headache, and nervousness. The trend of symptoms' prevalence through the age groups was increasing, stable or biphasic. Conclusions: The results from this study are important for recognizing and understanding of symptoms' self-perception in both genders.

Aim: This study, as a part of the "Global Health Professions Student Survey" (GHPSS), aimed to assess medical students' tobacco use, exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke (SHS), and opinions as well as smoking policies at medical faculties in Turkey. Methods: The study was conducted in 2010 as a school-based survey of third-year students in 12 medical schools. GHPSS uses a standardised methodology for selecting schools (probability proportional to student enrolment size) and data processing. In total, data from 1,217 of third year medical students were analysed. Results: Prevalence of current tobacco use among participating students was 28.5%. Exposure to SHS in the last seven days was 46.9% at home, and 42.2% in other places. Among smokers, over 7 in 10 students reported smoking on medical school premises during the past 30 days and the past year. Conclusion: Medical students' exposure to SHS is common and smoking on medical school premises/buildings constitutes a problem. Turkey passed an anti-tobacco law in 2008, yet enforcement of the law must be stronger. In addition, medical schools must evaluate, and likely revise their education curricula to better prepare medical students to advocate tobacco control.

The aim of the study was to assess recent changes in lung cancer incidence and mortality trends in the male and female population in Southeastern Serbia, in the period 1999-2008. Data used for analyses were provided by the Cancer Registry of the Institute for Public Health, Niš. Incidence and mortality trends were based on crude and age-standardized incidence and mortality rates for the period 1999-2008. Standardized rates were calculated by the direct method of standardization (per 100,000), using the world population as the standard. Statistical significance was checked on the basis of correlation coefficient (r) for probability (p) on the level of 0.05. A total of 3,128 new cases and 2,327 deaths from lung cancer were registered (males/females ratio is 4 : 1). In males, the crude (107.94) and the age-standardized incidence rate (59.88) were four-fold higher than in females (27.10 and 14.21). In males, the crude mortality rate was four-fold higher than in females (80.61 vs. 19.87), while the age-standardized mortality rate was four and a half higher than in females (43.78 vs. 9.54). Lung cancer incidence trend, based on crude andage-standardized incidence rates, in females was increasing while in males was decreasing. Lung cancer mortality trends, based on crude and age-standardized incidence rates, were increasing in both sexes. Registration of unfavourable incidence and mortality trends of lung cancer indicate failure in primary and secondary prevention in the past. It is thus of vital importance to provide much intensive and comprehensive activities for primary and secondary prevention of lung cancer in the future, including education and rigorous tobacco control as well.

The aims of this study were to test analytical procedures for the determination of Cd, Cu, Mn, Pb, Se and Zn in breast milk and to establish optimum sampling conditions for monitoring purposes. Two population groups were analysed: (1) Seven women from Prague whose breast milk was sampled on days 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 20 and 30 after delivery; (2) 200 women from four (two industrial and two rural) regions whose breast milk was sampled at defined intervals.
All samples were mineralised in a microwave oven in the mixture of HNO3 + H2O2 and analysed by atomic absorption spectrometry. Conditions for the measurement of the elements under study (i.e. those for the electrothermal atomisation for Cd, Mn and Pb, flame technique for Cu and Zn, and hydride generation technique for Se) were optimized.
Using optimized parameters the analysis was performed and the following conclusion has been made: the concentrations of zinc and manganese decreased very sharply over the first days, that of copper slightly increased within the first two days and then slightly decreased, that of selenium did not change significantly. Partial "stabilisation" was achieved after the second decade. No correlation among the elements was found. A significant difference between whole and skim milk was only found for selenium (26% rel. higher in whole milk). The majority concentrations of cadmium and lead were below the detection limit of the method (0.3 µg.l-1 and 8.2 µg.l-1, respectively, as calculated for the original sample).
To provide biological monitoring, the maintenance of sampling conditions and especially the time of sampling is crucial.

Background: An important development in the field of adult pneumococcal vaccination since the last Consensus Statement, published by the Expert Panel of Central and Eastern Europe and Israel (the Region) in September 2012, was the licensure of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) for adults aged 50 years and older. Discussion: The Expert Panel has developed this Position Statement as an update to its previous Consensus to address the following topics which are likely to be on the agenda of national scientific societies during the ongoing updates of vaccination recommendations in the Region: the availability of a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for adults over 50 years of age, the available clinical evidence on its use in adults, and the future place of conjugate vaccines in adult pneumococcal vaccination. The Expert Panel concluded that there is sufficient epidemiologic immunogenicity and safety evidence to use PCV 13 in adults over 50 years of age. Results: The use of conjugate vaccine induces immunological memory and can overcome some limitations associated with the plain polysaccharide vaccine (PPV). It was also agreed that, if the use of PPV is considered appropriate, PCV13 should be administered first, regardless of prior pneumococcal vaccination status.

Aim: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an inflammatory autoimmune disease that can affect almost all organs of the body. Lupus is a non-curable disease and the treatment is based on symptom control by immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory treatment. The disease itself as well as treatment-related adverse events have a significant negative impact on life expectancy and quality of life of patients. The aim of this study was to identify the impact of the disease on life of SLE patients. Methods: Data were collected anonymously using a special questionnaire. The survey involved 76 patients with SLE, results were processed by conventional methods and descriptive statistic methods. Results: The survey has confirmed the impact of SLE on professional activities i.e. up to 63% of patients are registered disabled, of which 46% are granted full disability pension. SLE negatively affects patients' career - up to 39% of SLE patients stated that they had to change a job due to their disease. SLE has a strong impact on everyday life of patients. SLE symptoms are significant even during the period of quiescence - predominantly fatigue, reduced physical activity, pain. The most influenced activities of daily living included sunbathing and more strenuous activities or sport. The fact that limitations in all monitored activities are present in more than 50% of patients is a serious finding. Treatment-related adverse events have negative impact on the quality of life in almost 70% of patients. The most frequent events include gastrointestinal symptoms, visual disturbance and osteoporosis. Conclusion: SLE has a significant impact on the quality of life of patients and hinders them from leading everyday life at the level comparable to healthy population.

Background: The incidence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) is increasing among adolescents all around the world. There may be differences in knowledge and attitudes among different cultures and ethnic populations. The aim of this study is to determine knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of Turkish Cypriot adolescents related to STDs. Objectives: To assess knowledge of STDs, attitudes towards sexual behaviour and STDs among the secondary school students. Methods: A cross sectional study, with a sample size of 423 students, was conducted by using a semi-structured questionnaire. Simple random sampling method was applied during the selection of the sample. Results: The mean age of all participants was 15.61±1.22, 211 (49.88%) of them were male and 212 (50.12%) female. The majority of students (91.25%) stated that they had some knowledge about STDs; hovewer, 8.75% of the participants did not have any knowledge at all. Most of them, 42.32% described school as a source of information on STDs, nonetheless, only 7.57% of the group cited health care professionals as the information source. The majority of students (97.64%) has never been treated for STDs. Among 423 applicants, 93.14% indicated that they would have appreciated information about STDs during the high school years. Conclusions: There is a general understanding that the students are willing to participate and are in need of seminars that will be held about STDs during high school attendance. Furthermore, awareness raising educational events on this matter should be reviewed and revised in order to come up with more powerful ways of fighting against STDs transmission in this young population group of Turkish Cypriot (TC) community.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between academic performance and obesity/overweight among South Korean adolescents. Our data set included 72,399 adolescents in grades 7-12 who had participated in the 5th Korea Youth Risk Behaviour Web-based Survey (KYRBWS-V) in 2009. We assessed the association between academic performance and body mass index (BMI), using multivariate logistic regression analysis after adjusting for covariates such as age, parents' education level, economic status, mental stress experienced, sleep duration, frequency of muscle-strengthening exercises, smoking and drinking behaviour, and vigorous and moderate physical activity (PA). For boys, being overweight (compared with being of normal weight) had a significantly greater odds of poor academic performance (OR=1.182, 95% CI 1.052-1.329, p=0.005). Obese boys had 1.182 (1.048-1.332, p=0.006), 1.461 (1.294-1.648, p<0.001), and 1.443 (1.256-1.657, p<0.001) greater odds of having average, poor, and very poor performance, respectively. In the analysis for girls, overweight girls had 1.314 (1.124-1.536, p<0.001) and 1.296 (1.084-1.548, p=0.004) greater odds of having poor and very poor academic performance, respectively. Finally, obese girls had 1.374 (1.098-1.718, p=0.005), 1.672 (1.339-2.089, p<0.001), and 1.887 (1.478-2.409, p<0.001) greater odds of having average, poor, or very poor academic performance, respectively. Thus, overweight/obesity was negatively associated with academic performance in both boys and girls. The results of this study indicate that adolescents would benefit from weight management to prevent obesity and, possibly, improve academic performance.

This paper focuses on the improvement of the health characteristics in European countries including the life expectancy of their inhabitants. The primary objective is to describe, compare and analyze the status and development in the Czech Republic and other countries of the European Union in terms of the key health care indicators and population health status in relation to the economy related indicators the authors have chosen. The secondary objective is to verify the hypothesis which states that the health status of the population represented by the indicator of life expectancy is closely related to the economic level of individual countries as well as to the amount of total expenditure on health care. Based on the results of the analysis we can conclude that the Czech Republic balances on the border of the group of countries with average values of indicators and the group with poorer values. The results also suggest relatively strong ties between the economic level and health status of the population represented by life expectancy.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of pediculosis capitis in schoolchildren living in rural and urban areas in Kayseri, a city located in central Anatolia in Turkey. Methods: This cross-sectional school-based study was performed in 24 randomly selected public schools. A total of 8,122 schoolchildren aged 5-16 years, from kindergarten to eighth grade, were examined for the presence of pediculosis capitis. A child was defined as being infested by the presence of live or dead lice or eggs/nits. The results were analyzed using the chi-squared test and logistic regression analysis. Results: The overall prevalence of head lice infestation was 13.1%. Pediculosis was more frequent in girls (25.2%) than in boys (0.86%) (p<0.001). The prevalence was lower in children aged 5-8 years than in those aged 9-11 or 12-16 years (p<0.001). In multiple regression analyses, the variables demonstrating statistically significant association with pediculosis were: being a girl (OR=40.93; 95% CI=29.06-57.66), being 9-11 years old (OR=1.54; 95% CI=1.25-1.89), residing with ≥3 siblings (OR=1.98; 95% CI=1.57-2.50), having a mother with no education (OR=1.73; 95% CI=1.29-2.33), having a father with no education (OR=1.45; 95% CI=1.08-1.94), living in a rural area (OR=2.34; 95% CI=2.02-2.71) and living in a one-room house (OR=2.39; 95% CI=1.41-4.08). Conclusions: Pediculosis capitis remains a health problem in schoolchildren in Kayseri, Turkey. In addition to improvement in socioeconomic status, collaborative and participation efforts among physicians, nurses, teachers, and parents are necessary to maintain effective epidemiological surveillance and provide treatment.

Introduction: Reports on the quality of life (QOL) of family caregivers of schizophrenia patients are uncommon. Relations of different degree of kinship to caregivers' QOL are unexplored, but may be relevant. The purpose of this study was to assess the subjective QOL of caregivers of stable outpatients with diagnosis of schizophrenia compared with controls, and to assess factors associated with QOL in this population. Methods: Responses of 138 schizophrenia outpatient' family caregivers to the Quality of Life, Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (QLESQ-SF) were compared with those of a sex- and age-matched control group. Patients were assessed with the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) and the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) and data were collected for kinship relationship and hospitalization. Results: Group of caregivers had significantly lower QOL compared with controls (t=11.347; df=271; p=0.0001). Caregivers' QOL correlated significantly with their age and differed according to the degree of kinship and marriage status. ANCOVA, with age as covariate, performed to asses the differences in QOL according to kinship, showed that parents and own children had significantly lower QOL than patients' siblings who were also caregivers. Conclusion: QOL of the schizophrenia patients' caregivers is lower in comparisons to controls. It depends on the degree of kinship and caregivers' age. Parents and own children have lower QOL than siblings. Psycho-educational intervention programmes should target specific needs of the family as a whole, depending also on their age and kinship relationship.

It has been always believed that men smoke more than women, but the trend of smoking in women is increasing nowadays. In some countries there are even more female smokers than male smokers. This is a major health risk because women are present and future mothers, and increasing number of smoking women will enlarge the number of exposed children. Relatively few women are aware of gender-specific health risks, including cervical cancer, osteoporosis, poor pregnancy outcome and early menopause. Tobacco related diseases are on the rise in women, considering the fact that more women now die of lung cancer than breast cancer. Tobacco companies have invented various ways to target women through tobacco advertising despite the various bans. This inevitably leads to the increase in female smoking rates. There are various recommendations from the World Health Organization which include the need for governments to pay particular attention to protect women from the tobacco companies' attempts to lure them into lifetimes of nicotine dependence and to take up counter advertisements against the tobacco companies.

We present a case of the 42 year old pig farmer from the province of Cuneo in Northwest Italy who was infected by the soil-transmitted nematode Ascaris sp. In November 2010 the patient found one worm in his stool, subsequently identified as female specimen of Ascaris sp. After a first anthelmintic treatment, another worm was found in his stool, that was later identified as male Ascaris sp. Blood tests prescribed by the patient's family physician, as suggested by a parasitologist, found nothing abnormal. A chest x-ray was negative for Loeffler's syndrome and an ultrasound of the abdomen was normal with no evidence of hepatic problems. The nematode collected from the patient was genetically characterized using the ribosomal nuclear marker ITS. The PCR-RFLP analysis showed a hybrid genotype, intermediate between A. suum/lumbricoides. It was subsequently ascertained that some pigs on the patient's farm had A. suum infection; no other family member was infected. A cross-infestation from the pigs as source was the likely way of transmission. This conclusion is further warranted by the fact, that the patient is a confirmed nail-biter, a habit which facilitates oral-fecal transmission of parasites and pathogens.

Objective: To examine the association of age and other factors with Self-rated Health (SRH) in the population aged 65 years or more in the context of action for health promotion in older adults. Material and Methods: The data used come from the household and adults questionnaires of the National Health Survey of Spain for 2006. SRH was categorized as positive (very positive or positive) and negative (fair, poor or very poor). Odds ratios for positive SRH compared to negative SRH were calculated using logistic regression models for complex samples. The determinants of the Positive SRH were obtained for the elderly population. Results: Among the population aged 65 years and older 39.7% report positive SRH. In this age group, those of 83 or more years have a better SRH. Other factors specific to this age group that improve the SRH are living alone, not having any functional dependence and high monthly family income. Conclusions: The association between several factors (particularly age) and positive SRH in people aged 65 and older differs from the one found in the rest of the population. Understanding the factors positively associated with the positive SRH in this population is of great importance for the design of specific programmes aimed at improving the health of older people.

Aim: To determine the main anthropometric parameters and their changes during the 20th and early 21st centuries for children aged 5-6 and to analyze the nutritional level of the population based on percentage. Methods: 536 healthy Latvian 5 and 6 year old children were randomly selected and a cross sectional survey was carried out. To collect anthropometric data, the height and weight of each child was measured and BMI calculated. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov Goodness-of-Fit test was used to assess the distribution of data; it was concluded, that the data for both boys and girls in both analyzed age groups fits a normal distribution. Using a t-test statistical tool, the results were compared to our previous study (1998/1999) and to the most significant national anthropometric investigations of the 20th century. Results: During the last decade, the mean values of height and weight (for both boys and girls) have increased in both age groups. The mean BMI value increase for 6 year old boys and girls was not statistically significant (p>0.05). The BMI mean values for 5 year old boys and girls have decreased (p<0.05). In both age groups the highest percentage of children are of normal weight. In the past 10 years the proportion of 5 year old underweight children has increased, but the proportion of overweight children has decreased percentage-wise. In all analyzed age groups a little tendency towards increase of the percentage of obese children can be observed. From 1929 to 2007/2009, the overall mean values of height and weight have increased, but BMI mean values have decreased. Conclusion: Positive secular changes were observed in body height and weight during the past decade (p<0.01) and century. The increase in BMI at the beginning of the 21st century in comparison to the end of the 20th century may possibly be facilitated by the increased occurrence of overweight, obesity and related diseases in Latvian children. However, the number of underweight children has increased in the last decade as well.

The objective of this study was to define the morbidity and mortality of bronchiectatic patients.
All records from the years 1993-2004 of patients with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bronchiectasis as the primary diagnosis were extracted from the Finnish Hospital Discharge Register. The data of these patients' deaths until the end of the year 2004 were acquired from Statistics Finland. These materials were analyzed in order to find each bronchiectatic patient of this period an asthma or COPD control subject who was of the same age and sex and had also been hospitalized in the same year. Their numbers of pneumonia and prognoses were compared with each other during the study period.
59.4% of all bronchiectasis treatment periods in absolute numbers were for people aged 65 years or over. The occurrence of pneumonia in bronchiectatic patients was 1.03 (95% CI 0.82-1.24) per follow-up year, while the corresponding rate in the COPD control subjects was 1.22 (95% CI 0.92-1.53) and in the asthma control subjects 0.38 (95% CI 0.22-0.54). The mean survival times for the bronchiectatic patients were 8.33 (95% CI 8.16-8.50), for the COPD control subjects 6.26 (95% CI 6.07-6.45) and for the asthma patients 8.93 (95% CI 8.76-9.10) years. Bronchiectasis-related hospitalization in Finland is primarily focused on aged people. A bronchiectatic patient has a higher risk of pneumonia and a worse prognosis than an asthmatic, while the situation is opposite when compared to a COPD patient.

It is generally recognized, that the delivery of healthcare to homeless population presents a number of specific challenges. In this paper, we try to assess the impact of the homeless people experience with the institutional framework including the access to health services on the health status of the homeless population in the Czech Republic. Multivariate regression is used to evaluate the impact of various dimensions of life experience and other social and economic characteristics of homeless people on their health status. Preliminary results indicate that the experience homeless people have with the institutional framework and their access to health care services are important determinants of their health status.

The present study assesses the short-term association between black smoke (BS) and sulphur dioxide (SO2) levels in urban air and the daily number of emergency room admissions for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Niš, Serbia.
Generalised linear models extending Poisson regression were fitted controlling for time trend, seasonal variations, days of the week, temperature, relative humidity, air pressure, precipitation, rainfall, snowfall, overcast, and wind velocity.
The emergency room admissions for all ages for COPD were significantly associated with previous-day level of BS and lag 0-2 (1,60% and 2,26% increase per 10 μg/m3, respectively). After controlling for SO2, single lagged (lag 1 and lag 2) as well as mean lagged values of BS (up to lag 0-3) were significantly associated with COPD emergencies.
No effect was found for SO2, even after controlling for black smoke.
The present findings support the conclusion that current levels of ambient BS may have an effect on the respiratory health of susceptible persons.

Background: Although job satisfaction is among the most widely researched topics, relatively little research has been done on this issue as it relates to early childhood educators. This study was designed to contribute significantly to the deficient body of knowledge about working conditions and job satisfaction of day care teachers, in particular with regard to differences in job satisfaction depending on day care centres' ownership. Methods: Analyses were based on cross-sectional comparison of 469 questionnaires (42.55% response rate) from day care teachers working at public day care centres with those working at day care centres run by churches or parents' initiatives. Results: A significant difference in job satisfaction was found between these three types. The important interaction between socio-demographic characteristics, psychosocial working conditions, and job satisfaction could be demonstrated. Conclusion: The present study is one of the few that examines the impacts of day care centres ownership on pedagogical staffs' job satisfaction and indicates that the type of the centre is a potential factor explaining variations. Results provide a valuable basis for the development of solution-focused approaches to improve pedagogical staff working conditions.

Background: Diabetes is a serious public health problem that threatens the quality of life of patiens with diabetes, the success of long-term maintenance therapy for diabetes depends largely on the patients' compliance with a therapeutic plan. Aim of this study: to assess compliance of diabetic patients to diabetes self-Management in rural El Minia, and to determine the associated factors related to it. Subjects and Method: Cross sectional analytic study. Rural adults identifed as having previously diagnosed diabetes were recruited to participate in this study. A total of 206 rural community diabetics were randomly chosen and subjected to interview questionnaire on history of diabetes, type of medication, self-management of diabetes as glucose examination, dietary modification, and eye examination. Results: Mean age of participants was 54±6.3 years and mean duration of diabetes was 12±8 years. Nearly one third of the patients used insulin and more than half used oral hypoglycemic. The results of this study revealed that good adherence to diabetes self-management was reported among 41.7% of adult diabetic patients who show good adherence to diet instructions, but only 21.4% to blood glucose test. There was no gender difference regarding self care of diabetes. Younger age group had more glycemic control than older age; longer duration of diabetes was significantly associated with poor glycemic control. Conclusion: Compliance to self-management of diabetes is suboptimal among rural adult community diabetic.

Communication of research findings is the utmost responsibility of all scientists. Publication bias occurs if scientific studies with negative or null results fail to get published. This can happen due to bias in submitting, reviewing, accepting, publishing or aggregating scientific literature that fails to show positive results on a particular topic. Publication bias can make scientific literature unrepresentative of the actual research studies. This can give the reader a false impression about the beneficial effects of a particular treatment or intervention and can influence clinical decision making. Publication bias is more common than it is actually considered to be, but there are ways to detect and prevent it. This paper comments on the occurrence, types and consequences of publication bias and the strategies employed to detect and control it.