Central European journal of public health最新文献

Objectives: The purpose of this quantitative study is to assess the impact of fine particles air pollution in major cities of Slovakia. The study aims to estimate number of premature deaths from long-term exposure to fine particles PM_2.5 in eight regional capitals of Slovakia in the period 2016-2020. Consequently, the study aims to conduct a comparative analysis using secondary derived indicators.

Methods: For calculations of estimated premature deaths from long-term exposure to fine particles PM_2.5 air pollution we used standardized methodology developed by the World Health Organization and the European Environment Agency.

Results: The annual average of estimated premature deaths from PM_2.5 air pollution in the studied period was in Bratislava 353, Košice 219, Prešov 84, Žilina 90, Banská Bystrica 76, Nitra 73, Trnava 59, and Trenčín 52. In relative terms per 1,000 inhabitants Bratislava had annual average 1.14 of estimated premature deaths, Košice 1.32, Prešov 1.38, Žilina 1.61, Banská Bystrica 1.35, Nitra 1.35, Trnava 1.27, and Trenčín 1.31. Bratislava as the largest city in Slovakia recorded the smallest relative number of estimated premature deaths. The worst results were recorded by the city of Žilina.

Conclusions: The estimated number of premature deaths from long-term exposure to particulate matter air pollution in the regional capitals decreased in the given period. The most of the regional capitals with the exception of Bratislava and Žilina, showed similar levels of estimated premature deaths. However, the current geopolitical situation and rising energy prices threaten return to solid fuel burning which is the largest source of particulate matter air pollution in Slovakia and thus reversing positive trends.

Last time the world faced a deadly pandemic was the H1N1 Spanish flu in 1918, which affected almost one-third of the world's population (500 million people). Since then, almost 100 years later, we are now facing another pandemic of the SARS-CoV2 virus (COVID-19), which is still endemic to this day. As the technology evolved during those 100 years, an effective vaccine for COVID-19 was produced within only a year, a huge feat. But, unfortunately, due to its fast development, another force would arise limiting the impact of the vaccine: vaccine hesitancy and anti-vaxxers, which John Hopkins and the World Health Organization call the biggest current threat to global health. From politics to social media, it is clear that there has been a rapid spread of misinformation, resulting in hesitancy, especially from sociopolitically motivated people popularly referred to as anti-vaxxers. However, a second group of vaccine-hesitant people have also emerged, who are uneducated and remain undecided about vaccination mostly due to safety concerns. They come under the massive influence of anti-vaxxers and anti-vaccine propaganda through social media and politicians, which often make bold claims and huge headlines. To combat vaccine hesitancy, it is crucial that we debunk these conspiracy theories and misinformation that so many believe in, with factual, data-based information. Actively spreading correct information about the vaccines, such as disclosing the rigorous developmental processes and validation of safety data by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), assurance for the unlikeliness of getting a lethal side effect along with tremendous health benefits, will encourage people for safe vaccination against COVID-19 and other potential infectious diseases in the future. This article discusses the role of anti-vaxxers and vaccine-hesitant groups, electronic social media, and politics in vaccine hesitancy among people. It describes the strategies to combat the roadblocks in the vaccination programmes and health benefits, offered by recent advances in scientific and technological developments.

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the foot arch shape and the associated health status in a selected sample of individuals belonging to the adult majority population of eastern Slovakia and to evaluate which of the observed factors are involved in the occurrence and development of foot arch abnormalities.

Methods: The weight and height of probands were measured according to standard anthropometric methods using a personal scale and an anthropometer. The BMI index was calculated for each proband from the measured data. A Pod4Foot Classic podoscope was used to obtain the plantograms. The Chippaux-Smirak index method was used to evaluate the plantograms. The study includes a questionnaire containing questions about factors affecting the foot arch shape.

Results: The arch of the right foot was supported by the effect of wearing shoes at home (p = 0.013). There was an association between wearing high-heeled shoes and foot arch disorder, both on the right (p = 0.011) and left (p = 0.045) foot. There was no significant relationship between the prevalence of overweight or obesity, between wearing orthopaedic insoles in shoes without a prescription, wearing orthopaedic footwear at home, between sport or static and active work and foot arch disorder in our study.

Conclusions: Most of the probands had a bilaterally normal arched foot, which is a positive result. Nowadays, there are a large number of orthopaedic devices on the market that help to shape the arch of the foot properly, but it is not correct to use these devices arbitrarily, without a doctor's prescription and a diagnosis of foot arch deviation.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of overweight/obesity in 15-19 years old adolescents in the Province of Vojvodina, Serbia, and to evaluate the association between obesity and socio-demographic factors.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in high schools in the territory of Vojvodina, Serbia. The sample consisted of 986 high-school students (47.4% girls and 52.6% boys). Body height, body weight, and waist circumference were measured. Obesity was defined as a body mass index (BMI)-for-age value > x̅ + 2 SD, and overweight as a BMI-for-age value > x̅ + 1 SD and ≤ x̅ + 2 SD. Waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) of ≥ 0.5 was considered high risk. Socio-demographic data was collected using a questionnaire developed for this study. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were implemented.

Results: The prevalence of overweight and obesity in adolescents was 19.6% and 10.1%, respectively. Boys were more likely to be obese than girls (OR = 1.87; 95% CI: 1.37-2.56). Adolescents living in suburban areas had a greater chance of obesity compared to those living in urban areas (OR = 1.84; 95% CI: 1.15-2.94), as well as those who attended trade schools compared to gymnasium students (OR = 1.92; 95% CI: 1.20-3.07). The lower level of the father's education was a significant predictor of obesity. Predictors of high-risk WHtR were gender, high school type, and the father's education level.

Conclusions: Obesity and abdominal obesity are highly prevalent in adolescents in Vojvodina, more in boys. Gender, community type and the level of the father's education were confirmed as significant factors that influenced both obesity and abdominal obesity. This study could help to customize health promotion policies for adolescents in Vojvodina.

Objectives: No previous research of university students in Finland assessed lifestyle behavioural risk factors (BRFs) and categorized students into clusters, explored the associations of the clusters with self-reported health complaints (HCs), whilst controlling for potential confounders. The current study undertook this task.

Methods: Students at the University of Turku (1,177) completed an online well-being questionnaire that assessed socio-demographic variables, 5 BRFs - problematic alcohol consumption, smoking, illicit drug use, food consumption habits, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and 22 HCs. A food frequency questionnaire assessed students' consumption of a range of foods, and a dietary guideline adherence score was computed based on WHO dietary recommendations for Europe. Three separate regression models appraised the associations between the cluster membership and HCs factors, adjusting for sex, income sufficiency and self-rated health.

Results: Mean age was 23 ± 5.2 years, 77% had never smoked and 79% never used illicit drug/s. Factor analysis of HCs resulted in four-factors (psychological, circulatory/breathing, gastro-intestinal, pains/aches); cluster analysis of BRFs identified two distinctive student clusters. Cluster 1 represented more healthy students who never smoked/used illicit drugs, had no problematic drinking, and undertook MVPA on 4.42 ± 3.36 days/week. As for cluster 2 students, half the cluster smoked occasionally/daily, used illicit drug/s, and > 50% had problematic drinking and students undertook MVPA on 4.02 ± 3.12 days/week. More cluster 2 students adhered to healthy eating recommendations, but the difference was not significant between clusters. Regression analysis revealed that females, those with sufficient income, and with excellent/very good self-rated general health were significantly less likely to report all four HCs. Cluster 2 students were significantly more likely to report psychological complaints, circulatory/breathing and gastro-intestinal complaints. There was no significant association between BRFs clusters and pains/aches factor.

Conclusions: Risk taking students with less healthy lifestyles and behaviour were consistently associated with poorer psychological and somatic health.

Objectives: Physiological ageing is associated with major and progressive changes in body composition, particularly in the decline of fat-free mass, which puts older individuals at risk of geriatric syndromes such as sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity. Bioimpedance analysis noninvasively allows the determination of body composition, thus being able to rapidly assess primary risk factors leading to sarcopenia prediction.

Methods: We conducted a study of 180 probands, 120 females (66.7%) with a mean age of 76.23 (SD = 9.29) years and 60 males (33.3%) with a mean age of 74.01 (SD = 8.99) years in cooperation with facilities for the elderly and with the inpatient department of the clinics of J.A. Reimann Hospital in Prešov. Body height, body weight, hip circumference, and waist circumference were determined by the anthropometric method, from which the values of the body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio were calculated. Active body mass, total body water, extracellular body water, intracellular body water, cell mass, body mass fat, body fat index, fat-free mass index, impedance at frequencies of 50 kHz, resistance, reactance, and phase angle were determined using the Quadscan 4000 Touch bioimpedance instrument. Appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASMM) and muscle mass (ASMM/Ht2) were calculated. The data obtained from anthropometric and bioimpedance measurements were processed in MS Excel 2000 and STATISTICA ver. 12. The difference of means in the studied groups was tested by the t-test.

Results: Presarcopenia was diagnosed in 12 (6.66%) probands out of 180 probands, of which were 3 (5%) men and 9 women (7.5%). Phase angle, ASMM and ASMM/Ht2 values were significantly lower (p < 0.001) in men and women with presarcopenia.

Conclusion: By introducing bioimpedance measurements into practice, it is possible to obtain results in a non-invasive way revealing possible presarcopenia in the elderly.

Objectives: Emerging evidence suggests that the use of safer nicotine products (SNPs), such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products (HTPs) poses significantly lower health risks than continued smoking, particularly over the short and medium term. However, it remains uncertain whether the public has been adequately informed about these relative risks. This study assesses the perceived relative harm of e-cigarettes compared to conventional cigarettes in Ukraine.

Methods: Two nationally representative surveys were conducted in February 2021 and December 2022. Participants, irrespective of their smoking status, were asked whether they agreed with the statement that "using e-cigarettes is more harmful than smoking conventional cigarettes". The surveys also included questions about tobacco product usage, the most dangerous substances in cigarettes, and smoking cessation methods. The data were statistically analysed by deriving design-based weighted point estimates and 95% confidence intervals for the proportions within each response category.

Results: In 2022, 38.1% (95% CI: 35.3-40.9) of adults believed that e-cigarettes were more harmful than cigarettes and the perception of relative harm remained relatively unchanged between the two surveys. Furthermore, 56.2% (95% CI: 50.0-62.2) of current cigarette smokers agreed with this statement, while only a small percentage of vapers (e-cigarette users) 7.4% (95% CI: 1.5-30.0) perceived e-cigarettes as more harmful than conventional cigarettes. Among non-smokers and dual users the share was 33.4% (95% CI: 30.0-36.9) and 32.7% (95% CI: 25.1-41.5), respectively.

Conclusion: Our findings indicate that in Ukraine the perception that e-cigarettes are more harmful than cigarettes, or the lack of knowledge regarding relative risks, prevails. This highlights the importance of accurate risk communication to promote a harm reduction approach to tobacco use.

Objective: Our study aimed to evaluate the extent of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure in coke oven workers from Eastern Slovakia by cytogenetic analysis of human peripheral lymphocytes.

Methods: A total of 81 peripheral blood samples were collected from PAH-exposed workers (mean age 45.84 ± 9.73 years) and 30 samples constituted the control group (41.93 ± 15.39 years). The samples were processed using routine cytological analysis. Conventional cytogenetic analysis of human peripheral lymphocytes has been used to evaluate the effects of PAHs.

Results: Comparison of the aberrant cells in the total exposed with the controls showed a significant difference (p < 0.05). A high level of significance (p < 0.001) was observed when comparing the gaps between the exposed group and the control group. There was a significant difference (p < 0.01) in aberrant cells and chromatid breaks (p < 0.05) in the GR1 working subgroup compared with the control group. The results of the correlation analysis did not show a significant relationship between the length of occupational exposure and the frequency of aberrant cells (r = 0.071, p = 0.529). Similarly, no association was observed between smoking among coke plant workers and the frequency of aberrant cells (r = 0.117, p = 0.538).

Conclusion: Cytogenetic analysis showed an increased frequency of chromosomal aberrations in coke oven workers in Eastern Slovakia.

Objective: The primary objective was to comprehensively assess the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs562556 and rs2479409) in the PCSK9 gene with biochemical parameters - C-reactive protein (CRP), glucose (GLU), triglyceride (TAG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL CHOL), non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non HDL CHOL), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL CHOL), cholesterol (CHOL), and anthropometric parameters (visceral fat), overweight/obesity and cardiovascular risk.

Methods: A total of 71 women aged 23-64 years were divided into three groups based on body mass index (BMI). BMI ≥ 25/≥ 30 kg/m² was the criterion for assessment of overweight/obesity. Anthropometric, biochemical and genetic examinations were performed on the probands. Changes in markers in each group and their association with cardiovascular risk were monitored.

Results: We can conclude that in our study population we observed differences between the BMI categories for biochemical markers (CRP, LDL CHOL, non HDL CHOL, HDL CHOL, LDL CHOL) and anthropometric marker (visceral fat). Atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), Castelli's Risk Index I (CRI-I) and atherogenic coefficient (AC) confirmed high cardiovascular risk for the obese women category (0.045); (< 0.013); (< 0.010). Genotype and allele frequencies for the PCSK9 gene in the overweight and obese groups showed higher allele frequencies of allele A for both polymorphisms of the gene.

Conclusions: PCSK9 gene expression is associated with biological processes such as lipid metabolism and inflammation. Cholesterol-lowering therapies are the gold standard for reducing the risk of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. Administration of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against PCSK9 is a novel lipid-lowering therapeutic approach in adults to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Objectives: The aim of our research was to investigate the self-rated health status, health behaviour and hygiene habits of pregnant women, and to explore the influencing factors during the pandemic.

Methods: The sample included 1,200 pregnant women who gave birth in the most progressive institutions of the three examined counties in Hungary; 839 questionnaires were returned, based on which the willingness to answer can be said to be 69.9%. After data cleaning, 640 questionnaires were added to the database. Descriptive statistical analyses and correlation tests were performed, during which we used the Pearson's chi-square test and Fisher's exact test.

Results: Socio-demographic factors show a significant correlation with the perceived state of health and the degree of responsibility for health, however, the existence of a chronic disease does not affect either the self-assessed state of health or hygienic behaviour. Factors influencing hygienic behaviour include residence, education, assessed income, and gestational age. We found no correlation between health status and hygienic attitude.

Conclusions: Our results draw attention to the fact that among pregnant women - especially pregnant women with low socioeconomic status - education about hygiene habits is of particular importance. Teamwork is needed in this area, which should start during the period of preparation for pregnancy, but at the latest in the early stages of pregnancy.