Relationships between job satisfaction, occupational burnout and rationing of care among intensive care unit nurses.

Introduction: Rationing of nursing care is referred to as overlooking aspects of required patient care. Its result is incomplete or delayed services provided to the patient. Anesthesia nurses employed in an intensive care unit are exposed to a significant workload. Particularly heavy is the psychological burden leading in many cases to the onset of burnout syndrome and a decrease in job satisfaction. The aim of this paper: Was to determine the relationship between occupational burnout, job satisfaction and rationing of care among anesthesia nurses employed in intensive care units. Materials and methods: The study group consisted of 477 anesthesia nurses employed in intensive care units in Poland. The study was conducted between December 2022 and January 2023. The research tools were BERNCA-R questionnaire, Job Satisfaction Scale questionnaire and Maslach Burnout Inventory questionnaire, which were distributed to selected hospitals with a request to be forwarded to intensive care units and completed. In the statistical analysis, correlations were calculated using Spearman's rho coefficient, reporting the intensity of the relationship and its positive or negative direction. The analysis was performed using the IBM SPSS 26.0 package with the Exact Tests module. Results: The mean score of the BERNCA questionnaire was 1.65 ± 0.82. The mean score of occupational burnout was 60.82 ± 10.46. The level of emotional exhaustion, which significantly affects occupational burnout, was 26.39 ± 6.07, depersonalization was 14.14 ± 3.21 and lack of personal achievement was 20.29 ± 4.70. All the scores obtained exceeded the threshold of 50% of total points, which indicates the presence of occupational burnout at a significant level. The job satisfaction of the nurses surveyed was above mean at 23.00 ± 5.2 out of 35 total points. Conclusion: The results proved that there is a statistically significant, although with a weak strength of association, correlation between occupational burnout and rationing of care by anesthesia nurses. As the limitation of anesthesia nurses' ability to perform certain activities increases, their job satisfaction decreases. In a work environment that is conducive to nurses, there are fewer job responsibilities that are unfulfilled. Therefore, it is essential to create a friendly work environment for nursing staff that will promote the provision of services at the highest possible level.

Areas of professional life and job satisfaction of nurses.

Introduction: Job satisfaction among nurses is closely related to work environment as well as organizational and professional commitment. Satisfaction is a concept derived from Latin, where "satis" means "enough," as much as is needed to fully satisfy expectations, needs, aspirations, in such a way that there is no room for complaint. Job satisfaction, on the other hand, is formulated as a positive attitude of employees toward the duties of the job, the work environment and other employees. The aim of this paper was to demonstrate how the different areas of nurses' professional life, i.e., workload, control, rewards, community, sense of justice and values, correlate with their perceived job satisfaction. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a group of 509 nurses working in a public hospital in Poland. Data were collected using a survey questionnaire, which consisted of a section containing sociodemographic data and standardized instruments: The Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) and The Areas of Worklife Survey (AWS) developed by Maslach and Leiter. Correlations were made using Spearman's rho coefficient. The calculations also used stepwise linear regression analysis after checking certain assumptions, including checking the assumption of normality of residuals and the Durbin-Watson Test. Results: The mean score for the 20 items of the MSQ questionnaire ranged from 3.05 to 3.43 on a 5-point Likert scale. Support from the interdisciplinary team, which concerned assessing the quality of the social environment in the workplace, cooperation and showing positive feelings received the highest rating among respondents (3.51 ± 0.76). The sense of fair treatment at work averaged 3.26 ± 0.58. The area of value conflict within the organization itself or between the employee's values and those of the organization, respondents rated an average of 3.26 ± 0.65. The mean score for all areas of professional work in the surveyed group was 3.09 ± 0.45. Conclusion: As satisfaction in particular areas of work life increases, so does the level of satisfaction in such aspects of work as achievement and a sense of fairness. The higher the level of satisfaction in the area of control, the more the sense of satisfaction with independence increases. The higher the satisfaction of respondents in the areas of values, workload and control, the higher the level of satisfaction with working conditions occurs.

Subjective assessment of occupational stress and mental health of nurses during the Covid-19 pandemic period.

Introduction: Health status, sickness absence, and nurses' attrition have a direct impact on the quality of care provided and patients' health outcomes. The Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated issues that existed within the Polish healthcare system prior to the pandemic, including staff shortages, low wages, and system inadequacies. The aim of this study was to investigate how nurses during the Covid-19 pandemic period rated the burdensomeness of job characteristics and their mental health status, as well as the correlations between factors directly caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and nurses' subjective assessments of job characteristics and mental health. Method: The cross-sectional study was conducted in January 2022, in Poland and involved 796 registered nurses working in hospitals. Results: Despite the pandemic's sweeping societal effects, this research finds limited alteration in nurses' perceptions of job stress and self-assessed mental health. Factors such as contact with infected patients, quarantine, and isolation do not appear to substantially modify mental health perceptions among nurses. Intriguingly, nurses subjected to COVID-19 testing report heightened stress and compromised mental health. Conclusion: The interplay of diverse factors influencing the well-being of nurses is intricately complex. It is advisable to prudently execute interventions and strategies to address the pandemic, aiming to alleviate its potential adverse effects on the mental health of nurses.

Anxiety, Stress Perception, and Coping Strategies among Students with COVID-19 Exposure.

Background: Studying anxiety, stress, and coping strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic is crucial to mitigate the negative effects associated with infection risk and disease consequences. Objective: This study aimed to investigate anxiety levels, stress perception, and coping strategies in relation to the presence of illness. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted anonymously among 3950 university students from Poland (1822), Lithuania (232), and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad (1896). Due to the nearly identical application of anti-epidemic measures, the respondents were treated as a unified group. The State-trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Perceived Stress Scale 10 (PSS-10), and mini-COPE scale questionnaires were used. Statistical analysis included the Shapiro-Wilk test to check normality, the Mann-Whitney U test for comparative analysis between groups, the Pearson χ2 test for categorical data, and Spearman coefficients for correlations between variables. Results: A significant proportion of young adults in the community exhibited symptoms of anxiety and stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the 1212 men and 2738 women surveyed, 348 (28.7%) and 1020 (37.3%) individuals, respectively, were diagnosed with COVID-19 according to clinical protocols. Prolonged disease duration and more severe residual symptoms correlated with higher self-reported anxiety levels. Conclusions: The level of anxiety and stress varied depending on the duration of the disease, significantly impacting the choice of coping strategies. Overall, students displayed a proactive approach to coping activities but tended to postpone important decisions. Seeking social support was a prevalent coping mechanism, although respondents who had COVID-19 showed higher levels of concern for their own emotions, a tendency to discharge emotions through alcohol or other substances (male), and a greater reliance on religion (female). The study provides data that may be useful in developing educational and health policies focused on the mental well-being of university students and potentially other social groups.

The variables in the rationing of nursing care in cardiology departments.

BACKGROUND: The rationing of nursing care is a complex process that affects the quality of medical services. PURPOSE: An assessment of the impact of nursing care rationing on burnout and life satisfaction in cardiology departments. METHODS: The study included 217 nurses working in the cardiology department. The Perceived Implicit Rationing of Nursing Care, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale were used. RESULTS: A greater emotional exhaustion, the more frequently the rationing of nursing care (r = 0.309, p < 0.061) and the lower the job satisfaction (r=-0.128, p = 0.061). Higher life satisfaction was associated with less frequent rationing of nursing care (r=-0.177, p = 0.01), better quality of care provided (r = 0.285, p < 0.001), and higher job satisfaction (r = 0.348, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Higher levels of burnout contribute to more frequent rationing of nursing care, poorer evaluation of the quality of care provided, and lower job satisfaction. Life satisfaction is associated with less frequent rationing of care, better evaluation of the quality of care provided, and greater job satisfaction.

Factors Determining the Mood and Emotions of Nurses Working in Pediatric Wards-A Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Mood and emotions are important aspects of social interactions. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the participation of these emotional states in the implementation of tasks resulting from specific professions. The aim of the study is to identify the factors that determine the mood and emotions of nurses working in pediatric wards. METHODS: The pilot studies presented in the paper were carried out using the diagnostic survey method. The collected data were obtained from the authors' own questionnaire and the standardized measurement tool "Scale for Measuring Mood and Six Emotions" by Bogdan Wojciszke and Wieslaw Baryla. The study included 121 nurses working in hospital pediatric wards. The survey questionnaire results were obtained online using Google Forms. RESULTS: Self-assessment of the health condition of nurses is statistically significantly correlated with all emotions and mood (p < 0.05). The better the self-assessment of health, the greater the positive mood measured by the General Mood Scale (GMS) and Mood Scales (MS). The financial situation showed a statistically significant correlation with guilt (p = 0.048), sadness (p = 0.041), and negative mood (p = 0.035). Single people, regardless of gender, were characterized by a greater experience of love (H = 13.497; p < 0.001). The higher the education, the greater the experience of love (p = 0.009). For people with specialization, the presence of negative emotions such as anger (p = 0.039) and guilt (p = 0.049) turned out to be statistically significant. The better the health of children staying in the ward, the higher the negative mood of nurses (p = 0.035). CONCLUSIONS: There was a statistically significant relationship between certain demographic factors, self-assessment of health conditions with the specificity of working in pediatric wards, and the experience of mood and different emotions by nurses working with pediatric inpatients.

Assessment of an Anticancer Effect of the Simultaneous Administration of MM-129 and Indoximod in the Colorectal Cancer Model.

(1) Background: The purpose of the given study was to examine the antitumor activity of the simultaneous administration of MM-129, a 1,2,4-triazine derivative, and indoximod (IND), the kynurenine pathway inhibitor, toward colon cancer. (2) Methods: The efficiency of the co-administration of the studied compounds was assessed in xenografted zebrafish embryos. Then, the effects of the combined administration of compounds on cellular processes such as cell viability, apoptosis, and intracellular signaling pathways were evaluated. In vitro studies were performed using two colorectal cancer cell lines, namely, DLD-1 and HT-29. (3) Results: The results indicated that the simultaneous application of MM-129 and indoximod induced a stronger inhibition of tumor growth in zebrafish xenografts. The combination of these compounds intensified the process of apoptosis by lowering the mitochondrial potential, enhancing the externalization of phosphatidylserine (PS) and activation of caspases. Additionally, the expression of protein kinase B (AKT) and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase-(1IDO1) was disrupted under the applied compound combination. (4) Conclusions: Simultaneous targeting of ongoing cell signaling that promotes tumor progression, along with inhibition of the kynurenine pathway enzyme IDO1, results in the enhancement of the antitumor effect of the tested compounds against the colon cancer cells.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical activity, life satisfaction, anxiety, stress perception and coping strategies in student-athletes: A comparison between Belarus and Poland-countries with a different approach of anti-pandemic measures.

Background: More than two years of the COVID-19 pandemic has changed lives of people around the world and had a profound impact on the field of sports. This has resulted in decreased physical activity (PA) and changes in mental health. The goal was to assess self-reported physical activity, life satisfaction, perceived stress, choice of coping strategies and their correlations among student athletes from two neighboring countries facing different anti-pandemic strategies. Methods: Cross-sectional surveys using standardized questionnaires: International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF), Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (Mini-COPE) to compare 600 students from Physical Education and Sports departments of universities in Belarus (n = 333), where restrictions were found to be less stringent than in neighboring Poland (n = 267). Results: Minor differences in physical activities between both countries indicate that student athletes have adapted fairly quickly and found ways to keep their PA at a fairly high level. Nevertheless, higher PA was reported in the group of student athletes from Belarus. PA levels correlated with life satisfaction, anxiety and stress levels. Female students from Poland reported lower satisfaction with their lives. Their perception of stress was twice as high as that of their Belarusian counterparts. The most common coping strategy in both groups was active coping. Polish respondents less frequently used strategies of avoiding problems and seeking outside support. Conclusion: The level of physical activity and well-being of student athletes are associated with increased mental health and coping with stress. They also contribute to prevention of affective disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, it is dependent on the country's anti-pandemic policies.

Nurses Coping with Stressful Situations-A Cross-Sectional Study.

Nursing belongs to the group of professions particularly exposed to stress. Since the ability to cope with stress is an important aspect of mental health, the aim of this study was to identify the types of nurses' behaviours in terms of different coping styles used when dealing with work-related and psychosocial stress. The study was conducted among 1223 Polish nurses by means of a diagnostic survey, using the Coping in Stressful Situations Questionnaire (CISS), the Generalised Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) and a questionnaire of the author's own design. Three types of nurses were distinguished: Type 1 (non-harmonious/organised)-nurses with lower professional education, longer work experience, at least average severity of stress related to working conditions, the lowest GSES scores, and worse psychophysical condition, who focused on their own emotional state when faced with stressful situations. Type 2 (harmonious)-nurses with higher education, the lowest intensity of work-related stresses, the highest GSES scores, positive self-reported psycho-physical condition, most often using the task-oriented coping style in stressful situations. Type 3 (non-harmonious/disorganised)-nurses with shorter length of service in the profession, the highest intensity of work-related stress, average GSES scores, and poorer self-reported psycho-physical condition. The presented results may provide a basis for preventive measures to minimise stress and increase competence in coping strategies, thus contributing to improved psychological and physical well-being of nurses.

Zebrafish-An Optimal Model in Experimental Oncology.

A thorough understanding of cancer pathogenesis is a necessary step in the development of more effective and safer therapy. However, due to the complexity of the process and intricate interactions, studying tumor development is an extremely difficult and challenging task. In bringing this issue closer, different scientific models with various advancement levels are helpful. Cell cultures is a system that is too simple and does not allow for multidirectional research. On the other hand, rodent models, although commonly used, are burdened with several limitations. For this reason, new model organisms that will allow for the studying of carcinogenesis stages and factors reliably involved in them are urgently sought after. Danio rerio, an inconspicuous fish endowed with unique features, is gaining in importance in the world of scientific research. Including it in oncological research brings solutions to many challenges afflicting modern medicine. This article aims to illustrate the usefulness of Danio rerio as a model organism which turns out to be a powerful and unique tool for studying the stages of carcinogenesis and solving the hitherto incomprehensible processes that lead to the development of the disease.

Strategies for Coping With Stress Used by Nurses in Poland and Belarus During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Introduction: Stress is an inseparable element of nurses' work. It is also the cause of wellbeing disorders and the source of various diseases. The wellbeing and health of nurses has a direct impact on the quality of care and health outcomes for patients. An appropriate stress coping strategy can reduce the impact of stress and mitigate its negative consequences. The COVID-19 pandemic, especially in its initial period, was a source of enormous additional stress for nurses. In Poland and Belarus: two neighboring countries with common history and similar culture, the authorities took a completely different approach to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare how nurses in Poland and Belarus cope with stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Method: The cross-sectional study was conducted among 284 nurses working in hospital in Bialystok, Poland (158) and in Grodno, Belarus (126). Mini-Cope inventory - the polish adaptation of Carver's BriefCope was used for measuring coping with stress. Results: Only 17.5% of Belarusian nurses were tested for the presence of the virus and only 4.8% were infected, while in Poland it was 50.6 and 31.0%, respectively. The most frequent used coping strategies were active strategies (active coping, planning) and the least-used were avoidance strategies (behavioral disengagement, substance use) in both countries. Polish nurses significantly more often than Belorussian used support-seeking/emotion-oriented strategies, as well as avoidance strategies. No differences were found for active coping strategies between the both groups. Contact with a patient infected with the SARS-CoV2 virus did not influence the choice of stress coping strategies by nurses in both countries. Staying in quarantine or home isolation favored more active coping strategies, especially in the case of Belarusian nurses. Taking a SARS-CoV-2 test did not statistically differentiate the choice of coping strategies in the Belarusian group. In the Polish group, nurses with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result used both use of instrumental support and use of emotional support strategies less frequently. SARS-CoV-2 virus infection did not statistically differentiated how stressful situations were handled in Polish group. Conclusions: Polish and Belorussian nurses used similar strategies to cope with stress in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. The social and demographic differences between Polish and Belorussian nurses differentiated the choice of coping strategies among the respondents to a greater extent than the completely different approach of the media and authorities to the COVID-19 pandemic in the two countries. The threat of the COVID-19 pandemic does not affect the choice of stress coping strategies by nurses in Poland and Belarus. Being in quarantine or home isolation favored the use of active coping strategies among Belorussian nurses. Polish nurses, on the other hand, were more likely to turn to religion after being quarantined.

Objective and Subjective Stress Parameters in Response to High and Low-Fidelity Simulation Activities.

Nursing graduates are required to have both excellent theoretical and practical skills that should be used during stressful emergency interventions. Since the received knowledge should be practiced to gain skills and trained to achieve competences, simulation exercises can be beneficial to even reduce the stress that each individual may face during emergency management of patients. A total of 146 first-year nursing students participated in the study, including 124 women and 22 men aged between 19 and 50 years, with a mean age of 32 years. The objective method estimated psychophysiological parameters (serum cortisol). Objective and subjective methods were used. The subjective method assessed stress experienced by students based on the standardized Stress Appraisal Questionnaire Version B for dispositional assessment. The study was conducted in the Monoprofile Medical Simulation Centre at the University of Economics and Innovation in Lublin, Poland and was approved by the University Research Ethics Committee. Both participants under and over 25 years of age showed increased levels of stress after low and high-fidelity simulations, with statistically significantly higher stress levels found for the low fidelity method. Low-fidelity simulation methods generated a greater increase in cortisol levels, indicating a higher stress level than the high-fidelity methods. The analysis of the scores obtained in the Stress Appraisal Questionnaire (KOS-B) showed that higher cortisol levels after the low-fidelity simulation reduced the subjective perception of a threat, while higher cortisol levels before the high-fidelity simulation promoted higher intellectual activity among the students. Levels of stress in the education of nursing students using low and high-fidelity methods can limit the sense of threat and activate professional task performance. The use of low and high-fidelity simulation does not generate destructive stress levels.

Relationships Between Sleep Problems and Stress Coping Strategies Adopted by Nurses Including Socio-Occupational Factors.

Introduction: The health of nurses has a direct impact on the quality of care and health outcomes for patients. The length and quality of sleep as well as the intensity of perceived stress have an impact on the health of nurses. An appropriate stress coping strategy can reduce the impact of stress and mitigate its negative consequences. Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between excessive sleepiness and insomnia in interaction with selected socio-occupational factors and stress coping strategies among nurses. Material and Method: The cross-sectional study was conducted among 448 nurses working in hospitals in Podlasie Province in Poland. Mini-Cope inventory - the polish adaptation of Carver's BriefCope was used for measuring coping with stress. Sleep problems were assessed using the Athens Insomnia Scale and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. Results: The most frequent used coping strategies were active strategies (active coping, planning). The least-used were avoidant strategies (behavioral disengagement, substance use). Excessive sleepiness affected 38% of surveyed, while insomnia 33%. Excessive sleepiness was most strongly related with behavioural disengagement (R 2 = 18.6%), substance use (R 2 = 17.5%), humour (R 2 = 13.8%) and denial (R 2 = 12.0%) while insomnia with substance use (R 2 = 17.5%) and self-blame (R 2 = 15.9%). Nurses with tertiary education experiencing sleep problems less frequently used the strategy of humour, behavioural disengagement, substance use and religion than with lower education. Nurses working in interventional wards experiencing excessive sleepiness used the strategy of humour, religion and positive reframing less often than those working in other wards while those suffering from insomnia used the strategy of humour more often than those working in other wards. Conclusions: The implementation of avoidant and support-seeking and emotion-oriented stress coping strategies by nurses were associated with the sleep problems. Tertiary education discourages nurses with sleep problems from using avoidant coping strategies and devoting themselves to religion. Education and improvement of the quality of sleep may prevent nurses from resorting to stress coping strategies that have a detrimental effect on their health and well-being.

The Sense of Stigmatization in Patients with Plaque Psoriasis.

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis is a systemic inflammatory disease capable of creating stigmatization in the form of social exclusion and decrement of psychological conditions. AIM: The aim of the study was to determine the level of stigmatization in patients with plaque psoriasis. METHODS: The study included 166 patients with plaque psoriasis (55.6% women and 44.3% men) with Psoriasis Area and Severity Index scores ≤10. The age of the study patients ranged between 18 and 72 years (arithmetic mean = 37.4; median = 38; standard deviation [SD] = 11.0). The mean age at the diagnosis of psoriasis was 21.5 years (median = 20; SD = 9.1) and disease duration varied from 2 to 59 years (arithmetic mean = 15.8; median = 15; SD = 11.3). The study patients completed the Polish version of the 6-item Stigmatization Scale and the 33-item Feelings of Stigmatization Questionnaire and a survey developed by the authors of this study, containing questions about the participants' sociodemographic characteristics (sex, age, place of residence, marital status, education, employment status) and information about their disease (location of psoriatic lesions, time elapsed since the diagnosis of psoriasis). RESULTS: The mean score for the 6-item Stigmatization Scale for the whole study group was 7.6 out of 18 points (median = 7; SD = 3.8; minimum = 0; maximum = 17). The average score for the 33-item Stigma Feelings Questionnaire in our series was 84.5 out of 165 points (median = 88; SD = 20.9; minimum = 30; maximum = 136). A statistically significant sex-related difference was observed in the 6-item Stigmatization Scale scores, with higher stigmatization levels found in men than in women (p = 0.0082). Moreover, significantly higher levels of stigmatization were observed in countryside dwellers (p = 0.0311) and unmarried persons (p = 0.0321). Patients with a longer history of the disease (≥15 years) scored significantly higher on the 6-item Stigmatization Scale (p = 0.0217) than those in whom psoriasis lasted less long, and presented with higher, at the threshold of statistical significance, scores for the 33-item Feelings of Stigmatization Questionnaire. CONCLUSIONS: Stigmatization awareness should be promoted among physicians and psoriatic patients to improve psoriasis management.

The Effect of Subjective Perception of Work in Relation to Occupational and Demographic Factors on the Mental Health of Polish Nurses.

Introduction: Nursing is considered one of the most stressful professions in the world. The high emotional burden associated with excessive workload in qualitative and quantitative terms, exposure to existing and emerging infectious diseases, daily confrontation with the suffering of individuals and their families and low social support leads to the development of numerous stress reactions among nurses, resulting in the development of anxiety, insomnia, social dysfunction and depression. Indeed, somatic and mental stress-related disease rates are higher among nurses than in the general population. Aim: To determine the impact of subjective work characteristics on the mental health of nurses in relation to demographic and occupational factors. Material and method: The research was carried out among 558 nurses working in hospitals in Podlaskie Voivodeship, and used the Subjective Work Evaluation Questionnaire (SWEQ) and Goldberg's GHQ-28 Questionnaire. Results: As measured by SWEQ, and as self-assessed by means of the GHQ-28 questionnaire, overall stress negatively affects the nurses' health (R 2 = 18.7%). Among the partial measures of the SWEQ questionnaire, work overload had strong and the lack of rewards, social relations and lack of support had weak negative effect on the overall mental health assessment of nurses (R 2 = 19.2%). The responsibility measure was an exception that had a positive impact on the nurses' well-being. Among occupational and demographic factors, only higher education in relation to secondary education in interactions with the overall stress measure and unpleasant work conditions had a positive effect on the overall mental health self-assessment of nurses (R 2 = 20.7%). Conclusions: The results of our study provide a clear message to the hospital management that improving the work organization and atmosphere of nurses by reducing perceived work overload and increasing the responsibility of nurses can have a positive impact on their mental health. Encouraging nurses to improve their education can result not only in an obvious improvement in staff qualifications, but also in better resistance to stressors in the workplace and, consequently, in better staff well-being. Both measures can have a positive impact on the quality of care provided by nurses and on reducing staff turnover.

Mental Health of the Participants of the Third Age University Program: A Cross-Sectional Study.

INTRODUCTION: Population aging is a progressive demographic phenomenon observed in all countries worldwide. The progressive global process of population aging poses many threats, especially in the context of the mental health of the elderly. Third Age Universities are an essential preventive measure shown to improve the quality of life and psychological wellbeing of the elderly. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to analyze the mental status of older persons attending Third Age Universities in Poland, with particular emphasis on sociodemographic sources of variance in psychological indices. METHODS: The study included a group of the Third Age University program participants from Poland. A total of 247 persons were enrolled, among them 215 women and 32 men. The study was carried out as a diagnostic survey, using the following validated psychometric scales: The Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28), The Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), Courtauld Emotional Control Scale (CECS), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and SMAST-G-Short Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test-Geriatric Version. RESULTS: The vast majority of the respondents did not screen positively for possible bipolar disorder. However, more than 90% of the participants presented with the symptoms of mild depression, and more than one-third had manifestations of non-psychotic mental morbidity. Nearly half of the respondents had complaints associated with insomnia, and in more than one-fourth, SMAST-G score raised suspicion of problem alcohol drinking. Retired participants were shown to present with significantly higher levels of anger control than the occupationally active respondents. Respondents with poor economic status had significantly higher levels of symptoms for non-psychotic mental disorders. Men significantly more often than women showed symptoms raising suspicion of alcohol-related problems. DISCUSSION: In conclusion, the study group was characterized primarily by the mild depressive and anxiety symptoms. The mental health of the Polish participants of the Third Age University program was significantly modulated by their socio-occupational and marital status, and financial condition. The study showed that persons with likely problem alcohol drinking differed from other respondents in terms of the occurrence of possible bipolar disorder, depression, and non-psychotic symptoms of mental disorders, state and trait anxiety levels and anger control. There is a need for further research in the field of mental health status in the Third Age Universities seniors to determine the prevalence of these phenomena on a national scale.

The impact of parents' health behaviours on their preferences regarding vaccinations in Bialystok, Poland.

BACKGROUND: Currently, as the number of vaccinated children in Poland and throughout Europe is decreasing. Many factors impact on the rate vaccination and parents' health behaviours may affect the frequency of vaccinations. The aim of the study was to assess the association of parents' health behaviors with children's vaccinations. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from July 2015 to June 2016 to assess to assess the association of parents' health behaviors with children's vaccinations in Bialystok city, Poland. We used the the Inventory of Health Behaviours and an original questionnaire including demographic data and questions about vaccination. Three hundred parents were recruited from the Pro Medica Family Medica Center in Bialystok, Poland. RESULTS: Only 3.7% of respondents did not vaccinate their children. The level of health behaviours was average in 42.3% of the respondents, low in 33%, and high in 24.7%. Significant differences in health behaviours, mainly the level of normal eating habits (p = 0.038) and positive mental attitude (p = 0.022), were found in relation to views on the toxicity of vaccines. Participants who reported that vaccines can cause autism engaged in a higher level of prophylactic behaviours. Respondents who vaccinated their children with combined vaccines had a significantly higher level of health practices. CONCLUSIONS: Parents preferred health behaviours did not effect on children vaccination. Parents who believed in the toxicity of vaccines were more concerned about proper nutrition, had a positive mental attitude, and engaged in a higher level of preventive behaviours and health practices. Parents who did not vaccinate their children had lower levels of normal eating habits. Parents who vaccinated their children with combined vaccines had a higher level of health behaviours, especially in terms of health practices.

Imperatorin as a Promising Chemotherapeutic Agent Against Human Larynx Cancer and Rhabdomyosarcoma Cells.

Naturally occurring coumarins are bioactive compounds widely used in Asian traditional medicine. They have been shown to inhibit proliferation, induce apoptosis, and/or enhance the cytotoxicity of currently used drugs against a variety of cancer cell types. The aim of our study was to examine the antiproliferative activity of different linear furanocoumarins on human rhabdomyosarcoma, lung, and larynx cancer cell lines, and dissolve their cellular mechanism of action. The coumarins were isolated from fruits of Angelica archangelica L. or Pastinaca sativa L., and separated using high-performance counter-current chromatography (HPCCC). The identity and purity of isolated compounds were confirmed by HPLC-DAD and NMR analyses. Cell viability and toxicity assessments were performed by means of methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assays, respectively. Induction of apoptosis and cell cycle progression were measured using flow cytometry analysis. qPCR method was applied to detect changes in gene expression. Linear furanocoumarins in a dose-dependent manner inhibited proliferation of cancer cells with diverse activity regarding compounds and cancer cell type specificity. Imperatorin (IMP) exhibited the most potent growth inhibitory effects against human rhabdomyosarcoma and larynx cancer cell lines owing to inhibition of the cell cycle progression connected with specific changes in gene expression, including CDKN1A. As there are no specific chemotherapy treatments dedicated to laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and rhabdomyosarcoma, and IMP seems to be non-toxic for normal cells, our results could open a new direction in the search for effective anti-cancer agents.