Smoke-free hospitals in Poland - a cross-sectional survey.

Introduction: In 2010, the government of Poland passed an amended smoke-free law that strengthened existing tobacco control policies and banned smoking in hospitals. The aims of our study are: to determine the state of smoke-free practices in Polish hospitals, and to identify challenges facing hospitals implementing smoke-free practices. Material and methods: In 2018, a cross-sectional survey was conducted on a representative sample of 100 hospitals operating in Poland. The research tool was the ENSH-Global Self-Audit Questionnaire. The questionnaire included 48 items related to the various aspects of smoke-free policy implementation in the hospital. Results: Among the surveyed hospitals, public entities were the dominant group (79%). The mean score for all analyzed standards was 78.55 points (out of 144 maximum available), with no differences (p = 0.4) between public and private entities. All hospitals surveyed displayed signage with information about prohibited tobacco products and tobacco-free campus boundaries. Hospital staff (95%) and service users (98%) reported a basic level of understanding of the hospital's tobacco-free policy and the available tobacco cessation services. However, tobacco-free policies, in line with the ENSH-Global Standards, were implemented in 61% of surveyed hospitals. More than half of the hospitals (64%) do not currently assess tobacco use or provide tobacco dependence treatment services. Conclusions: Overall, smoke-free policies in hospitals operating in Poland are compliant with the National Tobacco Control Act and provide a smoke-free environment for service users and staff. However, continued monitoring and evaluation of tobacco control activities are necessary to promote the importance of smoke-free environments.

Could amantadine interfere with COVID-19 vaccines based on the LNP-mRNA platform?

INTRODUCTION: Amantadine is a well-known medication with indications in neurology and infectious diseases. It is currently FDA approved for Parkinson's disease, drug-induced extrapyramidal symptoms, and influenza. METHODS: The article is the author's original research hypothesis. RESULTS: Because more people are going to be vaccinated and additional similar vaccines are going to be introduced, we should take into consideration the potential of amantadine to interfere with LNP-mRNA COVID-19 vaccine delivery into the target cells. CONCLUSIONS: A more cautious approach to the patients taking amantadine as far as vaccination utilizing LNP-mRNA platform should be considered.

Determinants of burnout and other aspects of psychological well-being in healthcare workers during the Covid-19 pandemic: A multinational cross-sectional study.

The Covid-19 pandemic has placed unprecedented pressure on healthcare systems and workers around the world. Such pressures may impact on working conditions, psychological wellbeing and perception of safety. In spite of this, no study has assessed the relationship between safety attitudes and psychological outcomes. Moreover, only limited studies have examined the relationship between personal characteristics and psychological outcomes during Covid-19. From 22nd March 2020 to 18th June 2020, healthcare workers from the United Kingdom, Poland, and Singapore were invited to participate using a self-administered questionnaire comprising the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ), Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) to evaluate safety culture, burnout and anxiety/depression. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine predictors of burnout, anxiety and depression. Of 3,537 healthcare workers who participated in the study, 2,364 (67%) screened positive for burnout, 701 (20%) for anxiety, and 389 (11%) for depression. Significant predictors of burnout included patient-facing roles: doctor (OR 2.10; 95% CI 1.49-2.95), nurse (OR 1.38; 95% CI 1.04-1.84), and 'other clinical' (OR 2.02; 95% CI 1.45-2.82); being redeployed (OR 1.27; 95% CI 1.02-1.58), bottom quartile SAQ score (OR 2.43; 95% CI 1.98-2.99), anxiety (OR 4.87; 95% CI 3.92-6.06) and depression (OR 4.06; 95% CI 3.04-5.42). Significant factors inversely correlated with burnout included being tested for SARS-CoV-2 (OR 0.64; 95% CI 0.51-0.82) and top quartile SAQ score (OR 0.30; 95% CI 0.22-0.40). Significant factors associated with anxiety and depression, included burnout, gender, safety attitudes and job role. Our findings demonstrate a significant burden of burnout, anxiety, and depression amongst healthcare workers. A strong association was seen between SARS-CoV-2 testing, safety attitudes, gender, job role, redeployment and psychological state. These findings highlight the importance of targeted support services for at risk groups and proactive SARS-CoV-2 testing of healthcare workers.