Smoking prevalence and desire to quit among employees in Transylvanian foster care homes.

OBJECTIVES: Few studies have investigated smoking habits among foster care home children and employees, who are at high risk for smoking. Additionally, there are no published studies on the intention to quit smoking among employees of the Romanian Child Protection system, a gap we address in this manuscript. METHODS: A repeated cross-sectional survey was conducted among foster care employees in three Transylvanian counties (Mures, Sibiu, Covasna) in January 2014 to February 2015 (baseline) and September-December 2016 (follow-up). A foster home-based smoking prevention and cessation intervention targeting employees and children was conducted between the two waves. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine associations between socio-demographics, reasons for smoking, tobacco use patterns, reasons for quitting, and tobacco policy attitudes on intention to quit (dependent variable), controlling for participation in the smoking prevention intervention. RESULTS: 305 employees participated in the baseline (76.4% of females, 23.6% of males) and 304 employees in the follow-up surveys (68.8% of females, 31.2% of males) after the smoking prevention and cessation intervention. At baseline, 34.8% of respondents reported that no one was smoking within the foster care home, which increased to 59.1% at follow-up (p < 0.001). Being male and a high level of professional satisfaction were the only correlates of intention to quit in the bivariate models at baseline. Professional satisfaction and a belief that smoking is bad for one's health were the only correlates of intention to quit at follow-up. In multivariable models, professional satisfaction was the only consistent predictor of intention to quit at both time points (OR 5.63, 95% CI 1.71-18.56; OR 4.98, 95% CI 1.43-17.30). CONCLUSIONS: Efforts should be made to promote cessation among foster care employees that includes evidence-based support, along with compliance to policies that prohibit smoking indoors to reinforce cessation efforts.

[Study of socio-demographic factors in the treatment of unipolar major depression in a follow-up clinical trial]. / Szociodemográfiai hatótényezok vizsgálata unipoláris major depresszió kezelésében egy utánkövetéses klinikai vizsgálatban.

INTRODUCTION: Depression is one of the most widespread illnesses of our time, currently affecting more than 300 million people worldwide. Literature identifies several socio-demographic risk factors in the development of the depression. AIM: We aim to examine the socio-demographic factors involved in the remission of clinically diagnosed unipolar major depression. METHOD: Data collection was performed during 2016, at the 1st Psychiatric Clinic from Tirgu Mures. Participants were patients reporting no other physical or psychiatric disorder. Self-reporting questionnaire assessed socio-demographic factors, such as gender, age, neighborhood, education, marital status, employment, and unemployed period. DSM-5 criteria were used in diagnosis, and the severity and status tracking was assessed with the 17-item version of the Hamilton Depression Scale. The age distribution of the sample was between 18-65 years of age, 44 male (28.9%) and 108 female (71.1%), 66 inpatients and 86 outpatients. Patients received medication for 12 weeks, and were involved in HAM-D 17 testing when hospitalized, at 8 and 12 weeks. RESULTS: Scores of depression decreased significantly after 8 and 12 weeks of the treatment. Gender, age, and neighborhood did not influence the treatment, but patients with high education manifested less depressive symptoms at the end of treatment. Among married patients depression score was lower than among unmarried, and employees showed lower depression scores comparing to long-term unemployed patients. CONCLUSION: Marital status and employment were relevant predictors of remission, proving a significant effect on the treatment outcomes. Thus, psychotherapeutic intervention is recommendable in the case of single and unemployed patients. Orv Hetil. 2017; 158(43): 1715-1722.