The role of life skills in developing an authentic leadership attitude in public health students: a multicenter cross-sectional study in Poland.

BACKGROUND: Decision-making skills are considered crucial life skills that condition proper social functioning within groups (i.e., support authentic leadership skills and increasing one's chances of success and wellbeing in life). Nonetheless, the number of scientific papers addressing the role of life skills in developing authentic leadership skills in public health students is limited. The aim of the present study was to develop a theoretical model to determine the role of selected life skills in developing authentic leadership skills in public health students. METHODS: The study was conducted from January 16 through February 28, 2018. In total, 653 students undertaking in-service training in Master's degree programs qualified for the study, and complete data sets were obtained from 329 students (response rate 50.38%). The data were collected by means of a paper questionnaire. Four research tools were used in the study: The Authentic Leadership Self-Assessment Questionnaire, The Moral Foundations Questionnaire, The General Self-Efficacy Scale, and The Youth Leadership Life Skills Development Scale. RESULTS: Two subgroups were identified among the public health students in the study: 1) the extra life skills training group (N = 113) and 2) the no extra life skills training group (N = 216). Both groups of study participants did not differ significantly in terms of age (M (SD): 25.0 (3.89) vs. 25.0 (3.66); t = 0.068, P = 0.946). On the other hand, clear differences were observed in the case of the respondents' participation in voluntary service. The respondents from the extra life skills training group declared participation in voluntary activities less frequently than the respondents from the second identified group (48.7 vs. 31.9%). CONCLUSIONS: A verified theoretical model showed that course aimed at strengthening authentic leadership competences should be modular, should focus on self-improvement and critical reflection, and should be spread over time to enable and encourage each participant to grow and flourish at their own pace.

Social Media Sharing of Articles About Measles in a European Context: Text Analysis Study.

BACKGROUND: Despite the existence of an effective vaccine, measles still threatens the health and lives of many Europeans. Notably, during the COVID-19 pandemic, measles vaccine uptake declined; as a result, after the pandemic, European countries will have to increase vaccination rates to restore the extent of vaccination coverage among the population. Because information obtained from social media are one of the main causes of vaccine hesitancy, knowledge of the nature of information pertaining to measles that is shared on social media may help create educational campaigns. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aim to define the characteristics of European news about measles shared on social media platforms (ie, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest) from 2017 to 2019. METHODS: We downloaded and translated (into English) 10,305 articles on measles published in European Union countries. Using latent Dirichlet allocation, we identified main topics and estimated the sentiments expressed in these articles. Furthermore, we used linear regression to determine factors related to the number of times a given article was shared on social media. RESULTS: We found that, in most European social media posts, measles is only discussed in the context of local European events. Articles containing educational information and describing world outbreaks appeared less frequently. The most common emotions identified from the study's news data set were fear and trust. Yet, it was found that readers were more likely to share information on educational topics and the situation in Germany, Ukraine, Italy, and Samoa. A high amount of anger, joy, and sadness expressed within the text was also associated with a higher number of shares. CONCLUSIONS: We identified which features of news articles were related to increased social media shares. We found that social media users prefer sharing educational news to sharing informational news. Appropriate emotional content can also increase the willingness of social media users to share an article. Effective media content that promotes measles vaccinations should contain educational or scientific information, as well as specific emotions (such as anger, joy, or sadness). Articles with this type of content may offer the best chance of disseminating vital messages to a broad social media audience.

Characteristics of Antivaccine Messages on Social Media: Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Supporters of the antivaccination movement can easily spread information that is not scientifically proven on social media. Therefore, learning more about their posts and activities is instrumental in effectively reacting and responding to the false information they publish, which is aimed at discouraging people from taking vaccines. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to gather, assess, and synthesize evidence related to the current state of knowledge about antivaccine social media users' web-based activities. METHODS: We systematically reviewed English-language papers from 3 databases (Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed). A data extraction form was established, which included authors, year of publication, specific objectives, study design, comparison, and outcomes of significance. We performed an aggregative narrative synthesis of the included studies. RESULTS: The search strategy retrieved 731 records in total. After screening for duplicates and eligibility, 18 articles were included in the qualitative synthesis. Although most of the authors analyzed text messages, some of them studied images or videos. In addition, although most of the studies examined vaccines in general, 5 focused specifically on human papillomavirus vaccines, 2 on measles vaccines, and 1 on influenza vaccines. The synthesized studies dealt with the popularity of provaccination and antivaccination content, the style and manner in which messages about vaccines were formulated for the users, a range of topics concerning vaccines (harmful action, limited freedom of choice, and conspiracy theories), and the role and activity of bots in the dissemination of these messages in social media. CONCLUSIONS: Proponents of the antivaccine movement use a limited number of arguments in their messages; therefore, it is possible to prepare publications clarifying doubts and debunking the most common lies. Public health authorities should continuously monitor social media to quickly find new antivaccine arguments and then create information campaigns for both health professionals and other users.

Optimistic thinking, satisfaction with life and job and nursing care rationing: Multicentre study in Poland.

AIMS: The aim was to examine whether the level of optimism and job and life satisfaction is a differentiating factor from the level of implicit rationing of nursing care in a sample of Polish registered nurses. BACKGROUND: Satisfaction with life and job is reflected by greater effectiveness of nurses at work and creates a positive work environment, which in turn may modulate the level of implicit rationing of nursing care. METHODS: A cross-sectional multicentre research design was adopted, employing a representative sample of 1,010 registered Polish nurses identified between the beginning of January and the end of June 2019. Four self-report scales were used in this study: Basel Extent of Rationing of Nursing Care, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Satisfaction with Job Scale and Life Orientation Test-Revised. The results were analysed using the k-means method, Student's t test and two-way ANOVA. RESULTS: Optimistic thinking, and satisfaction with job and life exerted a significant effect on the level of implicit rationing of nursing care among Polish nurses. Nurses from the group 'pessimistic' were at higher risk of nursing care rationing than those from the group 'optimistic'. CONCLUSION: Strengthening of the personal competencies, providing support and responding to all identified needs might increase job satisfaction of nurses and hence reduce the risk of nursing care rationing. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Leadership modelling and training in positive thinking might be the methods to support nurses and to prevent nursing care rationing.

Severe Depressive Episode with Psychotic Symptoms and Type 2 Diabetes: A 2010-2017 Longitudinal Study.

BACKGROUND There have been few studies published on the prevalence of severe depressive episode in people with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) or its role in adherence to dietary recommendations. We examined the Polish National Health Fund (NFZ) database estimates of all medical visits from 2010 to 2017 to determine the trend and the epidemiology of severe depressive episode in T2DM. MATERIAL AND METHODS The NFZ database was used. We defined the T2DM group diagnosed with both T2DM and severe depressive episode according to the ICD-10 codes. The annual prevalence of severe depressive episode was estimated according to the T2DM diagnosis status, and the age groups were stratified into 8 groups. RESULTS Relative risk for depression (regardless of severity of symptoms) in T2DM is 1.347 [95%CI: 1.342-1.353]. The frequency trend of severe depressive episode with or without psychotic symptoms remains relatively stable. In the case of mild and moderate depressive episode, a downward trend was noted, but they are still the most frequent mood disorders diagnosed. Patients with T2DM aged 20 to 40, for whom the peak of coexistence of these illnesses was noted, are the group particularly vulnerable to depression. Depression also remains on a relatively high but stable level for patients over 60 years of age. CONCLUSIONS The coexistence of depressive episodes in T2DM is a key challenge for medicine and public health. Measures aimed at early identification of patients with T2DM prone to depression need to be taken. Creating multidisciplinary care teams in diabetes management is also necessary.

Testing a New Tool Assessing Attitude Towards Treatment and Health in Primary Health Care Setting: Senior Patients and Doctors Perspectives.

AIMS: Patients' attitude towards treatment and health (ATH) is crucial for compliance at all stages of treatment. This study examined the psychometric properties of the developed PRACTA Attitude Towards Treatment and Health questionnaire, designed to measure ATH as perceived by seniors (PRACTA-ATH) and doctors (PRACTA-ATH-D) in primary health care. METHODS: The data were collected in two waves of the Polish-Norwegian PRACTA project. Exploratory factor analyses (EFAs) were conducted on wave 1 data from senior patients ( n = 3392) and their general practitioners ( n = 491). Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) were conducted on wave 2 data. This was a new sample of senior patients ( n = 2765) and a follow-up sample of doctors ( n = 393). RESULTS: The EFAs showed that the 16-item four-factor solution is the best solution reflecting the structure of both seniors and doctors' ATH questionnaires. The CFAs conducted to establish the best unified model for PRACTA-ATH and PRACTA-ATH-D indicated three comparatively good solutions: the 16-item four-factor solution, the 12-item four-factor solution and the 12-item five-factor solution. CONCLUSIONS: The questionnaire is found appropriate for use among patients and doctors, and can be used as a good tool to monitor older patients' ATH and concordance between doctors and patients' perspectives.

Psychometric properties of Authentic Leadership Self-Assessment Questionnaire in a population-based sample of Polish nurses.

AIM: The purpose of the study was to adapt and evaluate the psychometric characteristics of the Polish language version of the Authentic Leadership Self-Assessment Questionnaire intended for use among Registered Nurses. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study where the Authentic Leadership Self-Assessment Questionnaire was administered to a representative group of 3,299 Polish Registered Nurses was carried out between September and November 2017. METHODS: Linguistic-cultural adaptation of the ALSAQ was carried out according to the WHO guidelines. The following psychometric properties of the ALSAQ were evaluated: content validity (content validity index), theoretical relevance (exploratory and confirmative factor analysis), unidimensionality of subscales (principal component analysis), internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha), test-retest reliability and criterion validity. FINDINGS: The content validity analysis revealed a need to reduce the original ALSAQ version from 16-23 items. The factor structure of ALSAQ differed from the original version. A three-factor model was better fitted to the data than a four-factor model. The three distinguished subscales (moral processing, self-awareness, and relational transparency) were characterized by unidimensionality. ALSAQ has a good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha 0.84) and test-retest analysis confirmed stability of the measurement for subscales and particular items. Moreover, the ALSAQ-P criterion validity with external variables, being of key importance for shaping the leadership skills (self-efficacy and universal moral foundations) was confirmed. CONCLUSIONS: Authentic leadership skills in nursing practice are characterized by their individual specificity, which was indicated in the ALSAQ validation. The ALSAQ can be considered a reliable and valid tool for self-assessment of leadership skills in a group of nursing practitioners. The identified standards help measuring strengths and weaknesses of authentic leadership.

Maladaptive perfectionism and authentic leadership skills in emergency medicine students

Introduction: Leadership skills can be critical in emergency medicine. However, there are no works that analyze this issue in much more details. The aim: To analyze the level of leadership skills in emergency medicine students, and also checking if despondency perfectionism is a variable that reduce the correlation between self-efficacy and leadership skills. Material and methods: The analyzed group consisted of 75.76% of all emergency medicine students taking up education at the Medical University of Warsaw in 2018 (n = 150, W = 74, M = 71). The average age was 23 years (SD = 1.7). All students were divided into two groups: Group 0 - without maladaptive perfectionism (n = 64), and group 1- with maladaptive perfectionism (n = 79). In the cross-sectional study, three standardized research tools were used: Authentic Leadership Questionnaire, Almost Perfect Scale-Revised (APS-R), and General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES). ANCOVA analysis was used. Results: The linear regression coefficients for both comparison groups were significantly different (interaction of variables: "maladaptive perfectionism * self-efficacy": F = 4.841, p = .029). Comparing adjusted mean values for both groups (0 vs 1), it can be stated that students from group 0 had a significantly higher level of authentic leadership skills compared to group 1 (F = 4.432, p = .037). Conclusions: Studies to determine the mechanisms of a positive relationship between the self-efficacy and leadership skills in emergency medicine students with high maladaptive perfectionism are required. This will allow the development of effective programs to strengthen the leadership skills of these students.

A Ten-Year Longitudinal Study of Prevalence of Eating Disorders in the General Polish Type 2 Diabetes Population.

BACKGROUND Little has been reported regarding the epidemiology of eating disorders (EDs) in type 2 diabetes (T2DM). We examined the Polish National Health Fund-NFZ database estimates of all medical visits from 2008 to 2017 to determine the trend and the epidemiology of EDs in T2DM patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS The NFZ database were used. We defined the T2DM group diagnosed with both T2DM and EDs according to the ICD-10 codes. Demographic data were collected from the webpage of Statistics Poland (GUS). The annual prevalence of EDs was estimated according to the T2DM diagnosis status, and the age groups were stratified into 8 groups. RESULTS The prevalence of EDs in T2DM patients in the whole patient population with diagnosed T2DM ranged from 0.059% (in 2017) to 0.086% patients (in 2010). Differences in subcategories of EDs were noted. In the case of anorexia nervosa, a decreasing trend of coexistence with T2DM was noted. However, in the case of atypical anorexia nervosa, an increasing trend was observed. Both in the case of bulimia nervosa and atypical bulimia nervosa, an increasing trend of coexistence with T2DM was noted. As patients with T2DM age, the prevalence of EDs in T2DM decreased. CONCLUSIONS A relatively stable trend of prevalence of EDs in T2DM patients benefiting from state medical care indicated the need to develop effective screening methods and adequate procedures for therapeutic interventions with this group of patients using a multidisciplinary therapeutic team.

The Effectiveness of Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Diet Intervention in Persons with Arterial Hypertension and Obesity: A Key Role of the Patients' Personality Profile.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Benefits resulting from weight loss and dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) diet in the treatment of arterial hypertension led to a search for a better therapy that would include psychological factors. The present study aimed to assess the relationship between the personality traits included in the Big Five personality traits and the effectiveness of treatment for weight loss in patients with essential hypertension and excessive body weight. METHODS: The study involved 84 patients with essential hypertension, overweight or obesity, managed by a hypertensiologist. All patients underwent a 3-month diet treatment as part of the development process of an individualised eating plan that follows the principles of DASH diet and food education. Body mass index and DASH index were calculated before and after the therapy. NEO Five-Factor Inventory was applied to measure psychological variables. RESULTS: The intervention led to a statistically significant increase of DASH index measured before and after treatment. There was a significant correlation between the increase of DASH index and gender. Patients presented higher intensity of openness to experience, extraversion, conscientiousness and lower levels of neuroticism and agreeableness compared to general population. CONCLUSION: The influence of psychological variables on the observed difference between men and women in DASH values and weight loss was not demonstrated.

The role of gender in the active attitude toward treatment and health among older patients in primary health care-self-assessed health status and sociodemographic factors as moderators.

BACKGROUND: Active attitude toward treatment and health (ATH) leads to improved cooperation and better health outcomes in patients. Supporting it in the population of older adults is a growing need in primary care. Recognising the role of gender, health and other sociodemographic factors can help to distinguish patients who need the most assistance in activation from general practitioners (GPs). The objective of the study was to investigate gender differences in ATH as well as the moderating role of self-assessed health (SAH) and selected sociodemographic factors (age, education, financial status, marital status). METHODS: A cross-sectional, multicentre study among 4936 primary care older patients (aged 50+) was conducted. The PRACTA-Attitude toward Treatment and Health questionnaire (PRACTA-ATH) was used to measure the cognitive, emotional (positive and negative affect), and motivational dimensions of ATH. Patients were approached before and after their visits in the primary health-care facilities randomly selected in Central Poland. RESULTS: Generalised linear models (GENLIN) revealed the main effects of gender, SAH, and sociodemographic characteristics, such as financial status, marital status and education. Interaction effects of gender and age (Wald's χ2 = 24.767, p < 0.001 for ATH Global), as well as gender and SAH (Wald's χ2 = 16.712, p < 0.002 for ATH Global) on ATH were found. The most assistance in regard to ATH was required by men aged 50-74 and men declaring good self-assessed health. Generally, women declared a more active attitude than men, showing more knowledge (M = 5.40, SD = 0.07 and M = 5.21, SD = 0.07, for women and men, respectively, p = 0.046), positive emotion (M = 5.55, SD = 0.06 and M = 5.33, SD =0.06, for women and men, respectively, p = 0.015) and motivation to be involved in their health issues (M = 5.71, SD = 0.07 and M = 5.39, SD = 0.07, for women and men, respectively, p = 0.001). The level of negative emotions related to health was not significantly different between genders (p = 0.971). CONCLUSIONS: The need to create health promoting programmes taking account of particular gender differences in older adults emerges. In regard to clinical practice, building a sense of efficacy and individual responsibility for health, providing information about the means of health promotion and prevention, and recognising health-related cognitions, is recommended especially for men who feel well and are less advanced in age (50-74).

Activation of older patients through PRACTA intervention for primary healthcare doctors: does the method matter?

Background: Activating older adults in medical practice can benefit patients' health and quality of life, as well as the economy and burden of the healthcare system. Placing general practice in the public healthcare system gives the elderly population easy access to the promotion of active attitudes toward health, provided that the doctors have and use relevant activating tools. The aim of this study was to verify the possibility of activating senior patients through an educational intervention for doctors. Methods: Two waves of data collection from primary care patients and their doctors were separated by an intervention for doctors. The intervention took the form of an e-learning programme or article and was developed so as to improve general practitioners' (GP) communication and activation skills, especially when working with older adults. The outcome variable was the change between the waves in patients' scores on the PRACTA Attitude Toward Treatment and Health (ATH) Scale and PRACTA Self-efficacy Scale. Data from patients aged 50 + (n = 2175; 55.6% women; age: M = 69.56, SD = 9.10) appointed at the primary care facilities were analysed. Results: The analysis revealed the effect of doctors' e-learning and, to a lesser extent, the effect of article reading on patients' attitudes toward treatment and health as well as on their self-efficacy. In facilities in which the intervention was implemented, patients' attitudes were more active on follow-up than at baseline when compared with facilities without the intervention. Conclusions: Educational intervention among doctors can result in patients' ATH becoming more active. The form of intervention might diversify the impact.

Enhancing Doctors' Competencies in Communication With and Activation of Older Patients: The Promoting Active Aging (PRACTA) Computer-Based Intervention Study.

BACKGROUND: Demographic changes over the past decades call for the promotion of health and disease prevention for older patients, as well as strategies to enhance their independence, productivity, and quality of life. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to examine the effects of a computer-based educational intervention designed for general practitioners (GPs) to promote active aging. METHODS: The Promoting Active Aging (PRACTA) study consisted of a baseline questionnaire, implementation of an intervention, and a follow-up questionnaire that was administered 1 month after the intervention. A total of 151 primary care facilities (response rate 151/767, 19.7%) and 503 GPs (response rate 503/996, 50.5%) agreed to participate in the baseline assessment. At the follow-up, 393 GPs filled in the questionnaires (response rate, 393/503, 78.1%), but not all of them took part in the intervention. The final study group of 225 GPs participated in 3 study conditions: e-learning (knowledge plus skills modelling, n=42), a pdf article (knowledge only, n=89), and control (no intervention, n=94). We measured the outcome as scores on the Patients Expectations Scale, Communication Scale, Attitude Toward Treatment and Health Scale, and Self-Efficacy Scale. RESULTS: GPs participating in e-learning demonstrated a significant rise in their perception of older patients' expectations for disease explanation (Wald χ2=19.7, P<.001) and in perception of motivational aspect of older patients' attitude toward treatment and health (Wald χ2=8.9, P=.03) in comparison with both the control and pdf article groups. We observed additional between-group differences at the level of statistical trend. GPs participating in the pdf article intervention demonstrated a decline in self-assessed communication, both at the level of global scoring (Wald χ2=34.5, P<.001) and at the level of 20 of 26 specific behaviors (all P<.05). Factors moderating the effects of the intervention were the number of patients per GP and the facility's organizational structure. CONCLUSIONS: Both methods were suitable, but in different areas and under different conditions. The key benefit of the pdf article intervention was raising doctors' reflection on limitations in their communication skills, whereas e-learning was more effective in changing their perception of older patients' proactive attitude, especially among GPs working in privately owned facilities and having a greater number of assigned patients. Although we did not achieve all expected effects of the PRACTA intervention, both its forms seem promising in terms of enhancing the competencies of doctors in communication with and activation of older patients.

Quality of life and severity of skin changes in the dynamics of psoriasis.

INTRODUCTION: Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease with periods of recurrence and remission. The skin changes which are typical of this disease can have a considerable effect on the patient's psychological state, self-esteem and body image. It can also affect the patient's functioning in all areas of life and quality of life. AIM: The present study characterized the patient needs to improve the quality of life in specified areas in patients depending on the severity of psoriatic changes. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was conducted in two stages on 100 patients aged from 18 to 66. A dermatological examination was conducted in stage one. Patients' dermatological condition was assessed with the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI). Clinical and socio-economic information was collected in stage two using a questionnaire, a medical interview and a standardized questionnaire measuring quality of life, the WHOQOL-BREF. RESULTS: The following factors had the greatest effect on the general quality of life and quality of health ratings in the studied sample: severity of psoriatic changes, duration of the most recent recurrence and sex. Severity of psoriatic changes had a negative effect on the patient's somatic, psychological, environmental and social functioning. Duration of the most recent recurrence had a negative effect on social functioning. Practical implications of this study allow dermatologists to determine the appropriate therapeutic intervention which improves the quality of life of these patients on the one hand, and will increase patient's involvement in the process of treatment on the other hand. CONCLUSIONS: Quality of life is more impaired by more severe chronic skin disease.

Multicultural personality profiles and nursing student attitudes towards refugee healthcare workers: A national, multi-institutional cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Multicultural organizations in the era of globalization require intercultural leadership skills. Healthcare, as a sector serving diverse populations, necessitates culturally sensitive staff. Intercultural nurse education should start in undergraduate education. A tailored approach is needed, especially in the context of Poland's refugee crisis. OBJECTIVE: To investigate how a multicultural personality profile and specific intercultural perspectives affect the attitudes of nursing students towards Ukrainian refugee background healthcare professionals. DESIGN: A nationwide cross-sectional multicentre online survey study was conducted. The questionnaire was distributed with the aid of the Lime Survey web platform. METHODS: The study utilized a Polish version of the Multicultural Personality Questionnaire. The questionnaire also included demographics and questions assessing intercultural competence and attitudes towards refugee medical professionals. K-Means Cluster Analysis was used to classify different patterns of multicultural personality. P-value <0.05 was deemed to be statistically significant. PARTICIPANTS: The study sample consisted of 1325 undergraduate nursing students from 39 nursing schools in Poland: 54.0% in first year, 28.7% in second year, and 17.3% in third year. Most respondents were female (N = 1229, 90%). RESULTS: Using cluster analysis respondents were categorized into four groups based on their level of three analyzed multicultural personality traits: cultural empathy, social initiative, and open-mindedness (high, low, average or mixed level). Statistical analysis demonstrated that personality profiles significantly affected nursing students' attitudes towards refugee health professionals (p = 0.003). Additionally, students' willingness to engage in intercultural communication classes and their belief in the learnability of intercultural competence also impacted their attitudes (p < 0.001 for both). Further analysis revealed correlations between personality profiles, belief in competency acquisition, and willingness to enhance competencies. CONCLUSION: The design of intercultural competence education for undergraduate nursing students should be preceded by a mapping of the students' personality profile and a needs analysis in this regard, which may contribute to long-term effectiveness of such initiatives.

Improving Eating Habits at the Office: An Umbrella Review of Nutritional Interventions.

(1) Workplace nutrition interventions have garnered attention as a pivotal component of employee well-being and organisational productivity. However, the effectiveness of various intervention types remains inconclusive. This review aims to systematically evaluate the efficacy of cognitive, behavioural, and mixed nutrition interventions in the workplace, considering the nuances of intervention design, setting, and target demographics. (2) A comprehensive umbrella review was conducted, categorising the existing literature into person-oriented and environmental strategies. This review was prepared in line with the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for umbrella reviews and the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses reporting standard. (3) The analysis revealed a lack of definitive evidence supporting the universal effectiveness of any single intervention type. Nonetheless, behavioural and mixed interventions demonstrated more favourable outcomes as compared to purely cognitive strategies. Factors such as intervention design, workplace setting, and target group characteristics were identified as significant determinants of the intervention success. (4) The review emphasises the imperative for additional investigations that utilise evidence-based approaches to formulate sound guidelines for efficacious nutrition interventions in occupational settings. This review functions as a foundational framework for guiding both scholarly research and the pragmatic execution of nutrition programs in the workplace.

Food Front-of-Pack Labelling and the Nutri-Score Nutrition Label-Poland-Wide Cross-Sectional Expert Opinion Study.

Front-of-pack labelling (FOPL) systems, such as the Nutri-Score, play a crucial role in promoting healthy diets and raising consumer awareness. Our study aimed to gather the opinions of Polish experts on the Nutri-Score and its relation to an ideal information system. We conducted a Poland-wide expert opinion study using a cross-sectional design survey with 75 participants, who had an average of 18 ± 13 years of experience and were mainly employed at medical and agricultural universities. The data were collected with the CAWI method. The results showed that the most important features of an FOPL system were clarity, simplicity, consistency with healthy eating recommendations, and the ability to objectively compare products within the same group. While more than half of the respondents believed that the Nutri-Score provides an overall assessment of a product's nutritional value and facilitates quick purchasing decisions, it falls short in helping consumers compose a balanced diet and cannot be applied to all product groups. The experts also expressed concerns about the system's ability to account for a product's degree of processing, full nutritional value and carbon footprint. In conclusion, Poland's current labelling system needs expansion, but the Nutri-Score requires significant and detailed changes and validation against national guidelines and expert expectations before implementation.

Identification of Sociodemographic and Clinical Factors Influencing the Feeling of Stigmatization in People with Type 1 Diabetes.

BACKGROUND: A large percentage of people with type 1 diabetes experience stigma, which may directly affect diabetes management. Moreover, it may adversely influence the acceptance of the disease and, thus, the treatment process, including compliance with medical and dietary recommendations. Therefore, it is important to seek adequate forms of counteracting the phenomenon of stigmatization. Thus, the aim of the study was to determine the factors influencing the level of perceived stigma by T1D patients, with particular emphasis on sociodemographic factors (including sex, place of residence, and education) and clinical factors related to the course of the disease. METHODS: An observational cross-sectional online questionnaire was conducted in a group of 339 people with T1D. The link to the questionnaire was shared via social media. The DSAS-1 questionnaire translated into Polish was used as the research tool. RESULTS: A moderate level of stigmatization was found (49.78 ± 14.54 points). It was significantly lower in people living in small towns compared to rural residents (ß = -0.121, p = 0.038), lower in people in relationships compared to those who are single (ß = -0.175, p = 0.001), in people diagnosed with T1D at an older age (ß = -0.107, p = 0.048), and in those who rated their financial situation as very good vs. bad (ß = -0.314, p < 0.001). It was also found that the level of stigma significantly decreased with age (ß = -0.181, p = 0.001). In addition, a significantly higher stigma perception was uncovered in the group of people with HbA1C > 7% than in the group ≤ 7% (ß = 0.118, p = 0.030). CONCLUSIONS: Due to the occurrence of stigma among people with T1D, which can directly affect the management of diabetes, effective and comprehensive efforts should be made to provide support to people with diabetes. It is also necessary to raise awareness among the general public and disseminate knowledge about diabetes, which can reduce stigmatization as a result. Anti-stigma messages should be included in the prevention programs about the potential side effects and risks associated with mistreating people with T1D.

Challenges in Job Seeking and the Integration of Ukrainian War Refugee Healthcare Workers Into the Polish Healthcare System: Facebook Content Analysis.

Objectives: The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine resulted in a refugee crisis. The terms of employment of Ukrainian Refugee background Medical Professionals (UKR-MPs) in the Polish healthcare system were liberalised. The aim of the study was to identify challenges in job seeking and the integration of Ukrainian war refugee healthcare workers into the Polish healthcare system. Methods: A qualitative, descriptive study based on content thematic analysis of Facebook content. We analyzed 1,700 posts published on two public Facebook groups intended for UKR-MPs. Results: The most common problems encountered by UKR-MPs were: 1) lack of easy-to-understand information about the list of documents necessary to apply for a work permit, 2) lack of feedback from those responsible for handling individual cases, and 3) long waiting time for the decision issued by the Ministry of Health. Conclusion: Despite the promptly implemented solutions enabling access to the job market by UKR-MPs, the refugees have encountered considerable administrative difficulties, as well as those arising from insufficient knowledge of the regulations on working as medical professionals in Poland under the EU law.

Social media literacy among nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic - does year of study matter? A nationwide cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Research to date indicates that student competencies in various dimensions of social media use vary depending on, for example, the field of study or stage of education. The aim of the study was assessment of social media literacy in a group of undergraduate nursing students, based on the year of study. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Respondents: 679 nursing students from 11 Polish medical universities who began or continued their education during the COVID-19 pandemic. First-year students (N = 397, 58.73%) and women (N = 589, 87.13%) constituted the largest group. The Perceived Social Media Literacy Scale was used. Statistical analysis used the Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis-of-variance-by-ranks to analyse differences in PSML scores, and Dunn's test to analyse differences in PSML scores between individual years of study (α= 0.05). RESULTS: The level of social media literacy between students differed significantly (p < 0.001). Students rated their technical competency the highest (H = 29.722, p < 0.001), social relationships (H = 20.946, p < 0.001) and informational awareness (H = 21.054, p < 0.001) the lowest. The lowest scores in the self-assessment of social media literacy were noted among first-year students (M = 55.85, Max = 70.0; p < 0.001), and the highest among second-year students (M = 60.99, Max = 70.0; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Nursing students rated their competency lowest in the sphere related to verifying the content of messages appearing on social media, which may have a significant impact on their professional competencies. Differences in the level of social media literacy among students of different years of study should be taken into account when designing training in this field.