Occupational diseases arising in the area of the Ministry of Defence in the Czech Republic and their relationship to work categorization.

OBJECTIVE: The article deals with occupational health protection and identification of health risks in the work environment of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of the Czech Republic (CR). It focuses on the assessment of the incidence of occupational diseases (OD) in high-risk and risk-free occupational categories in the years 2010-2019 and compares them with data from the civilian sector. It identifies the differences between military staff and civilian employees of the MoD. METHODS: From the records of OD at the Department of Occupational Diseases of the Central Military Hospital in Prague, the data on acknowledged OD from the years 2010 to 2019 were obtained and then a retrospective analysis focusing on the classification of work at risk was performed. The obtained data were compared with the data from the Czech National Registry of Occupational Diseases (NROD), which are published annually by the National Institute of Public Health. RESULTS: In the years under review, 191 OD were confirmed at the area of MoD, 26% of all OD occurred in employees classified in the occupational risk category. Compared with the data in the NROD, where 50% of OD were found to have been caused by high-risk work, the incidence of OD caused by high-risk work in professional soldiers is lower. Only 1.6% of all OD occurred in professional soldiers whose work was classified as high-risk one. In civilian employees of MoD 24.6% of all OD were connected with high-risk work. On the contrary, the proportion of OD occurring in professional soldiers working in risk-free categories was 57.6%, in civilian employees of MoD was the ratio much lower - 16.2%. CONCLUSION: Work at the Ministry of Defence was not adequately categorized, therefore, in 2020 a new categorization of work was introduced, which together with preventive measures could contribute to reducing the incidence of OD at the Ministry of Defence.

Vaccination against COVID-19 as prevention of occupational disease in University of Defence members in the Czech Republic - motivation for vaccination and reasons for hesitancy.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the determinants of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in University of Defence members. BACKGROUND: Vaccination is the most important method of prevention against COVID-19 and achieving sufficient vaccination rate is thus essential to maintain the military capability. METHODOLOGY: An online questionnaire was distributed electronically to 2,408 respondents in autumn 2021. The survey was designed to collect demographic predictors of vaccination, data on motivation and reasons for refusing vaccination. RESULTS: A total of 626 completed questionnaires were analyzed, of which 557 (89 %) were vaccinated and 69 (11 %) were unvaccinated respondents. The most significant predictors of vaccine acceptance were: concern about COVID-19 (OR 2.44, p < 0.001), history of COVID-19 (OR 0.39, p = 0.001). The most frequently cited motives for vaccination were health protection (74.7 %) and an easier social life (69.1 %), while concerns about vaccine safety and vaccine adverse effects (79.1 %) followed by lack of confidence in vaccine efficacy (68.7 %) were the main reasons for vaccine refusal. CONCLUSION: To increase the vaccination rate it is necessary to target the younger population and increase awareness of vaccine safety and efficacy. If these measures are not sufficient to encourage voluntary vaccine acceptance, consideration should be given to making vaccination mandatory for selected professional groups (Tab. 5, Fig. 1, Ref. 25).

Comparison of selected risk factors in cardiovascular diseases in two different populations of the Czech Republic.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this work is to compare the current prevalence of selected risk factors in cardiovascular diseases in the Czech general population in a particular region with a selected population of Czech soldiers in a particular military unit. METHODS: Within medical preventive examinations, data from 684 civilians aged between 30-60 years were obtained (405 men and 279 women). Within compulsory medical preventive examinations, data from 659 soldiers from a particular military unit aged between 30-60 years were obtained (576 men and 83 women). Anthropometric parameters such as height and body weight were monitored and then used to calculate the values of Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist circumference. From biochemical parameters the following values were monitored: glycaemia, uric acid, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, ALT, and GGT. As for the demographic data, age and gender were processed. In the cohort of male soldiers a questionnaire was used to find the extent of cigarette smoking, frequency of using alcoholic drinks and performance of regular physical activities such as aerobic exercises. RESULTS: As for cardiovascular risk, assessed anthropometric parameters in monitored female age categories are statistically significantly lower (p < 0.05) in women in the Army of the Czech Republic (ACR) compared to the female civilian population. Most of the biochemical parameters also display values that indicate the female military population is healthier than the civilian in these parameters. On the other hand, assessed anthropometric parameters in monitored male age categories are statistically significantly lower (p < 0.001) in civilian men compared to the male military population. Most of the assessed biochemical parameters show statistically significant health-indicative values in the male civilian population as well. CONCLUSION: This work revealed differences in anthropometric and biochemical parameters between the examined civilian and military populations. As for cardiovascular risk, the main findings are significantly worse anthropometric and biochemical parameters in the selected male military cohort compared to the male civilian cohort.

Recommended fluid intake and evidence-based medicine.

Abundant drinking of fluids at any occasion became popular in wealthy society in last decades. It is referred to asserted beneficial health effects, but rationale of these recommendations is disputed in expert environment as hardly traceable and tenable. Authors of the article analyse theoretical issues as well as empiric literary evidence for the current popular recommendation. They find them unfounded and difficult to be defended and the risks of transitive hypo-hydration overestimated. Moreover, they alert true risks of water poisoning we meet not quite rarely in common practice.

Prevalence of risk factors in cardiovascular diseases in selected population of the Czech Republic.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study is to describe current prevalence of selected risk factors in the Czech general population in a particular region and to compare the data with recently published results in the selected population of Czech soldiers. The work also deals with the advantages and disadvantages of methods determining overweight and obesity. METHODS: Within medical preventive examinations the data of 1,051 individuals (482 men, 569 women) were obtained. In this group anthropometric parameters such as height, body weight, Body Mass Index (BMI), and waist circumference were monitored. From biochemical parameters the following values were monitored: glycaemia, uric acid, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides. Demographic data such as age, gender and achieved education were processed. RESULTS: Average BMI values in men were in the overweight range. Monitored average BMI values in women were up to standards. Monitored anthropometric parameters significantly increased with the age of examined individuals. The highest values of BMI and waist circumference were found in the over-50 age group. Selected biochemical parameters also increased with the age of examined individuals. Education did not have significant influence on the values of selected parameters. A statistically significant positive correlation was found between the values of BMI and waist circumference. The correlation coefficient in men was r = 0.804, p < 0.001, and in women r = 0.858, p < 0.001. CONCLUSION: The work confirmed differences in anthropometric parameters between the civilian and military Czech male population due to a higher muscle mass percentage in the military population. The work also confirmed the significance of further anthropometric methods in diagnostics of overweight and obesity. The number of individuals with anthropometric and biochemical parameters out of the physiological range is increasing in the over-50 age category.

The revival of Amaranth as a third-millennium food.

The article deals with the importance and advantages of the amaranth plant - a genus of herbs of the family Amarantaceae. Amaranth, highly nutritional pseudocereal and traditional american crop has good food potential value. Amaranth grain doesn't contain gluten. The high content of quality protein and unsaturated fatty acids is one of its advantages. It is also a carrier of a very valuable fibre and good source of squalene.

Eleventh International Congress on Obesity: news and prospects.

This article describes the 11th International Congress on Obesity which took place in Stockholm in July 2010. The delegates discussed recommended diagnostics and treatments in obesitology. A large number of presentations focused on nutrition and dietary management. The 11th International Congress on Obesity had a high professional standard. Active participants as well as almost 50 producers who exhibited drugs and medical equipment from the areas of nutrition, obesity, metabolism, and metabolic surgery contributed to this.

Vitamin levels in a selected population in the Czech Republic.

OBJECTIVES: The work objective was to monitor nutritional habits in the observed group of professional soldiers with the focus on eating food with the content of antioxidant carriers. Then to show present state of health and nutrition in the group on the basis of anthropometric measurements and biochemical examinations and finally to observe the level of antioxidant vitamins in the observed group of professional soldiers. METHODS: The group included 171 healthy individuals, 152 men and 19 women. Their average age was 34.2±7.9 years. The venous blood was taken for biochemical examinations in all individuals on a fast. Anthropometric measurements (weight, height, caliperation, waist circumferences), blood pressure and pulse were taken continually in all individuals. Simple questionnaires were administered to all participants for the complete evaluation of present health and for the registration of eating habits of the observed persons. RESULTS: The study results show that retinol and a-tocoferol levels in the observed group were within a normal range. The average concentration of vitamin C in this group was 54 mmol/l and reached nearly the values given in other European countries. But concentrations of ß-caroten and lycopen in serum were up to 50% lower in comparison with concentrations in population in the countries of West Europe. Higher vitamin C and ß caroten serum levels were found in individuals who respond in a questionnaire they eat fruit and vegetables or supplements of vitamin preparations every day. Statistically lower levels of vitamin C, ß karoten and lycopen in the group of obese people (compared with the group of normal weight people) show decreased level of antioxidant protection of the organism and the risk of cardiovascular diseases. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that it is necessary to ensure optimal food not only with an energetic diet value but also with a proper input of antioxidant carriers in the form of fresh vegetables and fruit every day.

Evaluation of the ET-AAS and HG-AAS methods of selenium determination in vegetables.

ET-AAS and HG-AAS methods of selenium determination were compared and evaluated. The ET-AAS method has been followed with deuterium background correction and Zeeman background correction respectively. The following validation parameters were determined: accuracy (under repeatability conditions), trueness, calibration curve and linearity, limit of detection, limit of determination and combined standard uncertainty of the method. The HG-AAS method and the ET-AAS method with Zeeman correction were more suitable for the determination of low selenium concentrations in vegetables. The results were calculated by the standard addition method because of the strong matrix effect.

Quality of life in adult patients treated with peripheral blood progenitor cell transplantation: the effect of selected psychosocial, demographics and health aspects on quality of life: a retrospective analysis.

AIM: this retrospective study analyses the effect of selected psychosocial, demographics and health aspects on quality of life (QoL) in adult patients treated with peripheral blood progenitor cell transplantation (PBPCT). PATIENTS AND METHODS: The total number of respondents treated with PBPCT between the years 2001-2003 was 95. The return rate of QoL questionnaires was 72.1 % (71 respondents). There were 100 % ratable QoL questionnaire. The average age of all respondents was 55.5 years old. The Czech version of an international generic European Quality of Life Questionnaire - Version EQ-5D was used. The effect of selected aspects on QoL of patients was determined by analysis of variance. The QoL questionnaires were evaluated with descriptive analysis. RESULTS: The above-mentioned aspects proved statistically significant dependence of QoL (EQ-5D score - QoL dimensions, EQ-5D VAS - subjective health condition) on age, increasing number of associated diseases, religion and type of disease. The effect of other aspects on QoL was not proven statistically significant. The QoL in adult patients treated with PBPCT declines with increasing age and with the increasing number of associated diseases. People of faith have a higher level of QoL than non-believers. Patients with multiple myeloma treated with PBPCT have the most low QoL. CONCLUSION: The global QoL in an adult patients treated with PBPCT is on a good level.

Prevalence of overweight and obesity in professional soldiers of the Czech Army over an 11-year period.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Obesity is currently considered to be the most frequent metabolic disease worldwide, not only in developed but also in developing countries. The aim of this work was to describe the development of health status in soldiers of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic (ACR) and to emphasizethe markers of non-communicable diseases. Our study describes the anthropometric and biochemical parameters of a large group of Czech Army professional soldiers. Data were obtained over a period of 11 years. METHODS: During the monitored period, from 1999 to 2009, military physicians carried out on the average 6,360 examinations on professional soldiers per year and monitored their health and nutritional status with the aim of preventing the risk factors of non-communicable diseases. These examinations are compulsory for all professional soldiers at the age of 25, 30, 33, and 36 years. From the age of 39, these examinations are carried out every year till the end of their career. Besides taking personal histories and carrying out standard physical examinations, blood was taken for biochemical examination. The following anthropometric parameters were monitored: body constitution using body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference. Our study describes only part of the data concerning anthropometric and biochemical parameters of professional soldiers which were obtained over a period of 11 years. RESULTS: Average BMI values in men were in the overweight range (26.5-27 kg/m2). Average values of waist circumference, however, ranged from 91.9 cm to 93.4 cm. Between the first and the last year of monitoring a statistically significant decrease in these values ranging from 93.4 ± 9.8 cm to 92.7 ± 9.5 cm (p < 0.001) was observed. All monitored anthropometric parameters in female professional soldiers were within normal limits. During the monitored period the proportion of overweight men gradually increased from 52% to 57.1% (p < 0.001). There were no statistically significant changes in the prevalence of obesity in men (12-15%). Average glycaemia levels were within normal range in both men and women. A statistically significant decrease in these levels, however, was observed in men (from 5.1 ± 0.9 mmol/L to 4.8 ± 0.7 mmol/L (p < 0.001) and in women (from 4.9 ± 0.6 mmol/L to 4.6 ± 0.6 mmol/L (p < 0.001). Concerning the lipid profile in men, a significant decrease in average values of total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL cholesterol was observed; from 5.5 ± 1.1 mmol/L to 5.1 ± 1.0 mmol/L (p < 0.001), from 2.0 ± 1.6 mmol/L to 1.6 ± 1.2 mmol/L (p < 0.001) and from 3.4 ± 1.1 mmol/L to 3.2 ± 0.9 mmol/L (p < 0.001), respectively. CONCLUSION: During the monitored period only one-third of military professionals had normal body weight. More favorable situation was in female professional soldiers, two-thirds of them had normal body weight during the monitored period. Additionally, the increase in the number of individuals with BMI values in the overweight range was observed. Although the number of overweight soldiers was overestimated as a result of the inclusion of individuals with increased body weight due to well-developed musculature, the number of overweight and obese soldiers is still high.