Determinants of self-rated health of a working population.

BACKGROUND: Self-rated health relates to the use of medical help and, as a consequence, determines sick leave in the population of employees. The aim of the study was to analyze the relationship between socioeconomic variables, selected forms of positive health behaviour and subjective evaluation of health in employees. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Five hundred and 99 subjects were included in the study - 331 females and 268 males, aged 18-67, working in the area of the Swietokrzyskie province. The authors' survey questionnaire on the selected elements of the state of health and positive health behavior in life style has been used in the study. Anthropometric measures were carried out. A Chi2 test for independence was used in'the statistical analysis. In order to evaluate the effect of the selected factors on the self-rated health of the studied subjects theresearchers have applied single- and multiple-factor logistic regression. RESULTS: In the multiple-factor logistic regression the features contributing to good or excellent self-rated health were the following: age up to 39 (odds ratio - OR = 4.17; 95% confidence interval - Cl: 1.72-10.10; p < 0.002), higher education (OR = 3.01; 95% CI: 1.04-8.70; p < 0.05) and care for health (OR= 4.77; 95% CI: 2.81-8.09; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Working people with higher education are characterized by a better control over their own health and, consequently, by a better perception of it. Monitoring self-rated health in a working population is an invaluable indicator in the evaluation of health in employees and the need for medical care.

Overweight and obesity as risk factors in hypertension--study of the working population.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is one of the major epidemiological problems in developed countries; it is also one of the main risk factors for hypertension. It is estimated that about 80% of hypertension cases in Poland are related to an increase in body mass. OBJECTIVE: The main aim of the study was to investigate overweight and obesity in terms of being risk factors for arterial hypertension. METHODS: The study population consisted of randomly selected working adults living in the Swietokrzyskie province in Poland The research tools included a questionnaire inquiring about data concerning healthy habits, as well as measuring blood pressure, body mass, height and waist circumference. RESULTS: The study group consisted of 599 people (55.3% females and 44.7% males) aged 18-67; 67.8% of the study subjects were white-collar workers and 36.2% were blue-collar workers; 44.9% of our respondents were overweight and 22.8% were obese. Hypertension occurred significantly more fequently (p < 0.01) among blue-collar (54.4%) than among white-collar workers (43.2%). Our analysis showed a statistically significant difference in the prevalence of hypertension among employees of various economic sectors (p < 0.01). Hypertension and body mass increase were more frequent among men (p < 0.001). Hypertension occurred in people with higher levels of Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist Circumference (WC) (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The data confirm the correlation between frequency of overweight and obesity and prevalence of arterial hypertension Active and proper prevention of obesity among the working population could lower the risk of arterial hypertension.

[Tobacco smoking and job characteristics--study of the working population from the Swietokrzyskie voivodeship]. / Palenie tytoniu a rodzaj wykonywanej pracy--badanie populacji osób pracujacych na terenie województwa swietokrzyskiego.

BACKGROUND: Tobacco smoking is the most important modifiable risk factor of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). According to WHO tobacco-related disorders every year kills 5,4 million people worldwide. In Poland tobacco smoking was the cause of approximately 69 000 deaths (57 000 among man and 12 000 among women). Tobacco smoking is also the important factor of economic consequences caused by work absences, low work productivity and tobacco-related disorders treatment. AIM: The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of tobacco smoking and its determinants in working population from the Swietokrzyskie voivodeship. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study population consisted of randomly selected working adults living in the Swietokrzyskie voivodeship. The research tools included a questionnaire inquiring about data concerning healthy habits. In the statistic analysis the Chi2 test was used and the relationship between variables was estimated at p < 0.05. RESULTS: The study group consisted of 599 people (55.3% females and 44.7% males) aged 18-67. The research found out that 25% of respondents (21.1% of women and 29.9% of men) smoked cigarettes. A statistically significant correlation between men and women was revealed in terms of intensity of smoking (p < 0.01). The ratio of smoking among individuals with the primary/secondary level of education and inhabitants of cities with fifty to one hundred thousand people was higher (p < 0.05; p < 0.01). The study results showed also that the smoking rate was higher among physical workers and working in shifts (p < 0.01). Age, economic status, trade and occupational position were not connected with the fact of smoking in the study group. CONCLUSIONS: The data presented in the review confirm the correlation between the frequency of tobacco smoking and education level, place of living and job characteristics. Frequency of tobacco smoking in working population from Swietokrzyskie voivodeship indicate that special prophylactic programs should be addressed to professionally active.

[Motivation for giving up smoking among patients addicted to nicotine]. / Motywacja do zaprzestania palenia wsród pacjentów uzaleznionych od nikotyny.

The study presents examinations of the level of addiction to nicotine as well as motivation for giving up smoking among the patients of Pulmonological Wards. The questionnaire was used with Fagerstrom and Schneider tests. High level of addiction to nicotine was observed in 15% patients--both men and women. Among those patients 73% shows high motivation for giving up smoking. The main reason for that is care about patients' own health (87%). Over 1/3 of subjects does not know where to seek help in case of problems related to giving up smoking.