Psychological Factors Influencing Attitudes towards Euthanasia, Assisted Suicide and Palliative Care among Medical Students and Doctors in Training.

Background: This study aimed to analyse the attitudes of medical students, Polish and classical philology students and trainee doctors towards the legalisation and practice of euthanasia and assisted suicide, to explore their beliefs about palliative care and to identify the cognitive, behavioural and emotional factors influencing these attitudes. Methods: An anonymous 22-question survey was sent by email to 670 participants, who comprised students of medicine, students of Polish and classical philology and trainee physicians. Results: Out of the 670 people invited to the survey, 313 (46.72%) responded; 215 (68.69%) and 112 (35.80%) participants supported the legalisation of euthanasia and assisted suicide, respectively. No differences were found between the respondent groups studied. The respondents' attitudes were influenced by religion, place of residence and professed values in the doctor-patient relationship. Among the medical students and trainee doctors surveyed, the declared willingness to perform euthanasia was lower, with 90 (43.7%) people, than the support for its legalisation, with 135 (65.5%) people. Significantly higher support for palliative care was expressed by fifth- and sixth-year medical students and trainee doctors, with 88 respondents (89.89%), less support was expressed by first- and fourth-year medical students, with 74 respondents (68.5%), and the lowest support was observed among Polish and classical philology students, with 63 respondents (58.9%). Conclusions: The legalisation of euthanasia and assisted suicide was supported by more than two-thirds and one-third of all the respondents, respectively, with the majority of medical students and trainee doctors surveyed expressing uncertainty or lack of readiness towards their practice. More than 70% of all the respondents showed a positive opinion towards palliative care, with the lowest support being among Polish and classical philology students.

Time of day and chronotype in the assessment of cognitive functions.

Purpose: Circadian rhythms are synchronized, through the endogenous biological clock, with the 24-hour cycle, and associated with numerous changes in human functioning, both in physical and mental aspects. It is assumed that daily fluctuations in cognitive performance are a consequence of interacting homeostatic and circadian processes regulating an individual's sleep-wake rhythms. A chronotype may be understood as a phenotype of circadian cycles determined by an endogenous biological clock. Despite research findings showing a significant relationship between those factors and cognition, they remain insufficiently considered in the domain of cognitive psychology and neuropsychology. Views: This narrative review aims to describe and highlight the interactions between the time of day, chronotype, and cognitive performance in domains of mental activity variables, receptive functions, memory and learning, expressive functions, and thinking. Conclusions: The results of the research show that time-of-day effects on basic and more complex cognitive functions depend on an individual's chronotype with a dominant effect of synchrony between chronotype and time of cognitive testing, with large differences in circadian cycles between younger and older age groups. It is suggested that chronotype assessment and time of day control should be included as important variables in the diagnosis of cognitive function in both healthy and clinical populations. There is also an emerging need for further investigations to better understand how chronotype and circadian rhythms modulate human brain physiology and cognition.

Validation of the Polish Problematic Tinder Use Scale and Its Relationship with Safe Sex Behaviors.

INTRODUCTION: Online dating is a common phenomenon. The manageability and access of the application allows people to quickly reach many potential partners, which can increase risky sexual behaviors. The Problematic Tinder Use Scale (PTUS) was developed and validated in a Polish population by analyzing the reliability, validity, and factor structure of the responses given by Polish-speaking participants. METHODS: Two samples of adult Tinder users were recruited online. The first study aimed to perform the reliability coefficient Cronbach's, interrater analysis, exploratory, and confirmatory factor analysis. The second sample was recruited to investigate the factor structure by combining it with the Safe Sex Behavior Questionnaire (SSBQ). The sociodemographic data, such as hours of use and number of dates, were also investigated. RESULTS: The Polish participants' responses to the PTUS (sample 1: N = 271, sample 2: N = 162) revealed the one-factor structure of the tool. The reliability of the measurement was α = 0.80. The construct validity was confirmed. The results showed a significant, negative, and weak correlation between the PTUS and SSBQ scores and their subscales: risky sexual behaviors (r = -0.18), condom use (r = -0.22), and avoidance of body fluids (r = -0.17). Moreover, the number of partners met in the real world had a statistically significant, moderate relationship with the PTUS scores. CONCLUSIONS: The PTUS measurement is valid and reliable for the Polish population. The findings highlight the need for harm prevention strategies related to potentially addictive Tinder use, as well as the possible risky sexual behaviors associated with dating app use.

Sexual Function and the Role of Sexual Communication in Women Diagnosed with Cervical Cancer: A Systematic Review.

The objective of this systematic review was to summarize the changes in sexual function in cervical cancer survivors. The additional objective was to exhibit the role of sexual communication in adapting to these changes. A systematic search was performed across four electronic databases. Eighteen studies met the inclusion criteria. The most common sexual dysfunction was pain during sexual intercourse, vaginal dryness, decreased level of satisfaction and sexual interest. Some changes in vaginal anatomy and effects on psychosocial functioning were described. We confirmed that sexual communication with healthcare professionals and partners may be essential to help improve sexuality in CC survivors.