Knowledge and beliefs of Greek parents towards HPV infection and vaccination - are they willing to vaccinate their sons?

OBJECTIVES: Human papillomavirus (HPV) stands as one of the prevalent sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and serves as the primary factor behind nearly all instances of cervical cancer, along with various other non-cancerous conditions like genital warts. Our objective was to explore the knowledge and beliefs of Greek parents regarding HPV infection and the vaccination of boys against HPV. METHODS: A cross-sectional study took place at a university hospital located in the Peloponnese region of Greece, from January to June 2021. The study employed convenience sampling as its methodology, and data gathering involved the distribution of self-administered questionnaires to parents who had at least one son between the ages of 9 and 18 years. RESULTS: The final sample consisted of 120 individuals. 65.8 % of parents have been informed about HPV vaccination, knew that the HPV vaccine provides immunity against genital warts (50 %), and that minimum of two doses is necessary (46.7 %). 30.8 % intended to vaccinate their boys against HPV if the vaccine were available for males. The most important reasons for vaccination were the perception that both genders share equal responsibility in the prevention of sexually transmitted infections (91.7 %) and the protection against cancer (87.6 %), whereas the fear of adverse reactions and the adequate knowledge about HPV-related diseases were most reported as reasons of the intentions to not vaccinate their sons with 31.7 % and 25.8 % respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Although parents participating in the study know about HPV, however, there are significant lack of knowledge regarding HPV infection and the vaccine effects, which can significantly affect the acceptance of vaccination for boys.

Assessment of the Relationship between Fear of Cancer Recurrence, Spiritual Well-Being, and Mental Health among Cancer Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between fear of cancer recurrence, spiritual well-being, and mental health among cancer patients. The study involved 217 patients undergoing chemotherapy. Data were collected with the following instruments: a demographic and clinical information recording form, the fear of cancer recurrence inventory, the Athens insomnia scale, the FACIT-Sp-12 scale for the assessment of spirituality, and the HADS scale for the assessment of mental health. For statistical analysis, SPSS statistical software was used, with the significance threshold set at 0.05;andtl number, t-test, one-way ANOVA, and multiple regression tests were used. The sample consisted of 217 cancer patients with a mean age of 63.7 years (SD = 11.6 years), 39.2% male and 60.8% female. The minimum value on the scale of fear of cancer recurrence was 0 and the maximum was 33 points, with a mean value of 14.1 points (SD = 8.2 points). The hospital scale of anxiety and depression was correlated, both in the dimension of anxiety and in the dimension of depression, significantly and positively with the scale of fear of cancer recurrence. Thus, greater fear of recurrence was associated with greater anxiety and depression. On the contrary, the correlations of anxiety and depression with the dimensions and the overall chronic disease treatment rating scale were significant and negative. So, greater spiritual well-being, in each domain and overall, were associated with less anxiety and depression. Finally, less fear of cancer recurrence was associated with finding greater meaning in life, greater peace, and overall greater spiritual well-being. In summary, fear of cancer recurrence is a predictor of psychological distress in cancer patients. However, spirituality can prevent the development of mental illness and FCR.

SURGICAL INTERVENTION IN PATIENTS WITH IDIOPATHIC INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE AND PERIANAL DISEASE.

OBJECTIVE: Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate the incidence of IBD in gastrointestinal surgery patients and record the disease's characteristics and treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and Methods: A search was carried out in the archives of the gastroenterology clinics of the University General Hospital of Ioannina and the General Hospital of Ioannina "G. Hatzikosta" in Greece. All cases of operated patients from 1980 to 2018 were examined. The duration of the study was 4 months. Data were analyzed with the SPSS program, v.28. RESULTS: Results: The total sample consisted of 1464 patients (n=1464). Most of them (915-62.5%) came from the University General Hospital of Ioannina, while the rest (549-37.5%) came from the GHI hospital "G. Hatzikosta". The mean age of the patients was 47 years (M=47.26, SD=17.34, Min=<1 month, Max=95 years). From the total sample, 58 patients (4%) suffered from IBD; most were men (42-72.41%). Their mean age was approximately 50 years (M=49.63, SD=16.48, Min=25 years, Max=77 years, range=52 years) and most belonged to the age groups of 31-40 years (11 patients- 19.6%) and 21-30 years and 61-70 years (10 patients-17.9%). The perianal disease was present in 43.1% (25 patients). The most frequent type of operation was fistula resection, ligation, curettage-biopsy (24.1%) and opening-drainage (22.4%-13 patients) and the most frequent type of anesthesia was general anesthesia (93.1%-54 patients). CONCLUSION: Conclusions: This long-term study of the patients' data followed up over time showed that the possibility of surgery in patients with IBD is mitigated through systematic monitoring and multifaceted therapeutic treatment.The perianal disease which appeared more often in men shows that it can be diagnosed early and at an early stage and with the new minimally invasive techniques the patient with IBD can be treated with a better quality of life.

Assessing a Pharmacist-Enabled Intervention to Improve Adherence to Medication for Hypertension, Dyslipidemia, and Chronic Venous Circulation Disorders in Greece.

Background: Adherence to medication in chronic conditions may be influenced by interventions from pharmacists. This study aimed to assess the impact of guidance and reminders from pharmacists on adherence to medication for hypertension, dyslipidemia, and chronic venous circulation disorders (CVCD) in Greece. Methods: The prospective CONCORD study aimed to record and report on change in self-reported adherence to medication following pharmacist reminders amongst a cohort of adult patients, diagnosed with at least one or a combination of these health conditions. All study participants were regular patients of a network of pharmacies in Attica and southern Greece. Pharmacists were trained to provide adherence reminders over 4 months. Impact on self-reported adherence of the intervention was reported at baseline and again in month 4. Results: Of the 1146 participants, 48% were men and 60% were aged 55-74 years. Among them, 23.7% were diagnosed with hypertension, 16.5% with dyslipidemia, 3% with CVCD, 42.5% with hypertension and dyslipidemia, 3.1% with hypertension and CVCD, 2.6% with dyslipidemia and CVCD, and 8.6% with dyslipidemia, hypertension, and CVCD. In month 4 vs month 0, patients were less likely to forget to take their prescribed medications (p<0.001), to be careless about their medications during the last 30 days (p<0.001), and to temporarily discontinue their medications without prior doctor's advice (p<0.001). Patients with CVCD were more prone to lower self-reported adherence compared to patients who were not diagnosed with CVCD or a combination of conditions that included CVCD. Discussion: Reminders and advice from pharmacists resulted in higher adherence to medication amongst participants in month 4 versus month 0. Conclusion: Pharmacist-enabled interventions, including reminders and advice, following targeted training, may positively impact on patient medication adherence in chronic health conditions.

FEAR AND STIGMATIZATION IN THE GENERAL POPULATION DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

OBJECTIVE: Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate the feeling of fear and stigmatization in the general population, during the pandemic. . PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and Methods: The study sample consisted of 1076 people attending a vaccination center in the Region of Argos, a prefecture of Peloponnese Region. The study was conducted from May 2021 to August 2021. In this study we used the Fear Investigation Scale(FCV-19S) and the COVID-19 Stigma scale. RESULTS: Results: A total of 1076 participants took part in the study. Vaccinated participants for Sars Cov-2 had higher levels of fear (U=117,569.00, p<0.001) and individuals with unspecified employment status had a higher level of fear compared to civil servants, pensioners, unemployed, private employees and freelancers (H = 17.225, p=0.004). Higher levels of fear were also seen by those who reported that they were uncertain that the COVID-19 pandemic was likely to be treated soon compared to those who believed it would be treated soon and those who did not believed this (H = 31.299, p<0.001). Vaccinated citizens showed a higher stigmatization rate of health professionals. Professional uncertainty and unemployment shows that they are a factor for increased fear. Strong social and family ties also indicate the reduced presence of stigmatization. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: An important imprint of the pandemic was the stigmatization of population's groups, such as health professionals, foreigners, as well as the infected by COVID-19. It is evident in society, that it was the fear of contracting the disease that contributed to stigmatization and isolation.

CLINICAL AND BEHAVIORAL PRACTICES OF PRIMARY HEALTHCARE PHYSICIANS IN ANTIBIOTICS PRESCRIBING IN GREECE.

OBJECTIVE: Aim: To evaluate primary health physicians' clinical and behavioral practices towards antibiotics administration in a specific region in Greece. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: A cross sectional study was conducted using a questionnaire in all structures of primary health care (PHC) of the Peloponnese Region. The study was conducted in May-October 2020. RESULTS: Results: In total, 306 out of 404 primary healthcare physicians completed the questionnaire (response rate of 75.8%). Our results showed that most of physicians used to prescribing antibiotics empirically in common diseases, except for the prevention of secondary respiratory tract infection. Overall, 66.3% answered that they do not feel diagnostic uncertainty that would lead them to prescribe antibiotics. Approximately 40% of the physicians stated an increase on antibiotics use and patients demand for antibiotic prescribing, however 71.4% "rarely/never" affected by this requirement. 51.9% of the sample used to prescribed brand name antibiotics. Statistically significant differences were found between demographic and professional characteristics, and physicians' clinical and behavioral practices (p≤ 0.05). CONCLUSION: Conclusions: Our findings could provide decision makers with information on how to manage antibiotic prescribing in primary health care in the country, focusing mainly on the use of specific diagnostic tests as well as relevant guidelines and protocols for changing prescription behavior.

The Validation of the COmprehensive Score for Financial Toxicity (COST) Scale in Greek Language.

The aim of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the Greek version of FACIT-COST, as well as to assess the levels of financial distress of patients suffering from lung cancer in relation to their quality of life and lung cancer symptom burden. This was a cross-sectional quantitative study. A self-assessment instrument was used to gather the data. The study involved 120 lung cancer patients who were treated using chemotherapy in a day clinic of a General Hospital in Athens. Data were collected with the COST-FACIT-v2 (used to assess the patients' financial toxicity), The 12-item Health Survey (SF-12), and functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lung Symptom Index Questionnaire-7 items-version 4 (FACIT-FACT-LCS). Descriptive statistics as well as exploratory factor analysis performed all the statistical analyses, which were conducted using IBM SPSS Statistics 25 and had p-values with a significance level of 0.05. The majority of the participants were male (68.3%), married or cohabitated (81.3%), and had been diagnosed with microcell cancer (90%). The factor analysis resulted in one factor that interpreted 35% of the total variance. FACT-L (r = 0.365, p < 0.001), physical component SF-12 (r = 0.184, p = 0.045), and mental health component SF-12 (r = 0.268, p = 0.003) were positively correlated to FACIT-OST, as expected. The Greek validated COST-FACIT-v2 is a reliable tool in providing rapid assessment of cancer patients' level of financial distress.

MENTAL HEALTH, QUALITY OF LIFE, SPIRITUAL DRYNESS AND ACEDIA SYMPTOMS IN PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM CHRONIC DISEASES.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study is to examine mental health, quality of life, acedia and spiritual dryness in patients suffering from chronic diseases. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and method: Data were collected by special design instrument for the needs of the present study. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were applied and the analysis was carried out with IBM SPSS 26 and JASP 0.14.01. RESULTS: Results: From the total of 210 participants, 106 (50.4%) were male, the mean age was 62.9 years, and the majority of them were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. 50 (23.8%) of the participants suffer from anxiety and 39 (18.6%) from depression. In addition, 17.1% experience phases of spiritual dryness frequently or regularly. Physical quality of life component, was associated with the following variables: live from faith, psychological wellbeing, type of disease and age. This model can predict 31.1% of the variance. In terms of psychological wellbeing, the variables living arrangement, awe/gratitude, anxiety, and spiritual dryness can interpret 41.5% of the variance. When it comes to depression, we found that wellbeing, awe/gratitude are predictors of depressive symptoms, explaining at least 14.1% of the variance. Finally, anxiety can be predicted by wellbeing, awe/gratitude, and the type of the disease, interpreting 17.2% of the variance. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: Patients suffering from chronic diseases are experiencing spiritual dryness and acedia symptoms, and those aspects can be associated with various domains of health and wellbeing.

A comprehensive health effects assessment of the use of sanitizers and disinfectants during COVID-19 pandemic: a global survey.

COVID-19 has affected all aspects of human life so far. From the outset of the pandemic, preventing the spread of COVID-19 through the observance of health protocols, especially the use of sanitizers and disinfectants was given more attention. Despite the effectiveness of disinfection chemicals in controlling and preventing COVID-19, there are critical concerns about their adverse effects on human health. This study aims to assess the health effects of sanitizers and disinfectants on a global scale. A total of 91,056 participants from 154 countries participated in this cross-sectional study. Information on the use of sanitizers and disinfectants and health was collected using an electronic questionnaire, which was translated into 26 languages via web-based platforms. The findings of this study suggest that detergents, alcohol-based substances, and chlorinated compounds emerged as the most prevalent chemical agents compared to other sanitizers and disinfectants examined. Most frequently reported health issues include skin effects and respiratory effects. The Chi-square test showed a significant association between chlorinated compounds (sodium hypochlorite and per-chlorine) with all possible health effects under investigation (p-value <0.001). Examination of risk factors based on multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that alcohols and alcohols-based materials were associated with skin effects (OR, 1.98; 95%CI, 1.87-2.09), per-chlorine was associated with eye effects (OR, 1.83; 95%CI, 1.74-1.93), and highly likely with itching and throat irritation (OR, 2.00; 95%CI, 1.90-2.11). Furthermore, formaldehyde was associated with a higher prevalence of neurological effects (OR, 2.17; 95%CI, 1.92-2.44). Furthermore, formaldehyde was associated with a higher prevalence of neurological effects (OR, 2.17; 95%CI, 1.92-2.44). The use of sodium hypochlorite and per-chlorine also had a high chance of having respiratory effects. The findings of the current study suggest that health authorities need to implement more awareness programs about the side effects of using sanitizers and disinfectants during viral epidemics especially when they are used or overused.

Frequency and Impacts of Verbal Abuse on Healthcare Workers in a Secondary Healthcare Structure in Greece.

BACKGROUND: Threatening and aggressive behaviors in healthcare settings constitute a significant problem that can affect not only the physical and mental integrity of staff but also patient safety and the quality of healthcare. Literature highlights verbal abuse as the most common form of non-physical violence and is estimated from 51.8% to 63.4% worldwide. PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was the investigation of verbal abuse incidence toward physicians and nurses and the differences noted between them in a regional hospital. METHODS: The study took place in a public regional hospital in southern Greece. A number of 185 nurses and 60 physicians completed the verbal abuse scale (VAS) for assessing verbal violence in the work environment; selected socio-demographic and occupational characteristics were also recorded. RESULTS: Physicians have undergone verbal abuse once a week at a percentage of 38.3%, while at the same frequency; nurses record a percentage of 12.4%. Regarding the relationship between the victim of verbal abuse and the abuser, 26.7% of the physicians answered that the abuser was another senior member of the staff, while the percentage for nurses is higher and reaches 31.9%. According to VAS items, accusing and blaming (mean±SD=3.00±0.96) is noted as the most common form of verbal abuse for physicians, judging and criticizing stands out as the most frequent (3.17±1.11) and the most stressful action (3.25±1.11) form for nurses. The most frequent behavior by the physicians is to put the verbal abuse situation in a humorous context (2.78±1.14). In contrast, nurses are trying to clarify any misunderstanding that may occur (3.10±1.00). CONCLUSIONS: Verbal abuse incidents are experienced by both physicians and nurses. They are stressful for the victims and can significantly affect work relationships and job satisfaction.

IS THERE AN ASSOCIATION BETWEEN HEALTH LITERACY AND ADHERENCE TO THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET? A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY IN GREECE.

OBJECTIVE: The aim: To evaluate the relationship between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and health literacy and to find possible differences based on the demographic characteristics of the participants. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out with a convenience sample from the Greek general population (n=203). The questionnaires were distributed through the Google Forms platform, while some of them were given on hand. The questionnaire used included demographic information, questions about the participants' health status and nutrition habits and the Health Literacy Scale (HLS - EU-Q16) and the MedDietScore. The survey was conducted June - July 2022. The program SPSS v. 26.0 was used for the analysis of data. RESULTS: Results: The mean score in HLS-EU-Q16 was 12.08 (SD=4.17) (15.8%=inadequate level, 30% =problematic level, 54.2%=sufficient level). The mean score in Med DietScore was 31.54 (SD=4.84) and the majority (72.4%) had medium adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Concerning the HLS-EU-Q16, women and those who had not children, were not patients and used the Internet for finding health information had higher score. In contrast, widows/ers and those with elementary education had lower score. With regard to the Med DietScore, those who were patients and had normal weight had higher score than the rest categories. A negative correlation was found between age-HLS-EU-Q16 (r=-.605, p<.01) and between BMI-Med DietScore (r=-.142, p<.05). CONCLUSION: Conclusions: Most of the participants had sufficient level of health literacy and medium adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Furthermore, there was not a significant correlation between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and health literacy. Several demographic and medical characteristics impact the health literature level and the adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Future research is suggested to further evaluate the results of this study.

Assessment of quality of life and psycho-emotional burden in pregnant women in Greece.

INTRODUCTION: Many changes occur in a woman's body during pregnancy. These changes (biological, chemical, hormonal, anatomical) can make a pregnant woman both physically and mentally vulnerable. Thus, the aim of this study is to evaluate the quality of life (QoL) in association with depression symptoms in pregnancy. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 123 pregnant women who visited one of the largest obstetrics and gynecology centers in Greece. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was used to measure depression symptoms and World Health Organization Quality of Life instrument to evaluate quality of life. The collected data were organized with the SPSS software, version 25. RESULTS: The results showed that 15.5% of pregnant women were at an increased risk of developing depression symptoms; 91% of the women declared that their QoL was good/very good, whereas 92.7% was very satisfied with their health status. Depression symptoms seem to be positively correlated with the low household income, unpleasant event during pregnancy, and the trimester of pregnancy. Additionally, unmarried women, an unpleasant event during pregnancy and the second trimester of pregnancy proved to be negatively associated with the quality of life. Women without a risk of depression had better QοL than women who were at risk of depression symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: It is important to evaluate the QοL of women during pregnancy with the aim of good prenatal health. The organization of the necessary interventions for mothers' health and their newborns are also of vital importance.

The efficacy of immunomodulators in the prevention and suppression of anti-drug antibodies to anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy in inflammatory bowel disease.

The development of biological agents against tumor necrosis factor (TNF) has revolutionized the management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), frequently achieving induction and maintenance of remission in both ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. However, a loss of response due to the development of anti-drug antibodies (ADA) is seen annually in approximately 20% of IBD patients receiving anti-TNF therapy. Current evidence suggests that the use of immunomodulators (IMM), such as thiopurines (azathioprine and 6-mercaptopurine) or methotrexate, may prevent or suppress ADA formation. In this article, we present a comprehensive review of the available literature regarding the efficacy of IMM in the prevention and suppression of ADA development to anti-TNF therapy in patients with IBD.

Detection and Reporting of Adverse Drug Reactions Related to Antibiotics in Primary Healthcare in Greece.

BACKGROUND: Detection of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) is a challenging matter for healthcare professionals who contribute significantly to the pharmacovigilance system through their participation inspontaneous reporting. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was the detection and reporting of ADRs related to antibiotics in primary health care in the region of Peloponnese. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in all national health system primary health units of the Peloponnese region in Greece. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to a total of 404 physicians who provided services in these settings. Descriptive and multivariate statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS 25.0. Levels of significance were two-tailed and statistical significance was set at p =0.05. RESULTS: 306 out of 404 physicians responded to the questionnaire, giving a response rate of 75.8%. 81.6% of physicians stated that they rarely observe ADRs related to antibiotic administration during their practice, 49.8% rarely report them, and 33.7% never report them. Non-serious side effects (42.5%), physicians' workload (24.1%), and the lack of knowledge about the reporting obligation (20.6%) have been declared as the main reasons of non - reporting. In addition, physicians with ≤10 years of clinical practice rarely reported that they experienced ADRs after antibiotics' administration compared to those with more work experience and specialized physicians (p= 0.001). CONCLUSION: ADRs reporting rates among physicians in primary healthcare are low. Changes in physicians' attitudes are vital and can be achieved through consistent and continuous training programs as well as the inclusion of ADRs and pharmacovigilance themes into the tertiary education curricula.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Patients With Mental Disorders: What Do We Know?

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a multisystemic disease with a wide range of extraintestinal manifestations in both ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, while increasing evidence supports the interaction between gut and central nervous system, described as "gut-brain axis". According to epidemiological studies, it seems that patients with IBD present more frequently with impaired mental status compared to the general population, leading to diagnostic and management problems in this group of patients. The association between IBD and mental disorders, such as dementia and autism spectrum disorders, has not been fully clarified; genetic factors and the gut-brain axis seem to be involved. The purpose of this review is to present and analyze the epidemiological data about this issue, describe the possible pathogenetic mechanisms and discuss some considerations about the management of patients with IBD and impaired mental status.

Verbal Abuse in the Operating Room: A Survey of Three General Hospitals in the Peloponnese Region.

Background The operating room is a special place in a hospital structure, which has a very high psychological load and many moments of tension, often leading to difficulties in communication between the health professionals involved, as well as cases of verbal and physical violence. Purpose The purpose of the study was to investigate the existence of verbal violence in the operating rooms of three general hospitals in the Peloponnese region of Greece. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted of health professionals (physicians and nurses) employed in the operating rooms of three general hospitals in the Peloponnese region. For the data collection, the Verbal Abuse Scale questionnaire (VAS) was used. A total number of 80 questionnaires were self-completed and collected. The statistical analysis was performed with the SPSS Statistics software v.25 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Results Regarding the frequency of verbal violence faced by health professionals, 36.8% of physicians stated that they experience verbal violence once a year whereas more than 20% of nurses reported that such incidents occur more than once a month (p=0.148). For the physicians, the abuser was usually their supervisor, while for the nurses, a physician. The majority of physicians stated that they felt mainly anger (2.94 ± 1.35), disgust (2.58 ± 1.54), and sadness/hurt (2.35 ± 1.37) after the verbal abuse, whereas most of the nurses felt anger (3.49 ± 1.39), disgust (3.05 ± 1.52) and frustration (2.95 ± 1.47). Conclusion Nurses are more often the victims of verbal abuse than physicians and are more likely to feel frustrated after experiencing verbal abuse. Gradual change to the organizational culture is an important measure to stop the occurrence of such incidents.

Mandatory vaccination support and intentions to get vaccinated for COVID-19: Results from a nationally representative general population survey in October 2020 in Greece.

OBJECTIVES: To explore rates and factors associated with mandatory vaccination support overall and intentions to get vaccinated specifically for COVID-19 among individuals in Greece. METHODS: Using data from a nationally representative cross-sectional survey conducted in October 2020 among 855 adults (≥18 years) in Greece, we estimated support rates for mandatory vaccination and respondents' intention to get vaccinated for COVID-19 as well as associations thereof with individual sociodemographic, clinical and contextual characteristics. RESULTS: About 74% of respondents supported mandatory vaccination and 62% intended to get vaccinated for COVID-19. The most prevalent reasons against COVID-19 vaccination were safety concerns related to the duration of clinical trials and potential side effects. Individuals who reported increased trust in healthcare authorities' recommendations, who revealed that their trust in the State increased due to the way the COVID-19 pandemic was handled, who used preventive services more often, and those with higher income were more likely to both support mandatory vaccination and to indicate intention to get vaccinated for COVID-19. Participants with worse or better self-reported health status (compared to average), younger adults, and females were less likely to intend to get vaccinated for COVID-19. CONCLUSION: The survey revealed that the majority of the Greek citizens favour mandatory vaccination overall and intend to get vaccinated for COVID-19, driven mostly by utilization of preventive services and trust in healthcare authorities. However, intention to get vaccinated for COVID-19 was lower relative to mandatory vaccination support. This suggests a need to intensify evidence-based yet simplified messaging by esteemed healthcare providers to inform the public on the risks and benefits of vaccines.

Treatment Adherence in Patients with Lung Cancer from Prospects of Patients and Physicians.

PURPOSE: Adherence to treatment can be defined as the degree to which a patient's behavior is consonant with medical or health advice he or she receive as part of his treatment regimen. The aim of this study was:  1) to measure the rate of treatment adherence to among patients with lung cancer from the prospect of both patients and physicians, 2) to measure the degree of concordance between the two prospect, and 3) to identify factors related to adherence for both prospect (patients and physicians). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 250 patients were included in this study. Information about socio-economic characteristics, depressive and anxiety symptoms (Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale), nicotine dependence (Fagerstrom scale), barriers to accessing care, and the level of treatment adherence was collected through interview. Physicians were enquired about disease and treatment variables as well as patients' level of adherence. RESULTS: From the patient perspective, only 1.2% of patients displayed poor adherence; whereas the corresponding percentage among physicians was 12.4%. The concordance between the two was low: 0.244. The correlation of measurements made on the same individual was found to be equal to 0.14. Barriers to accessing medication (O.R.=2.82, 95% C.I.: 1.01-8.09) was the only risk factor when adherence was self-rated; barriers to accessing medication (O.R.=2.45, 95% C.I.: 1.03-5.86), education equal to 12 years (O.R.=0.33, 95% C.I.: 0.13-0.82) or higher than 12 years (O.R.=0.28, 95% C.I.: 0.08-0.96), nicotine dependence (O.R.=1.41, 95% C.I. 1.17-1.69) and HADS anxiety score (O.R.=1.15, 95% C.I. 1.03-1.30) were the predictors in physicians' rating. CONCLUSIONS: Differences in rating adherence may underpin communication gaps between patients and physicians. Systemic determinants of poor adherence should not be overlooked. A concerted effort by researchers, physicians and policy makers in defining as well as communicating adherence, while removing its barriers should be made.
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Should vaccination be mandated? Individuals' perceptions on mandatory vaccination in Greece.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to explore factors that influence individuals' attitudes towards mandatory vaccination in Greece. METHODS: A nationally representative cross-sectional telephone survey was conducted via a random multistage selection process in October 2019 in Greece. The survey was designed to obtain information about whether vaccination should be mandated or not among adults 18 years of age or older. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to estimate the association between individuals' sociodemographic, contextual and clinical characteristics, utilization, satisfaction, and trust in the healthcare system and providers and their preference over mandatory vaccination. RESULTS: A total of 901 participants fully completed the survey (response rate 90%-901/1001). About 85% of the respondents supported mandatory vaccination. Individuals who used preventive services more often compared to those who never or rarely used such, those who reported increased trust in official healthcare authorities' guidelines and recommendations compared to those who reported no trust and those who had underage children living in the household were significantly more likely to support mandatory vaccination. No differences were observed for sociodemographic factors and mandatory vaccination support. CONCLUSION: This survey revealed that most Greek citizens support mandatory vaccination, which was critically affected by the utilization of preventive services and trust in healthcare authorities. Our results suggest that healthcare policy interventions should promote mandatory vaccination through multi-level initiatives to improve healthcare providers' and the general public's understanding of the value of vaccination.