The impact of readiness to discharge from hospital on adherence to treatment in patients after myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: The healthcare professionals involved in in-hospital treatment of myocardial infarction (MI) are also responsible to patients for their education before leaving the hospital. This education aims to modify patient behaviour in order to reduce relevant risk factors and improve self-control and adherence to medications. The aim of the study was to analyse the relationship between readiness for discharge from hospital and adherence to treatment at follow-up in MI patients. METHODS: An observational, single-center, MI cohort study with 6-month follow-up was conducted between May 2015 and July 2016. The Readiness for Hospital Discharge after Myocardial Infarction Scale (RHD-MIS) and the Adherence in Chronic Diseases Scale (ACDS) were applied. RESULTS: Two hundred and thirteen patients aged 30-91 years (62.91 ± 11.26) were enrolled in the study. The RHD-MIS general score ranged from 29 to 69 points (51.16 ± 9.87). A high level of readiness was found in 66 patients (31%), intermediate in 92 (43.2%), and low in 55 (25.8%) of patients. Adherence level assessed with the ACDS 6-months after discharge from hospital ranged from 7 to 28 points (23.34 ± 4.06). An increase in objective assessment of patient knowledge according to RHD-MIS subscale resulted in significantly higher level of adherence at the follow-up visit (p = 0.0154); R Spearman = 0.16671, p = 0.015; p for trend = 0.005. During the 6-month follow-up 3 (1.41%) patients died and 17 (7.98%) were hospitalized for a subsequent acute coronary syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: This study provided preliminary evidence of a long-term association between the results of assessment of readiness for discharge from hospital and adherence to treatment in patients after MI.

Adherence to treatment assessed with the Adherence in Chronic Diseases Scale in patients after myocardial infarction.

INTRODUCTION: A substantial subset of patients after myocardial infarction (MI) discontinue pivotal medication early after discharge. In particular, cessation of antiplatelet treatment may lead to catastrophic ischemic events. Thus, adherence to prescribed medication in patients after MI is an issue of medical and social concern. PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the level of adherence to treatment using a newly developed scale in patients after MI treated with percutaneous coronary intervention. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A single-center, prospective, observational cohort clinical study with a 6-month follow-up was performed. Patients with physical or cognitive impairment, prisoners, soldiers, and family members and coworkers of the researchers were excluded from the study. The impact of selected sociodemographic and clinical factors on adherence was evaluated in 221 patients (63 women and 158 men) aged 30 to 91 years. RESULTS: The results obtained with the Adherence in Chronic Diseases Scale (ACDS) ranged from 7 to 28 points; with the average and median scored being 23.35 and 24, respectively. The ACDS score reflects the level of adherence to prescribed medication. The high ACDS scores (>26 points) were obtained in 59 (26.7%) patients, intermediate scores (21-26 points) in 110 (49.8%) and low scores (<21 points) in 52 subjects (23.5%). Acute coronary syndrome (re-ACS) occurred in 18 (8.1%) patients during the follow-up period. The high-level adherence (ACDS score >26 points) was found in 11.1% of patients with re-ACS vs 28.4% of the remaining ones (P=0.1). Lower scores (mean ± standard deviation) in re-ACS patients were found for items 2 and 3 of the ACDS: 3.11±0.68 vs 3.45±0.73 (P=0.02) and 3.28±0.89 vs 3.64±0.64 (P=0.04), respectively. CONCLUSION: Age and previous MI were found to be independent factors influencing adherence assessed with the ACDS.

Invasive forms of canine endoparasites as a potential threat to public health - A review and own studies.

[b]Abstract [/b] Dogs serve as the vectors of serious zoonotic parasitic diseases. In the month of May 2012 - 2014, 339 dog faeces samples from seven public sites in Chelmno, a town in northern Poland, were collected and examined to determine the gastrointestinal parasite fauna of dogs. Each faecal sample was dissected with a needle, checked for tapeworm segments and examined for parasite eggs and oocysts using the flotation and decantation method and a modified Baermann technique. Differences were observed in the degree of parasite species occurrence. The most dominant were [i]Toxocara canis[/i] and Ancylostomatidae. The detected species included: [i]T. canis [/i]and [i]Toxascaris leonina[/i] eggs (23.4% and 10.2%, respectively), as well as eggs from the[i] Ancylostomatidae[/i] family (16.2%),[i] Trichuris vulpis [/i]eggs (6.6%), [i]Taenia[/i] type eggs (4.6%),[i] Dipylidium caninum[/i] (5.2%) and [i]Cystoisospora [/i](Isospora) spp. oocysts (10.9%).

The determinants of coping with pain in chronically ill geriatric patients - the role of a sense of coherence.

BACKGROUND: Given the rising population of the elderly in modern societies, the concern for their good functioning poses a challenge for the 21st century medicine and social services. Senior citizens are at an increased risk of developing chronic conditions, which in turn increase discomfort associated with physiological processes of aging. Sensations of pain have a particular influence on the mentioned discomfort, and pain is prevalent among older people. Therefore, from the perspective of an elderly person and senior care, it is crucial to identify determinants of effective coping with chronic pain. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the research was to assess the relationship between a sense of coherence (SOC) and pain-coping strategies in chronically ill seniors. A total number of 188 individuals were included in the study, of whom 117 were female subjects and 71 were male subjects, with a mean age of 68.38 (standard deviation [SD] =6.35) years in the studied group. Subjects were sampled based on a diagnosis of a chronic medical illness with chronic pain as one of the major symptoms. METHODS: The Polish adaptation of the Orientation to Life Questionnaire (SOC-29) to assess an SOC, the Coping Strategies Questionnaire (CSQ) to assess pain-coping strategies, and the visual analog scale (VAS) to assess pain intensity were used in the study. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The mean score of respondents' SOC was 133.44 (SD =24.35). Among most common pain-coping strategies used by the respondents were prayer and hope, and the declaration of coping with pain while redefining pain was the least often used coping strategy in the studied group. Individuals with stronger SOC were less prone to catastrophizing and more often declared that they were coping with and could control and reduce pain.