Explore the vast range of titles available.

Data on regional differences in the current prevalence of hypertension in Poland remain limited. This study aimed to assess the prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension among Polish adults in 2013-2014 (WOBASZ II study) and to compare these parameters with data from 2003-2005 (WOBASZ study). The study was conducted in two independent, representative samples. The WOBASZ II study included 3,406 women and 2,757 men, while the WOBASZ study examined 7,783 women and 6,972 men. The greatest increase in hypertension prevalence over 10 years was observed among men from Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship (39.7% vs. 51.8%) and women from Łódzkie Voivodeship (32.7% vs. 44%). Increases in hypertension awareness were noted in men from Wielkopolskie Voivodeship (50.8% vs. 59.5%) and women from Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship (65.7% vs. 77%). Treatment rates rose in men from Warmińsko-Mazurskie Voivodeship (16.8% vs. 40.3%) and women from Opolskie Voivodeship (24.7% vs. 44.4%). Improvements in hypertension control were seen in men from Wielkopolskie Voivodeship (3.5% vs. 13.3%) and women from Lubuskie Voivodeship (5.6% vs. 27.4%). Pronounced differences were observed in the prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of arterial hypertension among voivodeships, highlighting the necessity of region-specific public health interventions and resource allocation to effectively manage hypertension. Additionally, changes observed over the decade from 2003/04-2013/14 highlight evolving epidemiological trends and demonstrate the impact of such interventions on hypertension management.

Background Social networks are associated with better cognitive health in older people, but the role of specific aspects of the social network remains unclear. This is especially the case in Central and Eastern Europe. This study examined associations between three aspects of the social network (network size of friends and relatives, contact frequency with friends and relatives, and social activity participation) with cognitive functions (verbal memory, learning ability, verbal fluency, processing speed, and global cognitive function) in older Czech, Polish, and Russian adults. Methods Linear regression estimated associations between baseline social networks and cognitive domains measured at both baseline and follow-up (mean duration of follow-up, 3.5 ± 0.7 years) in 6691 participants (mean age, 62.2 ± 6.0 years; 53.7% women) from the Health, Alcohol and Psychosocial factors In Eastern Europe (HAPIEE) study. Results Cross-sectional analyses, adjusted for country, age, and sex, showed positive associations of global cognitive function with social activity participation and network size of friends and relatives, but not with contact frequency in either network. Further adjustment for sociodemographic, behavioural, and health characteristics attenuated the associations with network size of relatives (P-trend = 0.074) but not with network size of friends (P-trend = 0.036) or social activities (P-trend< 0.001). In prospective analyses, network size and social activity participation were also linked with better cognition in simple models, but the associations were much stronger for social activities (P-trend< 0.001) than for network size of friends (P-trend = 0.095) and relatives (P-trend = 0.425). Adjustment for baseline cognition largely explained the prospective associations with network size of friends (P-trend = 0.787) and relatives (P-trend = 0.815), but it only slightly attenuated the association with social activities (P-trend< 0.001). The prospective effect of social activities was largely explained by sociodemographic, health behavioural, and health covariates (P-trend = 0.233). Analyses of specific cognitive domains generally replicated the cross-sectional and prospective findings for global cognitive function. Conclusions Older Central and Eastern European adults with larger social networks and greater social activities participation had better cognitive function, but these associations were stronger at baseline than over the short-term follow-up.

PurposeStudies suggest that frequent contact with friends and relatives promote mental wellbeing in later life, but most evidence comes from Western populations. We investigated the prospective relationship between frequency of contact with friends and relatives and quality of life (QoL) among older Central and Eastern European (CEE) adults and whether depressive symptoms mediated the hypothesised longitudinal relationship.MethodsData from 6106 participants from the Health, Alcohol and Psychosocial factors In Eastern Europe (HAPIEE) study were used. Frequency of contact with friends and relatives was measured at baseline. QoL, at baseline and follow-up, was measured by the Control, Autonomy, Self-realisation, and Pleasure (CASP) 12-item scale. After assessing the prospective association using multivariable linear regression, the mediational hypothesis was tested using path analysis.ResultsThere was a significant prospective association between frequency of contact with friends and relatives and CASP-12 score (0–36) in fully adjusted models. Per every one unit increase in frequency of contact, there was a 0.12 (95% CI 0.06, 0.17) increase in CASP-12 score at follow-up, accounting for sociodemographic, health-related and baseline QoL. Pathway results showed that 81% of the longitudinal effect of frequency of contact on QoL was mediated through depressive symptoms.ConclusionsFrequent contact with friends and relatives improves QoL of older Central and Eastern European adults, partly through buffering against depressive symptoms. Interventions to improve QoL at older ages should incorporate effective management of common mental disorders such as depression.

BackgroundSocial cohesion has a potential protective effect against depression, but evidence for Central and Eastern Europe is lacking. We investigated the prospective association between social cohesion and elevated depressive symptoms in the Czech Republic, Russia and Poland, and assessed whether alcohol drinking and smoking mediated this association.MethodsCohort data from 15 438 older urban participants from the Health, Alcohol and Psychosocial factors In Eastern Europe project were analysed. Baseline social cohesion was measured by five questions, and depressive symptoms were measured 3 years later by the 10-item Center for Epidemiological Depression (CES-D) Scale. Nested logistic regression models estimated ORs of elevated depressive symptoms (CES-D 10 score ≥4) by z-scores and tertiles of social cohesion.ResultsPer 1 SD decrease in social cohesion score, adjusted ORs of elevated depressive symptoms were 1.13 (95% CI 1.05 to 1.23) and 1.05 (95% CI 0.99 to 1.13) in men and women, respectively. Further adjustment for smoking and drinking did not attenuate these associations in either men (OR=1.13, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.22) or women (OR=1.05, 95% CI 0.99 to 1.13). Similarly, the fully adjusted ORs comparing the lowest versus highest social cohesion tertile were 1.33 (95% CI 1.10 to 1.62) in men and 1.18 (95% CI 1.01 to 1.39) in women.ConclusionsLower levels of social cohesion was associated with heightened depressive symptoms after a 3-year follow-up among older Czech, Russian and Polish adults. These effects appeared stronger in men, and alcohol and smoking played no appreciable role in this association.

Purpose The objective of the study was to assess whether the history of psychiatric treatment was associated with (1) body weight and BMI on admission for bariatric surgery, (2) weight loss > 5 kg prior to bariatric surgery, and (3) postoperative body weight reduction. Methods Data from medical records of all consecutive patients admitted for surgical treatment of obesity in the 2nd Department of General Surgery Jagiellonian University Medical College were obtained. There were 1452 records of patients who underwent bariatric surgery between 2009 and 2021 included in the study. Results History of psychiatric treatment was found in 177 (12%) of the sample and was inversely associated with body weight and BMI on admission for surgery in women. Men with history of psychiatric treatment were 54% less likely to lose > 5 kg before the surgery (OR = 0.46 95% CI = 0.24–0.88). Both in men and women %TWL did not differ significantly by history of psychiatric treatment (Me: 40.7 vs. 45.9; p  = 0.130 and Me: 27.0 vs. 23.9; p  = 0.383, respectively). After adjustment for covariates no association was found between history of psychiatric treatment and body weight reduction one year after surgery. Conclusion Although men with preoperative history of psychiatric treatment had lower odds of losing weight before the surgery, psychiatric treatment did not differentiate the effectiveness of bariatric treatment in 1 year of observation. Bariatric surgery appears to be an effective obesity care for people treated for mental disorders. Level of evidence: III Evidence obtained from cohort or case-control analytic studies.

ObjectivePrevious studies have reported inverse associations between socioeconomic status (SES) and lung function, but less is known about whether pulmonary function is affected by SES changes. We aimed to describe the relationship of changes of SES between childhood and adulthood with pulmonary function.DesignCross-sectional study.ParticipantsThe study sample included 4104 men and women, aged 45–69 years, residents of Krakow, participating in the Polish part of the Health, Alcohol and Psychosocial Factors in Eastern Europe Project.Main outcomeForced expiratory volume (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) were assessed by the standardised spirometry procedure. Participants were classified into three categories of SES (low, moderate or high) based on information on parent’s education, housing standard during childhood, own education, employment status, household amenities and financial status.ResultsThe adjusted difference in mean FVC between persons with low and high adulthood SES was 100 mL (p=0.005) in men and 100 mL (p<0.001) in women; the differences in mean FEV1 were 103 mL (p<0.001) and 80 mL (p<0.001), respectively. Upward social mobility and moderate or high SES at both childhood and adulthood were related to significantly higher FEV1 and FVC compared with low SES at both childhood and adulthood or downward social mobility.ConclusionsLow SES over a life course was associated with the lowest lung function. Downward social mobility was associated with a poorer pulmonary function, while upward mobility or life course and moderate or high SES were associated with a better pulmonary function.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the distribution of abdominal volume index (AVI) conicity index (C-Index) and weight adjusted waist index (WWI) attributes by sociodemographic and health characteristics in apparently healthy individuals (residents of the Janów Lubelski district in the eastern Poland). Additionally, the study examined whether sociodemographic and health characteristics differentiate the distribution of adipose tissue indicators in individuals with a normal body weight, defined as a BMI of less than 25 kg/m2. Methods: A total of 3752 apparently healthy respondents participated in the cross-sectional study. In order to determine the participants’ adipose tissue distribution, professionally trained nurses measured their anthropometric indices and interviewed them to assess the sociodemographic and health variables. Results: The study group’s mean values for anthropometric indices related to central adipose tissue distribution were as follows: C-Index 1.26 ± 0.088, AVI 18.28 ± 4.96 and WWI 10.63 ± 0.73. The three indices examined in multivariable analyses showed a significant relationship with age, gender, place of residence, education, living alone, smoking status, alcohol consumption and comorbidities (diabetes, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia). Conclusions: The study findings demonstrate a significant relationship between the level of specific anthropometric indices related to central adipose tissue distribution and sociodemographic and health-related variables. The employment of certain anthropometric indices related to central adipose tissue distribution, which are derived from waist circumference, can be beneficial in primary healthcare by potentially facilitating early prevention of cardiometabolic diseases.

Cross-sectional studies revealed that risk factor exposure increases with age but after reaching its peak decreases. This decline may be attributed to higher mortality among exposed individuals, lifestyle, or natural physiological changes related to age. Only prospective observations at the individual level provide credible insights of exposure during the transition from middle to old age. This study addresses changes in cardiovascular risk factors among older urban residents in Poland over an 18-year period. The study analyzed data from the Polish arm of the Health, Alcohol and Psychosocial factors In Eastern Europe (HAPIEE) project, a prospective cohort study investigating cardiovascular disease determinants. The sample included 312 participants (46-69 years). Data on demographic characteristics, blood lipids, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), fasting glucose, and smoking status were collected at baseline and during re-examination. The analysis yielded a decrease in diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and non-HDL cholesterol concentrations. However, BMI and fasting glucose levels increased. The decrease in blood pressure was mainly attributed to treatment effects, while the reduction in lipid concentrations was observed regardless of treatment. In addition, smoking prevalence decreased over the course of 18 years. The results of the prospective nearly 20 year observation at the individual level confirm findings from repeated cross-sectional studies on decrease in lipid concentrations, blood pressure and prevalence of smoking in older individuals.

Background Population studies that assess lung function usually exclude results of individuals with poor-quality measurements, which often means excluding many subjects. Impaired cognition is frequently associated with poor-quality spirometry; excluding such subjects may introduce a selection bias in studies with lung function as either outcome or exposure. We investigated the association between poor-quality spirometry and impaired cognitive function and whether poor-quality spirometry is associated with future mortality risk independently of cognitive function. Methods We used data from a prospective cohort in three Central and Eastern European countries; 12,087 individuals aged 45–75 years (54% females) with complete information on variables of interest were included. Standard memory, verbal fluency, and executive cognitive domain tests were converted into latent variable z-scores and divided into quartiles. Spirometry tests were classified into two categories based on repeatability criteria: good- (71%) vs. poor-quality spirometry (29% of participants). Those with good-quality spirometry were further classified, using forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV 1 ), as healthy spirometry (63%) or impaired spirometry (8%). Multinomial logistic regression was used to assess the association between poor-quality spirometry and cognitive function, and a Cox proportional regression was used to analyze the risk of total mortality over a 17-year follow-up. Results After controlling for a range of covariates, higher cognitive function predicted lower odds of poor-quality spirometry. In the highest cognitive function quartile, compared with the lowest quartile, the odds ratio of poor-quality spirometry was 0.82 (95%CI: 0.72–0.92). Impaired spirometry was associated with higher mortality risk even after adjusting for cognition (adjusted hazard ratio 1.63, 95%CI: 1.45–1.84), but mortality risk was similar in subjects with poor- vs. good-quality (HR 1.02, 95%CI: 0.93–1.10). Conclusion Higher cognitive function was associated with a lower risk of poor-quality spirometry. The lack of independent association of poor-quality spirometry with mortality suggests that excluding poor-quality spirometry measurements from analyses is unlikely to introduce a major bias. However, discarding poor-quality spirometry from epidemiological analyses might imply the exclusion of vulnerable subjects. These findings should be confirmed in future studies representing other populations.

The study assessed the relationship between prior diagnosis of diabetes and its control with depression score, differences in socioeconomic, lifestyle, health characteristics and diabetes control by adherence to treatment in population-based sample of older individuals. The analysis of the sub-sample of Polish cohort of the HAPIEE (Health, Alcohol, and Psychosocial Factors in Eastern Europe) study was conducted; 464 participants were interviewed and random first 360 (78%) underwent physical examination and blood sample tests. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. The robust regression method was applied to assess the association between depression score and diabetes diagnosis as well as diabetes control. There were 97 participants (21.0%) at mean age of 73.6 years (SD=6.31 years) with prior diagnosis of diabetes. Mean HbA1c concentration was 6.65% (SD=1.0) The majority of patients (55.7%) used oral medication with diet. Nearly 20% declared the use of oral treatment alone, and 10.3% used combined treatment of oral medications, insulin, and diet. In this study, 86.6% of the participants with diabetes confirmed self-monitoring of blood glucose levels and 58.8% were on high-quality diet. No differences in socioeconomic, lifestyle, health characteristics or control of diabetes by adherence to diabetes treatment were found. After adjustment for age and gender, diagnosis of diabetes was associated with greater depressive score by about 2 points (β=2.02, 95% CI=0.16;3.88). However, no significant association between depression score and any indicator of diabetes control was found. In older individuals with diabetes, depression score was higher compared to those without diabetes, but it was not related to poorer diabetes control. No differences in socioeconomic, lifestyle, health characteristics and control of diabetes by adherence to diabetes treatment may suggest that in this age group some other, less known factors are substantial for achievement of treatment targets.