Kontakt, 2018 (vol. 20), issue 3

Hungarian health care students' choices between complementary and alternative medicine or conventional medicine: A cross-sectional surveyNursing - Original article

Andrea Sárváry, Péter Takács, Eileen Savage, Attila Sárváry

Kontakt 2018, 20(3):e255-e261 | DOI: 10.1016/j.kontakt.2018.04.005  

Introduction: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is increasingly being integrated into curricula for health care students. However, little is known about how they choose between CAM and conventional medicine (CM). This study examines how health care students (nurses, paramedics, midwives, health visitors) choose between CAM and CM.Methods: This study was a cross-sectional survey conducted between April and June 2013. A self-completed questionnaire was administered to undergraduate health care students. The questionnaire was on a 5-point severity scale of diseases, with responses classifying their choices of CAM, CM or their combinations...

Editorial BoardVaria

Editorial board

Kontakt 2018, 20(3):i | DOI: 10.1016/S1212-4117(18)30057-6  

The Czech Republic and extremist criminal activitySocial Sciences in Health - Original article

Roman Svatoš

Kontakt 2018, 20(3):e307-e315 | DOI: 10.1016/j.kontakt.2018.07.003  

Crime with an extremist subtext is a constantly discussed topic, both in professional circles and among the public, because the radicalization, professionalization and internationalism of extremists represent an everyday security threat. Today, this issue is becoming even more topical because extremism is very closely associated with terrorism, which in recent years has been increasing, especially in Europe. From an internal view, extremism is closely related to the issue of socially excluded localities, which is an area that deserves special attention. During the post-revolutionary era, when the borders opened and the space for the pluralism of opinions...

Temporary work inability and invalidity regarding the most frequent impairments of the motoric system - Economic impact on the Czech RepublicSocial Sciences in Health - Original article

Miroslav Bosák, Monika Másilková

Kontakt 2018, 20(3):e298-e306 | DOI: 10.1016/j.kontakt.2018.08.005  

Introduction: This paper deals with the invalidity of the first, second and third stage in the motoric system, which is one of the most frequent causes of invalidity. The impairments are dorsalgia, polyarthralgia, coxarthritis or gonarthritis. The goal of this study is to show the economic costs which the Czech Social Security Administration spends on the impairments of the motoric system during temporary work inability and the new invalidity pension system regarding these impairments. It is necessary to say that it provides a long-term pay-out of health insurance during temporary work inability.Materials and methods: Evaluation was based on the...

Anti-oppressive social work as a tool to reduce barriers to access health care services for homeless peopleSocial Sciences in Health - Original article

Kateřina Glumbíková, Alice Gojová, Barbora Gřundělová, Zuzana Stanková, Marie Špiláčková, Anna Krausová

Kontakt 2018, 20(3):e292-e297 | DOI: 10.1016/j.kontakt.2018.09.001  

Based on research findings on the experience of homeless people living in shelters with the use of health care services, this article shows how oppression can negatively affect the access of the homeless to health care. The acquired data shows that oppression associated with the status of a shelter user creates barriers to health care access - and not only in terms of financial barriers. In their narratives, the communication partners verbalized the oppression by doctors, other health care staff and patients. The aim of this paper is, on the basis of partial data from research, to discuss the possibilities of using anti-oppressive social work as a...

A literature review on methods of social work and their possible use in the field of work with patients and communities with nutrition disordersSocial Sciences in Health - Review article

Victor Otieno Okech

Kontakt 2018, 20(3):e287-e291 | DOI: 10.1016/j.kontakt.2018.07.001  

Aim: The aim of this article is to review literature on the applicability of social work methods in working with malnourished patients and communities. Health problems and social problems always coexist, where one leads to or worsens the other. Most interventions focus on solving either health or social problems at the expense of the other.Methods: A traditional style of literature review was adopted in writing this article. It involved an online search of articles from databases (1975-2017): E-book Central (e-brary Academic Complete), EBSCO, ProQuest Central, Oxford Journals, Science Direct, Springer Link and Wiley Online Library. Some of the...

(Socio)therapy in social work - Ambiguous theoretical conceptSocial Sciences in Health - Review article

Beáta Balogová, Martin Hamadej, Lívia Pížová

Kontakt 2018, 20(3):e278-e286 | DOI: 10.1016/j.kontakt.2018.04.004  

To compile this paper we used the research technique of content analysis of text material. Relevant sources were found on the scientific databases (EBSCO, ProQuest, Pubmed, Science Direct, Scopus and the like; the authors analysed 45 foreign sources published from 2016 until the present day). The authors propose to offer a theoretical comparative synthesis (exploring sociotherapy in its totality and in terms of the interrelatedness of its particular segments) of sociotherapy definitions (in terms of social therapy in social work, social support, and social treatment) trying to determine some concrete aspects which point out to some commonalities or...

Annoying symptoms and social support in patients with cancerNursing - Original article

Radka Kurucová, Katarína Žiaková, Elena Gurková, Gabriela Šrámeková

Kontakt 2018, 20(3):e273-e277 | DOI: 10.1016/j.kontakt.2018.08.002  

Aim: To find out how the burden associated with experiencing symptoms affects the degree of social support and the incidence of depression in patients with cancer.Design: Cross-sectional study.Methods: 100 patients (47 women and 53 men) diagnosed with cancer, at different stages of disease severity, were involved in the study.We used the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS) to assess symptom survival. The scale assesses 32 symptoms in three sub-scales (physical, psychological, symptoms, total distress). To assess social assistance we used the SELSA range, containing 20 items, divided into 3 sub-categories - social relationships, family...

Resistance of health personnel to changes in healthcareNursing - Review article

Jiří Mareš

Kontakt 2018, 20(3):e262-e272 | DOI: 10.1016/j.kontakt.2018.04.002  

This study is based on scientific literature in the fields of health, management, sociology and psychology. It notes that the implementation of changes in healthcare (from major conceptual changes to changes at the level of a particular workplace) usually results in objections on the part of health personnel. The study is structured into six parts. The first part describes the difficulties associated with defining the term "resistance to change". It also provides an overview of different types of resistance to change. The second part illustrates the general concept of resistance to change by means of examples from the area of health care. It also introduces...

Are we always pleased by the help of others (i.e. people in the helping professions)?Editorial

Helena Záškodná

Kontakt 2018, 20(3):e209 | DOI: 10.1016/j.kontakt.2018.09.002  

Management of pain in children by paediatric nurses in Eastern TurkeyNursing - Original article

Mehtap Omaç Sönmez, Feyza Nazik, Lokman Erol

Kontakt 2018, 20(3):e250-e254 | DOI: 10.1016/j.kontakt.2018.05.002  

The most pressing issue in the assessment of children is that they are unable to explain their pain. Effective pain management requires that nurses have accurate knowledge and skills. This aim of this study was to explain the assessment and management of pain in children by paediatric nurses in eastern Turkey. This descriptive cross-sectional study included 180 paediatric nurses. It intended to reach paediatric nurses between April 22, 2013, and June 1, 2013. The data were analysed using SPSS 22.0 and evaluated by descriptive statistics, and the chi-squared test was used to determine the statistical differences between categorical variables. The mean...

Perceived changes and concerns of women related to sexuality in pregnancy in the context of the importance of being informedNursing - Original article

Lucia Mazúchová, Simona Kelčíková, Barbora Ďuríčeková, Nora Malinovská

Kontakt 2018, 20(3):e244-e249 | DOI: 10.1016/j.kontakt.2018.08.004  

Pregnancy is an important life period, often associated with perceived changes and concerns in the sphere of sexuality. This study evaluates these changes and concerns, as well as the awareness of women concerning their sexuality during the period of pregnancy. The research is designed as a quantitative cross-sectional study. The research sample consisted of 242 pregnant women with a mean age of 28.07 years (± 5.13 years). The received data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, a chi-squared test and the Pearson correlation coefficient. The majority of the respondents (66.5%) declared that they had experienced shifts in their sexual and...

A comparison of health-related quality of life and disease severity in patients with stable coronary artery diseaseNursing - Original article

Jan Pospíchal, Petr Vojtíšek, Martin Bobák, Jan Matějka

Kontakt 2018, 20(3):e237-e243 | DOI: 10.1016/j.kontakt.2018.04.001  

Aim: Self-reported health-related quality of life is connected with cardiovascular risk factors. The aim of the study is to find a relation between stable coronary artery disease severity and health-related quality of life.Methods: Data from a total of 339 respondents were analysed. Respondents in the target group with stable angina pectoris (n = 165) and a control group without stable angina pectoris (n = 174) were compared in cardiovascular risk factors. The Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) and the EuroQol EQ-5D-3L questionnaire were compared with the angiography findings and the Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) grading reported on admission...

Key problems of the quality of life of patients after total laryngectomyNursing - Original article

David Slouka, Radek Kučera, Petr Hošek, Břetislav Gál, Ondřej Trčka, Tomáš Kostlivý, David Havel

Kontakt 2018, 20(3):e230-e236 | DOI: 10.1016/j.kontakt.2018.08.006  

Introduction: Laryngeal cancer is the most frequent cancer in the head and neck area. Approximately one third of patients are treated by total laryngectomy (TL). The rate of the patient's adaptation to new conditions is crucial to the quality of his or her future life. Some patients survive tens of years after this operation. The preparation for TL is a complicated process that affects a patient's cooperation in postsurgical time. The patient is informed of the essence of the disease, treatment possibilities, the process of preoperative preparation, as well as the operation itself. Great emphasis is put on awareness of the postoperative development,...

Fall-risk identification of geriatric patients in 2010-2014Nursing - Original article

Alena Uríčková, Daniela Schildová, Ľubica Ilievová

Kontakt 2018, 20(3):e223-e229 | DOI: 10.1016/j.kontakt.2018.08.003  

Introduction: Falls represent a frequent, serious, and financial problem for society as well as for the individual. They are one of the main causes of death, injury and functional limitation of seniors. Every fall of a person over the age of 65 should be an alarming signal and an impulse for the analysis of risk factors and taking preventive measures.Aim: The aim of this study was to retrospectively identify and analyze the risk factors of falls in geriatric patients at chosen clinical departments at the University Hospital in Trnava, Slovak Republic, over the period of 2010-2014.Design: The work is designed as a descriptive retrospective study.Methods:...

Risk factors of falling in patients with neurological diseasesNursing - Original article

Michaela Miertová, Ivana Bóriková, Martina Tomagová, Katarína Žiaková

Kontakt 2018, 20(3):e217-e222 | DOI: 10.1016/j.kontakt.2018.07.002  

Purpose: The aim of the study was to perform a fall risk screening and to identify the risk factors for falling in hospitalized patients with neurological disease aged up to and over 65 years.Design: A quantitative prospective cross-sectional study.Methods: The sample consisted of 103 patients who were hospitalized in the neurological unit. Empirical data was recorded in the research protocol, which included selected fall risk factors and the Morse Fall Scale (MFS).Results: Significant fall predictors in patients older than 65 years were: secondary diagnosis (p = 0.000), poly-pharmacotherapy (p = 0.000), number of medications taken over...

Use of the Omaha System for ontology-based text mining to discover meaning within CaringBridge social media journalsNursing - Original article

Karen A. Monsen, Sasank Maganti, Robert A. Giaquinto, Michelle A. Mathiason, Ragnhildur I. Bjarnadottir, Mary Jo Kreitzer

Kontakt 2018, 20(3):e210-e216 | DOI: 10.1016/j.kontakt.2018.03.002  

Objectives: The goals of this study were to examine the feasibility of using ontology-based text mining with CaringBridge social media journal entries in order to understand journal content from a whole-person perspective. Specific aims were to describe Omaha System problem concept frequencies in the journal entries over a four-step process overall, and relative to Omaha System Domains; and to examine the four step method including the use of standardized terms and related words.Design: Ontology-based retrospective observational feasibility study using text mining methods.Sample: A corpus of social media text consisting of 13,757,900 CaringBridge...