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Results 901 to 930 of 952:

Effects of movements of lower extremities on the hip joint formation and femur torsion development

Biomedicine

Novotná Jitka, Frei Robert, Zahálka František, Dylevský Ivan

Kontakt 2008, 10(1):184-193 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2008.026

Physiological processes as well as the formation of bones and joints, remodelling and angiogenesis are considerably affected by mechanical factors. The growths cartilage cell population is much more sensitive to immobilization compared with periostal osteoblasts. Many researchers emphasize the importance of the muscular activity and embryonic movements of lower extremities for the physiological skeletal growth and development. However, no clear explanation has been presented. It was observed, that the dynamic motion is important for the formation of the joint cotyle and that the static force contributes to maintaining of the already formed cotyle. Hoverer, the possibility that the movement controls the joint formation has not yet been demonstrated. There is no sufficient demonstration concerning the particular prenatal or postnatal mechanical factors affecting the development and morphology of the femur in the hip joint developmental dysplasia. Only secondary clinical features of the diseases were described. We study the hip joint development and femur torsion based on ultrasonographic examination simultaneously with the usual variety of lower extremity movements with putting emphasize onto the development of the rotational component of the movement with the help of kinematic analysis. Individuals with developmental dysplasia of the hip joint and physiologic development of the hip joint are studied at their age of 2 to 6 weeks and 3 to 4 months. The first measurements indicate that postnatal changes in the femur morphology and hip joint cavity in the developmental dysplasia of the hip joint are developed as soon as prenatally and are related to the development of the motor activity and movements of lower extremities.

Centre of Prevention of Civilization Diseases

Biomedicine

Lenka Šedová, Vlasta Koudelková, Věra Adámková

Kontakt 2008, 10(1):194-199 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2008.027

The work comprises results of two-year activities of the Centre of Prevention of Civilization Diseases at the Faculty of Health and Social Studies, The University of South Bohemia. The centre is a shared facility of the Faculty of Health and Social Studies and company Danone. Services offered in the centre free of charge for citizens of the South-Bohemian region, are arranged to be in agreement with topical needs of the primary and secondary prevention in the field of civilization diseases. In the centre, the following care is offered free of charge: measurements of cholesterol, blood pressure, pulse rate, glycaemia, BMI and lipids and furthermore nutritional advisory activity with the help of the Nutri-Dan program loaned by the company Danone.
The Centre of the Prevention of Civilization Diseases operates under a control by the Department of Clinical Disciplines of the Faculty of Health and Social Studies, the University of South Bohemia, and company Danone. It started its activity in May 2006. The client may be any citizen over 18 years of age, who is interested in his/her healthy living style within the city of České Budějovice and South-Bohemian Region.
Between May 2006 and November 15, 2007, 84 men and 428 women from the South-Bohemian Region were examined. The measurement results can be considered as tentative parameters of the population health condition in the South-Bohemian Region. In a comparison of the parameters measured depending on the gender, there is a higher risk in men, since they exerted more frequent occurrence of hypertension (68%), and they also more frequently had excess body weight as expressed by the BMI (40%).
The healthy life style is a necessary part of the primary and secondary prevention of diseases. The healthy life style includes sufficient physical activities, non-smoking, rational food and mental balance, resistance to stress. In spite of the fact that the centre is not in operation for a long period, the number of clients is fairly good. Every individual, who visits the consulting facility, is examined free of charge and the values measured are independently summarized in a table for each client, for his/her own need. During a further visit in the Centre of the Prevention of Civilization Diseases, each client can compare the newly measured values with the preceding ones. The examination is related to key parameters of civilization diseases.

Moral aspects of the human foetus in practice of midwives

Nursing

Eva Urbanová

Kontakt 2008, 10(2):303-309

The target of the research described here was the recognition by midwives of the moral statute of the foetus based on comparing their attitude to the position of the ontological personalism and moral gradualism.
Seventy-nine midwives were included into the study, who participated in taking care of women who underwent interruption in the second trimester of pregnancy. The attitudes of the midwives were identified with the help of specific theses in a non-standardized questionnaire with the use of the Likert scale of summed estimates. Particular theses respected the internal structure of the attitude, which means that they were divided into groups following the attempting (conative or behavioural), emotional and cognitive components of the attitude. The respondents had a possibility to express their agreement/disagreement with the thesis on an assigned scale from number 1 through 5 (1 - I disagree, 5 - I agree). The reliability and validity of the questionnaire was supported by a preliminary research. The midwives assigned a moral status to the foetus, which coincided with the stand on ontological personalism to a considerable extent. In contrast, the respondents took a rather negative stand on moral gradualism. The research results demonstrated an interesting statistical difference (p=0.0000***) between the demographic item location and recognition of the foetus moral status. In smaller cities, the midwives rather agreed with the position of ontological personalism compared with the largest city (Bratislava). Respondents, who already have had children (the measure of agreement was of 4.55 on the scale) compared to those who have not had children (3.75 on the scale) rather agreed with the position of ontological personalism. A question was also considered in the research whether, in the case of foetus survival after the pregnancy interruption, the respondents would take a care of the foetus, which could provide its quiet and worthy death. The association was supported that depending on the recognition of the foetus as a human being, the respondents agreed with taking care of it in the case of its survival after the pregnancy interruption (p=0.001***).

Education of providers of social services in the field of problems of seniors

Health and Social Sciences

Radka Prokešová

Kontakt 2008, 10(2):310-316

In the period from September 2006 to June 2008, the Faculty of Health and Social Studies of the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice implemented the project "Education of providers of social services in the field of problems of seniors".
The target of the project was preparation of accredited lifelong education aimed at needs of providers of social services directly taking care of seniors and implementation of the education for these staff members.
Before the project was initiated, the interest of the target group in the education proposed was identified by telephone interviews. Based on results of the telephone interviews, eight education themes were chosen, which were furthermore processed in details by expert guarantors and lectors. The implementation of courses was provided in a uniform way for all the educational themes based on agreed plan of training. After the education was completed, the contribution of the education to the target group was verified by the form of a questionnaire.
The target group of the project comprised providers of social services - staff members directly taking care of clients in old people's homes. The research sample comprised 70 members of the target group, who went through all the eight educational themes established and completed the questionnaire aimed at the feedback resulting from the evaluation of particular themes.
The prepared educational themes were beneficial for the participants of the education process. The participants were satisfied with the level of the educational materials and technical provisions during the course. The educational courses established can be furthermore employed in the education of social service providers in a complex manner in the whole Czech Republic, in the form of the theoretical part of the accredited educational programme "Qualification course for staff members directly taking care of seniors", which will be offered after completing the project within the framework of the lifelong education at the Faculty of Health and Social Studies of the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice.

Planning of social services for generation 50 plus from the viewpoint of local administration

Health and Social Sciences

Lucie Kozlová, Petr Pták

Kontakt 2008, 10(2):323-325

The contribution describes the system of social services in the Czech Republic, the advantage of which can be taken not only by persons over 50 years of age. The social services are based on the Law on social services delimiting the terminology and grouping the services by different types and forms. The contribution deals with the social services most frequently used by the generation 50 plus and proposes suitable approaches to planning social services in a way providing the efficacy of compiled plans of social services for villages, cities and regions and their comparability and agreement with the methodology of the Ministry of Labour and Social Services of the Czech Republic. The process of planning social services is focused on two levels - the mid-term plan of the development of social services for planning these services within regions, and the development plan of social services for planning these services within areas of villages or cities. In their contribution, the authors conclusively point out risks, which can negatively affect the process of planning social services.

Conditions of taking care for seniors with reduced self-sufficiency in the context of contemporary changes

Health and Social Sciences

Hana Francová, Aleš Novotný

Kontakt 2008, 10(2):334-338

To provide taking care of seniors with reduced self-sufficiency, the social policy in many western countries attempts to find a solution in a return to the care within the family due to the demographic development. The principal concept of a larger implementation of this care is the co-responsibility of adult children for living conditions of elderly parents, the utilization of the potential of family members and simultaneously also emphasize put on the satisfaction of wider needs concerning relationships and interactions in persons who are dependent on care provided by other people. Thus, the target of the present contribution is to point out barriers affecting the implementation of principles of the social help in the Czech Republic, i.e. principles of subsidiary and deinstitutionalisation in association with changes in the legislation arranging this social sphere. For the fulfilment of the target defined, the secondary and contents analysis of data was employed based particularly on the law on social services and law on stabilization of public budgets. The authors of the text identified short-term as well as long-term socio-economical risks of caregivers and subsequently pointed out possible variants of the solution, which could help optimize positions of caregivers and simultaneously also of persons dependent on the assistance. The solutions outlined would call for adopting important measures, for example legalization of the duty to compile mid-term plans of social services by villages with extended areas of competences or supporting of economical stability of family caregivers through the mediation of the institute of the readiness to take the care of or to support the caregivers with the use of analogous provisions applied to persons upbringing children without means, as defined in the existing law on the retirement insurance.

Voluntary activity of handicapped people

Health and Social Sciences

Katarína Bundzelová

Kontakt 2008, 10(2):339-346

In the contribution presented here, we consider the participation of handicapped people in voluntary activities, importance of these activities in the life of handicapped volunteers as well as advantages, which can the handicapped people enjoy thanks to their volunteer activity. We try to reveal the latent potential of the volunteer activities, which can also be considerably beneficial to handicapped people.
The target of our research was to find whether the participation of handicapped people in voluntary activities brings them a fulfilment of their lives and whether it helps them overcome restrictions resulting from their handicaps.
The research was implemented with the use of a method of a questionnaire and semi-standardized interview. The questionnaires and interviews were directly provided with handicapped volunteers as well as with professionals in places of their dwelling (in institutes) or in facilities, institutions where they have performed or perform their voluntary activities.
Our principal purpose was to demonstrate the voluntary activities of handicapped people, to propose foundation of regional volunteer centres, which would inter alia also pay their attention to handicapped volunteers, and also to show the volunteer activities as an approach, which can help the handicapped people to live in a worthy way of life.
The most important knowledge we acquired in the course of the research was that the handicapped people would be willing to participate in volunteer activities within their free time (however, they are lacking information; they do not know, where they could be engaged) and that more than half the number of people with health handicaps participating in volunteer activities confirmed that this activity helps them overcome restrictions resulting from their handicaps.

Position of health services in the Czech social security system

Health and Social Sciences

Marie Brandejsová

Kontakt 2008, 10(2):347-353

The system of the social security of inhabitants in the Czech Republic currently includes three relatively independent and subsequently associated components - systems of the social insurance, state social support and social assistance. These systems differ from each other by their organization, by methods of the solution of the social situation and by the way of granting benefits. Within the scope of the social security system, social situations are being currently solved, for which the citizens can be preliminarily prepared by the form of the postponement of a part of their current needs to cover consequences of their future unsure social situation. In this field, systems of retirement, health, medical and accident insurance and system of the state policy of employment are operated. In EU countries, the concept of social services is typically different from that currently used in the Czech Republic; it is more complex and it also includes inter alia the field of health services. One of topical trends occurring in this sphere in European countries over recent years is interconnection of social and health services at a local level. However, this trend is ever only sporadically encountered in the Czech Republic. The health care system, which is currently implemented in the Czech Republic, is a model of the national medical insurance. This model is similar to systems existing in West-European countries. Its basic principle is the existence of multiple health insurance companies with a combination of the market share and public supervision. Changes in health and social systems are mutual and topical in all the EU countries. The target of the work presented here is to offer a general outline of the position of health services in the Czech social system.

Integration of people with health handicaps at secondary schools as considered by healthy students

Health and Social Sciences

František Radi

Kontakt 2008, 10(2):417-426

The target of the work is the evaluation of the importance of the integration of handicapped people for the students without health handicaps.
The integration is a process also concerning the sphere of human rights and freedoms in addition to issues associated with economy, industry, transportation and culture. Our main feature is that we are thinking human beings, which presents a difference from plants and animals. We are different in our sex, colour of the skin, ethnic characteristics, religion, sexual orientation, cultural and political principles, but we are conscious subjects and thus, we can rightfully enjoy our right - right of worthy and meaningful life. In this connection, there is a question. Can people with health handicaps enjoy the meaningful life? We should accept them among us and provide them with conditions making them possible to feel themselves equivalent, to have equal possibilities and to be able to fulfil their ambitions and dreams. This is just what we can do in order that their life might be comparable with our life - to make possible their integration among us. In the contribution, the author mentions taking care of handicapped people in historical context with indicating problems of their integration and tries to consider them from the standpoint of healthy people.
For the qualitative research, the author employed a method of questionnaire inquiry and technique of exhaustive examination, which means, that he addressed all the secondary and special secondary schools in the region of Bratislava, where the individual integration of students is being implemented with special educational-upbringing tools. By means of questionnaires, he determined whether the students at secondary schools in the Region of Bratislava considered as beneficial the possibility of the integration of students with health handicaps among them, if they acquired a new dimension in their lives and what was the enrichment of their knowledge thanks to the presence of handicapped students. Particular data accumulated were evaluated by the percent method and summarized in the form of graphs.

Survey of the attitude of nurses to current changes in the nursing practice

Nursing

Ivica Gulášová, Beáta Jurčáková

Kontakt 2007, 9(1):17-31 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2007.004

The authors present results of a survey aimed at the identification of the attitude of nurses to the currently occurring process of the implementation of changes in the nursing practice with a special emphasize put onto the approach of the nurses to the nursing process. Questionnaires were used as the main tool in this investigation. Based on 26 items of the questionnaire, the authors determined subject areas within the scope considered. The questionnaire was designed for nurses working at departments of hospitals in Bratislava and surroundings of the capital city. The authors established one principal target and partial targets. They identified eight working hypotheses. The purpose of the project was to determine attitudes of nurses to the changes in the nursing practice, which are currently being implemented. They particularly considered how the nurses accepted changes in the nursing practice, whether or not they were identified with the new method of providing the nursing care, and how they manage keeping of the nursing documentation. Further questions were as follows: what are the benefits for the nurses themselves and for the patients, whether or not they keep pace with the new trend - lifelong education, what is their expectation associated with the changes and whether or not they intend to adhere to their difficult but very useful and nice profession. The sample of responders employed at the departments was divided into three groups depending on the degree of their education. Based on the evaluation of the anonymous questionnaires, the authors acquired principal data, which are summarized in tables arranged with respect to particular items. In the conclusion of the contribution, the main target, the partial targets and the working hypotheses are evaluated and a number of recommendations for clinical practice are presented.

Respecting of autonomy in taking long-term care of seniors

Nursing

Radka Bužgová

Kontakt 2007, 9(1):65-69 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2007.008

The article deals with an important ethical principle in taking the health and social care of seniors: respecting of the autonomy. The purpose of the work presented here is to point out the endangerment of seniors in different areas of their lives and possibilities of supporting their autonomous behaviour by members of health and social services. In the first part of the article, the concept of the autonomy and the ethical principle of respecting the autonomy are explained. The concept of the autonomy is frequently combined with the self-respect, dignity and participation. The following two components of the autonomy are recognized: "autonomous decisions" and "autonomous actions". The autonomy is frequently endangered in old age. With the attenuation of the physical and mental strength, the client is frequently limited, either in his/her capability of making a valid decision or in his/her capability of implementing the decision, or in both respects. The capability of the autonomous behaviour is affected by external and internal factors. The internal factors are associated with the reduction in physical and mental functions in elderly people and external factors are associated with the environment, which is the senior living in. In old age, the self-reliance is frequently either restricted or lost. However, the autonomy and loss of the self-reliance do not exclude one another. In the article, the authors Pichaud and Thareau are quoted, who deal with the relationship between the self-reliance and autonomy. They consider the proportion of the participation of the assisting person in helping the other person, depending on the extent of his/her mental dependence. In spite of attempts of specialists to support and save the autonomy of seniors at least to a certain extent, there is a certain population of clients, who are not capable of the autonomous behaviour at all. The article also mentions an ethical discussion concerning respecting of formerly expressed desires of patients (advance directives). The conclusion of the article comprises autonomous principles of handling with the client, which should be adhered to in taking care of seniors. These principles were adopted from foreign authors Collopa and Nalepp.

Criminal and criminological aspects of extremism

Health and Social Sciences

Roman Bláha, Milan Kučera ml., Milan Kučera st.

Kontakt 2007, 9(1):119-136 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2007.015

In the modern world including the home environment, problems of the extremism are becoming serious, complex and frequent. The society is being ever more confronted with actual manifestations of the extremism and it is forced to define its standpoints, methods of the response and consequences of these processes. The article deals with criminal and criminological aspects of extremist movements in the Czech Republic and it describes the principle of the phenomenon, structure of extremist activities, form of their topical manifestation, and development tendencies of these problematic activities. The authors strive after a complex summarization of all the problems and management of theoretical and practical approaches to the subject chosen. Their attention is paid to normative adjustments of rights of minorities and to their protection against the ethnically motivated criminal activity, to causes of committing crimes with extremist scope, to the offenders committing extremist attacks, to their plots, and also to victims of extremist activities. The target of the work is a detailed analysis of the current status of the extremism in Bohemia and Moravia, brief outline of the historical development starting from the 1990's, identification of causal relationships and associations, political-scientific and sociological characterization of the phenomenon, summarization of motivations of participants engaged in these social-pathological events and delimitation of the circle of subjects competent in rectifying, affecting and solving these phenomena. The efforts at understanding the problem also include the formulation explanation of terms and institutes related to the subject.

Effects of social support on the risk behaviour of adolescents

Health and Social Sciences

Marie Marková

Kontakt 2007, 9(1):137-140 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2007.016

The purpose of the present outline is to point out the risk behaviour of the young people in association with their health condition and function of the family, which provides the most important social support of the individual. It defines the main areas of the risk behaviour in the form of abuse of addictive substances, anti-social behaviour and risk behaviour in the field of the reproduction. It analyses the role of the family environment in the prevention of the risk behaviour of adolescents from the viewpoint of the World Health Organisation. It quotes reviews aimed at the social support of the family and lists certain risk factors affecting for example the education, standpoints, convincing, attitudes and religious orientation of parents of the adolescents. It considers effects of the family function and rate of the risk behaviour of the adolescents, particularly effects of formative methods of the parents, such as excess autonomy, indulgence or, in contrast to this, hostility and directivity. The perceived weak social support of the family is also investigated from the standpoint of the health impact. According to certain authors, the communication between parents and children and the whole family atmosphere play the crucial role in the function of the family. There are also differences in impacts of feeling weak social and emotional support of the family between genders. It seems that girls are more sensitive to the perceived weak emotional support of the family. The child takes the behaviour of the parent as an example and carries the behavioural strategy to the adulthood. Thus, there is an irreplaceable role of the positive family environment. A problem is conclusively presented, whether the family, being under social pressures considerably altering their nature, is able to fulfil its functions. The established function of so called school nurse, which has yet no tradition in the Czech Republic, could play a certain positive role in the prevention of the risk behaviour.

Children in sects

Health and Social Sciences

Dagmar Roučková, Josef Dolista

Kontakt 2007, 9(1):141-146 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2007.017

There may be very diverse reasons for joining sects. Regardless of the motivation for doing so, people make this decision based on their free will. However, this does not apply to children born within the sect, who are submitted to the life order of the religious community. In the present contribution, the author considered by way of particular examples of certain new alternative religions, what can be the negative effects involving children living in this environment. In this respect, it is necessary to take into account a considerable differentiation between particular alternative religious communities. We can encounter very different attitudes. The purpose is not to present a generalizing consideration, but only draw attention to undesirable behaviour of members of certain sects in direction of children. In the introduction, the author mentions problematic delimitation of the concept of sects. She furthermore considers certain characters of the behaviour of sects. They can be sometimes very problematic, because in handling with the members, undesirable effects can be manifested, which disturb the family life. The life in certain alternative religions can be characterized by different forms of the deprivation. They can all have negative impacts on the future child development. Psychical deprivation is characterized by offences, humiliation, etc. Physical deprivation means different types of hurting, which can result in the injury, damage or even death of the child. In sects, we can find insufficient supplying with food and preventing the medical care, excess cruelty; in sects of David Berg, Got Children with the incest. In certain alternative religious groups, social deprivation can be observed. This means that the parents do not sent their children to the school, they do not allow them to contact children of the same age; the children live isolated from the surrounding world and thus, one of conditions of the development of the child personality is not adhered to.

Permanently sustainable development and napkins

Health and Social Sciences

Věra Soukupová

Kontakt 2007, 9(1):147-154 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2007.018

The article deals with napkins. The napkins are not only described, but also evaluated and compared; certain hidden risks existing in this field are also revealed. It indicates changes on the Czech market after 1989: mass purchasing of disposable napkins and decrease in using washed napkins. The situation is compared with foreign experience, particularly from Great Britain, Austria and Slovakia. It presents data on the ever growing popularity of modern napkin systems and ever growing offer. It informs on materials used in their manufacture. It unifies the "napkin terminology": types of napkins, napkin pants, (pant) napkins and rich napkin auxiliaries. It briefly describes advantages and drawbacks of particular types of napkins from different points of view. Of indicators of the permanently sustainable development it considers, within the scope of preventive cautiousness, health, ecological, economical, social and political aspects. It propagates the public education concerning "real napkins" - napkins friendly to the environment and child health. It reveals passing on myths and attempts to support information by facts from the special literature, from health professionals as well as from parents, who presented data mainly on their experience with the use of napkins. Careful napkins are offered as an alternative of disposable napkins. Sources are presented, in which it is possible to search for further data on napkins and to acquire knowledge from parents having experience with particular types of napkins. It refers to the worldwide campaign "Real Nappy Week" with participation of over 35 countries of the world (March 2007), which was also attended by the Czech Republic for the first time.

Importance of immunohistochemical examination in cervical precanceroses

Biomedicine

Jana Vaculová, Jaroslav Horáček, Petra Bystroňová

Kontakt 2007, 9(1):157-163 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2007.021

Problems of cervical dysplasias and neoplasias are a frequently discussed topic at health and social levels. Cervical carcinoma is the second most important cause of the death due to cancer diseases in women next to the mammary carcinoma throughout the world and the main cause of the death for cancer diseases in women living in developing countries. The origination of cervical carcinoma is a complex multi-step process preceded by a many-year stage of precanceroses of different degrees of their severity. The precancerous cervical lesions are mostly asymptomatic and their presence can be revealed by the cytological or histological examination only. The purpose of the present work was to contribute to the diagnostics of cervical precancerous lesions with the help of the application of immunohistochemical methods to bioptic material. A group of 60 women with diagnosis of cervical precancerosis was monitored (dysplasia, carcinoma in situ). The histopathological diagnosis was established after standard processing of bioptic material through the histological technique based on histological mounts stained by basic histological methods of staining. Selected samples were subjected to immunohistochemical methods with following and comparing the expression of protein p16, protein p53 and proliferation markers Ki-67 and PCNA. We expected a correlation of the proliferation activity with the degree of dysplastic changes. The dysplastic changes exert deviations in the structure of the nucleus and cytoplasma and cellular restlessness (elevated proliferation activity), visible even in basic histological staining. The immunohistochemical detection of proliferation markers corresponded to the degree of precancerosis in almost all the cases. The intensity of the protein p16 expression also correlated with the degree of the dysplasia and the detection of protein p53 was not statistically significant. The results indicate that the immunohistochemical examination of proliferation markers and protein p16 can help refine the diagnostics of precursor lesions of cervical carcinoma. The use of at least one of the proliferation markers and protein p16 can be helpful in the diagnostics of minor punch biopsies and mainly in the assessment of resection margins of conizates, which can encounter difficulties in basic histological staining.

Current condition of supplying the Czech population with iodine

Biomedicine

Kvetoslava Kotrbová, Markéta Kastnerová

Kontakt 2007, 9(1):172-178 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2007.024

Iodine is a trace element, whose principal function in the human body is its participation in the production of thyroid hormones triiodthyronine and thyroxine. Thyroid hormones affect and regulate the basal metabolism intensity in a decisive manner. Iodine insufficiency can result in decreased secretion of thyroid hormones, hypothyreosis, which is a source of numerous health problems. The manifestation of the iodine insufficiency is endemic struma - thyroid gland hypertrophy. In contrast to this, iodine excess leads to an elevated secretion of thyroid hormones, hyperthyreosis. This can result in a development of autoimmunity thyreopathies. Our country has long belonged to regions with very low contents of iodine in the soil. Thus, under our conditions, the main sources of the iodine are the sea fish and further sea animals and, to a lesser extent, the eggs and milk. Based on a suggestion by prof. Françoise Délange, an inter-sector commission organizes every year the Day of Iodine in the Czech Republic on March 6th, which is a promoting campaign for the wide public. The day of iodine should remind the wide lay and professional public the importance of the presence of iodine in the food for the human health. The Czech Republic, in spite of having lack of natural iodine sources, successfully solved the problem of the iodine deficiency thanks to the intensive activity of the inter-sector commission for the solution of the iodine deficiency in cooperation with health professionals, with members of the state administration and with undertaking sectors. The prevention of the iodine insufficiency is one of targets of the long-term program of improving the health of the population "Health 21". Experience from countries, in which the iodine deficiency was also successfully faced, demonstrates in agreement with our experience that the global success does not hold for the whole population. There are groups of persons, who are ever more threatened by the iodine deficiency. In contrast, in certain groups of the population, there is an excess saturation with iodine. In the next period, we should more closely consider the optimisation of the iodine contents in food of animal origin, particularly in the milk, and at the education and provisions concerning meaningful use of nutritional supplements in the diet of humans and animals.

Application to the attitude aimed at man (PCA) in the relationship nurse - patient

Nursing

Marcela Verešová

Kontakt 2007, 9(2):260-263 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2007.040

In the communication presented here, the application of basic principles of the attitude aimed at man (known as sufficient conditions of helping relationship) to nursing activity, particularly to the relationship between the nurse and patient, is explained. The founder of the PCA, Carl R. Rogers defined the following three central principles: congruence, unconditioned positive acceptance and empathic understanding, provided that there are two people in a psychological contact: in our concept, they are in the interaction nurse - patient/client. We show that it is possible to learn basic skills aimed at man (PCA skills), which are mastered and employed by the nurse to provide conditions for discovering the developing and healing force in patients supporting constructive changes with full respecting and accepting the patient as a supreme human being by the nurse. In association with empathic understanding, as described by Rogers in the helping relationship therapist/consultant/helper, we differentiate the empathic skill and empathic listening in nurse, which can, together with the use of other PCA skills, support the development of patient characteristics tending to the integrated condition. We apply and particularly also modify theses expressed by Sollárová (2005) to conditions of the helping relationship nurse-patient (based on original theses by Rogers and their association with functioning of manager - Maedows), which summarize in nine points effective functioning of nurses in terms of taking advantage of the skill aimed at man in the direct contact with the patient/client.

Possible analogy between religious experience of applied Christianity and action of psychotherapy

Health and Social Sciences

Alena Kajanová

Kontakt 2007, 9(2):270-276 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2007.042

The article deals with a relationship between psychology and religion in terms of their action on the individual personality from the theoretical standpoint as well as from the standpoint of practical research focused on possible analogous features of the religion and psychotherapy. The theoretical part is aimed at historical associations between Christianity and psychology and/or psychotherapy and at psychological elements of religion. References to Jung teachings and Frankl logotherapy are primarily presented. In the practical part, the target of the described qualitative probe was mapping of the importance of the religious faith, description of its relationship to the normality and optimality of individuals and to empirical verification of "therapeutic" effects of the religious faith. The target group included 47 religious Christians 18 to 45 years of age actively practicing their faith. The examination was carried out in the cities Třeboň and České Budějovice. It was based on a structured interview in the form of a questionnaire comprising open and closed questions with a combination of a semantic differential - point scale. The results of the examination supplemented by knowledge acquired by a secondary analysis of data comprising inter alia thematically similarly aimed researches indicated that in religious people, the religious faith is a source of the meaning of life and hope and that it simultaneously determines contents of the life of the religious people. The faith considerably enters the everyday life of each religious person and his/her attitudes to the life; it forms a foundation stone of his/her moral attitudes, and in attitudes to him/her it shows more clearly the general striving throughout the life. The religion also represents a considerable value in the ladder of values in the life of the subjects. In many directions, effects of the religious faith are similar to effects of certain psychotherapeutic approaches. However, in addition to the therapeutic effect, there is also a considerable personal benefit of the religion for the religious person as an individual.

Current trends in examination of undesirable events in the health service system

Health and Social Sciences

Martin Rydlo

Kontakt 2007, 9(2):296-303 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2007.046

The main target of examination of failures in providing the health care is prevention of repeating undesirable events. Two approaches are possible in the examination of failures: personal and systemic approaches, where each of them employs a different method and presents different starting points for the solution of the failure. Understanding of differences between the two approaches mentioned is of a considerable practical importance. The more frequently used personal approach puts emphasize on the failure itself and the systemic approach is focused on formation of protective barriers against all the risks in providing the health care. Most failures in providing the health care have their individual and institutional levels. The failure is usually caused by a non-standard procedure performed by a healthcare professional on the one hand, and by supporting factors on the other. In the course of the examination, the damaged patient should be provided with an extraordinary and complex care, but the specific support of relevant healthcare professionals can also be necessary. The systemic approach to solving undesirable events is ethically more advantageous from the standpoint of patients as well as healthcare professionals and management since it offers a complex prevention of repeating the failure.

Aboriginal People - original nations in Canada (Introduction to problems of their social position)

Health and Social Sciences

Eva Davidová, Magdaléna Vošalíková

Kontakt 2007, 9(2):331-342 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2007.051

The problem of original nations in Canada is still an unsolved question, which is in addition insufficiently known in its roots and thus, it is not understood in many directions. The authors indicates the historical-social development of Canadian original inhabitants in association with an outline of the origination and development of the Canadian society, when immigrants of European origin came just to the territory of these original nations, which was stepwise colonized by them. They trie to introduce problems of the contemporary social position of these Aboriginals - i.e. Indians (First Nations) in Canada, also frequently referred to as First Peoples or Native People, Inuits, and Métis i.e. half-breeds of European immigrants and original inhabitants in delimitation of their groups and main tribes.
North-American Indians (First Nations) living in the territory of Canada obviously as early as from the 10th century B.C. are still most numerous of these three groups - more than 600,000 of them live there: 58% in reservations and 42% in big cities. They saved their culture to a certain extent, some traditions, faith and languages of their tribes - these are still particularly the tribes of Algonquins, Iroquiois, Mohawks, Cree and Ojibway. However, of the total number of 50 traditional aboriginal languages, only three of them have a chance to survive: Cree, Ojibway and Mohawks. There is currently a considerable difference between those living in reservations and the others living in cities, where assimilation effects are more considerable with positive as well as negative consequences.
Inuits, for centuries referred to as Eskimos, consider themselves as a nation, though if one of the smallest and most interesting ones, who reached the territory of the today Canada about 4000 years ago, inhabit extensive areas of the territory Nunavut, Northwest Territories, North Coast of Labrador and North Québeck. In a majority of their community, they still speak the language Inuktikut and many of them saved their traditional style of life though if it is recently being rapidly changed, mainly as to the way of dwelling and feeding in those, who already live in cities together with other people.
Métis are the youngest group, which was formed in the 18th century by mixing - marriages or living together of French, British or Scottish immigrants with nativel women. About 350,000 their descendants still live in certain Canadian provinces.
In the conclusive part of the contribution, the author presents suggests that a consideration should be discussed, concerning a possible comparison of problems of the current position and changing life style of Aboriginal people, mainly of First Nations and Inuits, with partially analogous problems of currently existing Romany communities in our society. In these two groups, there is not only the outstanding problem of their position in our society but also similar severe adverse effects of forceful assimilation pressures on their ethnicity and value-orientation on the part of the society in Canada and in the former Czechoslovakia, respectively, in the l950'th to 1980'th. The Canadian society is aware of the currently existing outstanding problems in this field and it searches for new approaches to their solution, which is also objectively supporte

Autonomy, Independence and the Satisfaction of Needs of the Elderly People

Health and Social Sciences

Lenka Motlová

Kontakt 2007, 9(2):343-352 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2007.052

The theoretical part describes concepts of the autonomy, heteronomy, dependence and independence in old age and relationships between each other. The author deals with the classification of needs, with their importance and satisfying needs of senior. The autonomy is defined by Pichaud and Thareau (1998) as a capability of conducting the live in accordance with one's own rules. Within this concept, the meaning of the world autonomy is close to the world freedom. To be autonomous in older age means to make free decisions about one's own style of life. The heteronomy is the concept opposite to the autonomy. If we speak about the heteronomy in old age, this means that a senior cannot make free decisions about his/her style of life and that his/her behaviour and decisions are subjected to a control or management by other people. The dependence and independence in the old age is associated with self-sufficiency of the senior. The self-sufficiency is defined as his/her ability to take adequate care of himself/herself and of his/her household. The self-sufficiency has its physical, psychical, social and material components. In the practical part, there are results of questionnaire examinations, which concern satisfying needs of seniors in an old people's home or in a boarding house and of those living in their own households. The research was implemented from the beginning of July to the half of August 2004 in the South-Bohemian region and the target of the research was determination, whether physiological requirements, necessary safety, social means, requirements for autonomy, need of self-fulfilment and development of their own activities are satisfied in the old people's home and in the boarding house. A question was also considered, whether seniors living in home environment are independent of or dependent on the help of the other person.

Recent knowledge in the theory of trigger points

Biomedicine

Petr Šifta

Kontakt 2007, 9(2):387-390 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2007.059

The theory of trigger points is commonly used in rehabilitation medicine. We can meet it in books by prof. Lewit (1) or Janda, but its aetiology has not yet been described and it was not explained, what is the structure of a trigger point in terms of histology and anatomy. Sites of trigger points are furthermore described, but there is no information why they were formed and mainly in what way. Thus, lack of data in this field suggested me to perform a deeper study and literature search work to find answers to the following questions, which are simultaneously the main target of the present article:
1. Do trigger points exist or do they represent a fictitious concept only?
2. Is it necessary to deal with the problem anymore?
3. What is the aetiology of the trigger point formation?
4. What is the effect of the trigger point on the human organism?
In terms of methodology, the work is mainly a deeper literature search study, which is aimed at Czech as well as foreign authors and its result should be finding answers to the questions presented above.
It is of interest that there are not many special articles, which could explain and describe the origination of the trigger points. A great body of literature is only aimed at the location of the trigger points and not at their origination.
The result of the literature search study is presented in the subsequent text, which contains the questions considered with attempts to bring integral information on the last knowledge in the study of the trigger points.
The contents of the work may be divided into two parts: theoretical part, which is focused on the aetiopathogenesis of the trigger points formation and practical part comprising a summarizing description of the use of theoretical knowledge in practice.

The physiotherapeutic method by Mojžíšová

Biomedicine

Hana Konečná

Kontakt 2007, 9(2):422-424 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2007.064

Infertility becomes an ever more important health and psychosocial problem not only in the dying out European population. Evermore effective methods are being searched for, which should help solve the problem. The Czech Republic has an original physiotherapeutic method, the effect of which was demonstrated: the method by Mojžíšová. The method is relatively old but it is still seldom used in the Czech Republic. Foreigners interested in the treatment are encountered, but the method is not available in their countries. The target of the present work was to describe the method and possibilities of its use. The input data were results of studies investigating the method efficacy and the qualitative research of psychosocial problems associated with involuntary lack of children, which was carried out by the author of the method and published in her monograph On the Quest for a Child.
The principle of the method by Mojžíšová is the fact that there are reflex relationships between the spine and internal organs. The human body is considered as a system, where dysfunction in its one part affects its other parts. The therapy is based on an intervention into the neuromuscular apparatus of the fundus of the uterus with the help of special exercise performed every day and intervention provided every month by a physiotherapist having a special training. The efficacy of the method is repeatedly supported not only in infertility (about 30%), but also in dysmenorrhoea, dyspareunia and vertebral problems. The method is cheap, exerts no adverse side effects and possesses a big psychotherapeutic potential. It is definitely an important part of the biopsychosocial approach to reproduction medicine. For those, who are interested in the method, web sites are available in English: www.mojzis-methods.com.

Specific features of unemployment in the countryside - regionalstudy

Health and Social Sciences

Marie Drlíková, Zuzana Tupá

Kontakt 2005, 7(1-2):75-80 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2005.015

The unemployment in the countryside is based on certain non-specific problems, which are characteristic for the whole Czech society. On the other hand, there are also problems characteristic only for the considered region with respect to regional specific features of particular regions.
There is still a problem of a group of citizens, who remained unemployed after their release from the agricultural production. The social profile of this group of inhabitants of the country can be characterized as a group of citizen with rather low education and insufficient experience for independent undertaking activity, who encounter a number of problems when searching for the employment. The countryside also ever encounters a considerable lack of interest on the part of investors. Certain regional differences can be, however, present between particular regions within the country areas. For example, the vicinity of larger enterprises in the agglomerated axis of cities of the county of Tabor also presents certain undertaking opportunities for neighboring villages - in contrast to less industrial cities of the county of Písek.

Cognitive analysis of important factors of the therapeutic efficacy of the organization of Anonymous Alcoholics

Nursing

Roman Pešek, Kvetoslava Kotrbová, Oto Masár, Vladimír Vurm

Kontakt 2006, 8(1):44-54 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2006.008

The article deals with the self-help community of Anonymous Alcoholics (AA). In the first part of the communication, the definition of the community of the AA is presented, its history is briefly mentioned and the current state of the AA in the world, in the Czech Republic and in České Budějovice is outlined. Two frequently considered myths associated with the AA are questioned. The course of AA meetings is analyzed from the substantial and formal standpoints and several notes are presented concerning the basic program of the AA, based on twelve steps. The second part of the text deals with the rational analysis of certain main diagnostic recommendations, which help the alcoholics to maintain the sobriety. Therapeutic mechanisms are subsequently analyzed, which exert positive effects within group meetings of the AA. In the conclusive part of the article, problems of the relapse in members of the AA are discussed and certain data are presented concerning drug-dependent clients and pathological gamblers, who participate in the AA meetings.

Philosophy of social sciences, society and globalization

Health and Social Sciences

Miroslav Sapík

Kontakt 2006, 8(1):66-71 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2006.011

The contribution presented here offers principal information about the form of contemporary civilization, nature, causes and main subjects of the globalization process. Positive as well as negative consequences of the globalization process are assessed. The explanation is aimed at main problems induced by the globalization in all the currently existing relevant fields of the social life (economic, political, social and demographic). A special attention is paid to cultural consequences and to the escalation of environmental problems.
The origination, development and social impacts of the globalization are considered. The globalization has extensive social consequences. The most important effects are the potentiation of the unequal social and economic development resulting from the fact that companies, individuals and through their mediation also localities, municipalities and countries have different power and capability of their active participation in the globalization.

Personal computers and persons with poor sight

Health and Social Sciences

Radka Prázdná

Kontakt 2006, 8(1):95-98 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2006.015

The text presents an outline of problems of computer art and communication technologies in association with persons with poor sight. The author divided the scope of the article into integral parts, which are also aimed at multidisciplinary issues. After general introduction of compensatory importance of communication technologies, the reader is familiarized with brief historical development in the field of interest. Further attention is paid to description of digital reading and touching devices. Possibilities are mentioned of taking advantage of the voice software, readers of graphic environments and Braillean peripheries. Wide possibilities of using internet as a tool compensating for the access to data are outlined in a further part of the text. Limits and barrier nature of further web portals are also considered here. In the conclusive part, perspectives of further development of the compensating technique for the minority of interest are considered and information is presented on new technologies brought by certain research teams. The principal subject of the whole text is the psycho-social importance of the computer art for persons with poor sight as a tool for the optimization of life conditions.

Role of the father as a factor affecting the child development

Health and Social Sciences

Michaela Šimková, Adéla Kubičková

Kontakt 2006, 8(1):99-105 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2006.016

The contemporary role of fathers may be understood as so called crisis of fathers due to the fact that the fathers have lost many things that formed their status. Roles fulfilled by father and mother in the child life are different, but this does not mean that either of them is more or less important. The smallest participation of fathers in taking care of children is characteristic for their earliest age. This participation is typically enhanced when the child starts walking and speaking. Their largest contribution to the child upbringing takes place in the child age up to 15 years. Numerous psychological investigations demonstrated that the period of the preschool age is extraordinarily important, if not critical, for the creation of parent attitudes. Some fathers state that they would be happy, if they were able to take more care of their children, but as husbands and fathers they are due to support the family. Their behaviour is determined by the structure of the labour market in our country. The target of the research implemented was to provide mapping of opinions of the public concerning the role of fathers in the family as a factor affecting the child life. Anonymous examination based on the use of on-line questionnaires was being performed from October through December 2005 in the city of Strakonice. The rate of the return of the questionnaires was of 66%. The sample examined comprised 201 respondents. The results of the research suggested that 50.5% of respondents consider the roles of men and women as equivalent. Forty-five percent of respondents considered the role of men to be inferior to that of women.

Chemical radioprotective substances: The past, the present and the future

Biomedicine

Pavel Kuna

Kontakt 2006, 8(1):112-122 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2006.019

The development of nuclear weapons, growing consumption of electric energy produced by atomic power plants and their nuclear accidents, everyday radiotherapy of oncological patients and long-term flight of man into cosmic space are reasons for intensive radiobiological research. The main purpose is to find effective, non-toxic chemical compounds, which would be able to protect mammals against different types of postirradiation damage.

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