Biography
Professor Beata Karakiewicz - Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin for the 2012-2020 term. Since 2005, the Head of the Department of Social Medicine and Public Health, Chair of Social Medicine. Her main point of interest in research are the issues concerning public health and environmental medicine. Author of many publications touching on the problems of disabled people - both physically and mentally, the chronically ill, people addicted to psychoactive drugs and HIV-positive people.
Abstract
Introduction: Violence is a common phenomenon in everyday life. It can affect anyone, regardless of gender, age, health or economic status. Increasingly, attention is being paid to violence against women, children, the elderly and people with disabilities, but there is still little talk about violence experienced either by people with mental disorders. The aim of the study was to analyze the phenomenon of violence among people treated psychiatrically in the municipality of Szczecin, Poland. Material and methods: The research was carried out in Poland, in 2017, by means of a diagnostic survey. Our own questionnaire was used for the study. It was used to carry out research on the phenomenon of violence among 95 people who were psychiatrically treated, using help in day care centers for people with mental disorders. Respondents answered questions about various aspects of the phenomenon of violence. They filled the questionnaire in the presence of a therapist, psychologist or social worker. Results: Men treated psychiatrically more often experienced violence than women. The average age of the respondents was about 45 years. Almost all respondents were single people (87 people). Physical violence was the most common among people treated psychiatrically and experiencing violence (Fig. 1). Conclusions: Violence in the psychiatric community is a long-term phenomenon. The dominant duration of victim violence is 5 years and more. It is essential to introduce tools to verify the occurrence of violence among psychiatric patients by therapists performing tasks for psychiatric patients.
Biography
Paulina Zabielska, PhD - Employee of Department of Social Medicine and Public Health, Chair of Social Medicine of the Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin. Her main point of interest in research are the issues concerning public health and environmental medicine
Abstract
Introduction: The EUROSTAT data shows that Poles occupy one of the last places among the residents of the EU who feel psychologically well. Meanwhile, subject literature treats optimism as a resource that makes life easier for everyone. The purpose of the research was to analyse the influence of a positive attitude towards life on the functioning of long-living persons. Material and methods: The research was conducted in Poland in 2017. Among the participants of the survey, there were 98 long-living women and men between 90 and 103 years of age, out of which 64,9% declared a positive attitude towards life, 27,8% - an indifferent attitude and 7,2% - a negative. The study was conducted with the use of a direct surveying method. The questionnaire consisted of instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) evaluation scale, basic activities of daily living (ADL) evaluation scale, Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), pressure sore risk assessment scale (Norton) and a proprietary questionnaire. Results: The surveyed long-living persons mostly demonstrated good functionality, 74,5% among all the seniors proved themselves to be self-reliant in performing basic activities and 46,9% in instrumental activities. In both measurements of functionality in daily living, the seniors declaring a positive attitude towards life achieved higher scores than those with an indifferent and negative attitude. Attitude towards life very clearly differentiated the surveyed seniors with regard to aggravation of symptoms of depression. A moderate aggravation of depression was demonstrated by 34,4% seniors with a positive attitude and 47% with a negative attitude, whereas a serious aggravation of the problem was characteristic of only 7,8% of the respondents from the first group and as much as 41% of the seniors from the second group. Conclusions: A positive attitude towards life has a beneficial influence on self-reliance; it reduces manifestations of depressive disorders and diminishes the risk of the development of pressure sores.