Cent Eur J Public Health 2019, 27(1)
Patterns of alternative tobacco product experimentation among ever smoker adolescents
Melinda Pénzes, Kristie L. Foley, Péter Balázs, Róbert Urbán
Cent Eur J Public Health 2019, 27(1):3-9 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a5364 
Objectives: Alternative tobacco product (ATP) use is popular among adolescents in Western countries, however, little is known about factors influencing ATP experimentation in Europe. The aim of this study was to explore factors associated with ATP experimentation, and to identify patterns of ATP experimentation among Hungarian adolescents who had ever tried manufactured cigarette smoking. Methods: Logistic regression analyses were applied to estimate the relationship between individual cigarette smoking experiences, social smoking influences, demographics, and ATP experimentation (roll-your-own (RYO) cigarettes, cigars/cigarillos, waterpipe, traditional...
Relationship between physical activity, dietary intake and bone parameters in 10-12 years old Hungarian boys and girls
Márta Szmodis, Edit Bosnyák, Anna Protzner, Gábor Szőts, Emese Trájer, Miklós Tóth
Cent Eur J Public Health 2019, 27(1):10-16 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a5140
Objectives: Physical activity (PA) and adequate macro- and micronutrient intake have favourable influence on the bone status. The aim of this study was to analyse the relationships among PA, anthropometric data, dietary intake and ultrasound bone characteristics in children. Methods: 10-12 years old Hungarian children (N = 123, 59 girls, 64 boys) provided physical activity, diet, anthropometric and bone data. PA was measured with accelerometer (Actigraph GT3X+). Diet was evaluated with three-day, 24-hour food recall. Calcaneal quantitative ultrasound (QUS) bone parameters were registered with Sonost3000 bone densitometer. Results: Nutrition and anthropometry...
Examination of life quality, mental conditions and cognitive status of people over the age of 90: Results of a Hungarian local research
Ibolya Czibere, Andrea Rácz, Henrietta Szilvási, Zita Szikszai, Sándor Imre
Cent Eur J Public Health 2019, 27(1):17-23 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a4753
Objectives: The study presents the findings of a quantitative research conducted among people aged over 90, who live in a large town of Hungary, Debrecen. The aim of the research was to examine the lifestyle, attitudes, values, and physical and mental condition of old and long-lived people. We laid a special emphasis on the exploration of the life perspectives, mood and mental youth, and their interconnections. Methods: The sociological questionnaire used for data collection (159 questions) was intended to inquire socio-demographic characteristics, dietary habits, health condition, physical activity, and identity features. Further examinations were...
Socioeconomic status, health related behaviour, and self-rated health of children living in Roma settlements in Hungary
Attila Sárváry, Zsigmond Kósa, Renáta Erdei Jávorné, Anikó Gyulai, Péter Takács, János Sándor, Andrea Sárváry, Ágnes Németh, Réka Halmai, Róza Ádány
Cent Eur J Public Health 2019, 27(1):24-31 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a4726
Objective: The poor health of Roma is well documented, but there is only limited data regarding the health of Roma children. The aim of this study was to describe the socioeconomic status, health related behaviour, and health of children living in segregated Roma settlements, and to compare the data with that of non-Roma children. Methods: In March-April of 2011, a cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey among 11-year-old (211 boys and 252 girls) and 13-year-old (205 boys and 247 girls) children living in Roma settlements was performed (response rate: 91.5%). These data were compared with data from the Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC)...
Influence of physical factors of apartments, educational attainment, nationality and unemployment on the number of Cimex lectularius inquiries
Attila J. Trájer, Tamás Hammer, Zsolt Szigeti
Cent Eur J Public Health 2019, 27(1):32-36 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a4978
Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the effect of physical factors of apartments, educational attainment, nationality and unemployment on the number and distribution of bed bug call inquiries in Budapest, Hungary. Methods: Educational attainment, apartment conditions, the level of unemployment, the ratio of dependent people in the households, nationality and proportion of dependent people were selected as regressors. Monthly ambient temperature values were correlated with monthly call inquiry numbers. Results: Downtown units showed the highest call inquiry rates. Significant positive correlations were found between the call inquiry rates...
Effects of FABP2 Ala54Thr gene polymorphism on obesity and metabolic syndrome in middle-aged Korean women with abdominal obesity
Tae-Kyung Han, Wi-Young So
Cent Eur J Public Health 2019, 27(1):37-43 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a5077
Objectives: Asians (including Chinese, Japanese and Koreans), who generally have a relatively smaller body size and a lower mean body mass index (BMI), have a relatively higher risk of developing android-type obesity than westerners. Substitution of alanine for threonine (Ala54Thr) on the FABP2 gene (rs 1799883) is related to insulin resistance and obesity. However, few studies have examined this substitution in Koreans, and the number of Korean subjects in those studies is limited. For this reason, we investigated the differences between the FABP2 Ala54Thr polymorphism and obesity, hemodynamic variables, blood lipid profile results,...
Influenza vaccination prevalence among the elderly and individuals with chronic disease, and factors affecting vaccination uptake
Pinar Korkmaz, Türkan Paşali Kilit, Kevser Onbaşi, Duru Mistanoglu Ozatag, Onur Toka
Cent Eur J Public Health 2019, 27(1):44-49 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a5231
Objective: Our aim is to evaluate influenza vaccination rates among the elderly and individuals with underlying chronic disease, and factors that affect vaccination uptake. Methods: The study comprised individuals aged 18-65 years with underlying chronic diseases, and individuals aged over 65 years. Literature-based questionnaires prepared by the researcher regarding vaccination were completed through face-to-face interviews by the principal investigator. Results: A total of 818 participants were included in the study, 257 (31.4%) were males. The mean age of participants was 57.47 ± 14.11 years; 274 (33.5%) were aged 65 years and over. One hundred...
HIV testing among people who inject drugs in Ivanovo and Novosibirsk, Russia
Elizabeth J. King, Linda M. Niccolai, Ksenia U. Eritsyan, Robert Heimer, Olga S. Levina
Cent Eur J Public Health 2019, 27(1):50-53 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a4831
Objective: HIV testing among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Russia has been documented to be low; however, few studies have been conducted outside of the major metropolitan cities. The aim of this study was to determine how many PWID were aware of their HIV serostatus and what motivators were associated with getting tested for HIV. Methods: Our analysis describes HIV testing behaviours among 593 PWID in Ivanovo and Novosibirsk, Russia. Participants completed a questionnaire and consented to HIV testing. We used logistic regression modelling to determine demographic and behavioural correlates of HIV testing. Results: Self-reported history of HIV...
HIV incidence among men who have sex with men at a community-based facility in Greece
Georgios K. Nikolopoulos, Sophocles Chanos, Emmanouil Tsioptsias, Ioannis Hodges-Mameletzis, Dimitra Paraskeva, Nikos Dedes
Cent Eur J Public Health 2019, 27(1):54-57 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a4856
Objective: Men who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionately affected by HIV in Greece. However, research on HIV incidence in this group is lacking. This study aimed at estimating HIV incidence among MSM in Athens, Greece. Methods: The analysis included routinely collected data between January 2013-June 2015 from adult MSM who visited a community-based facility (Ath Checkpoint) at least twice and were non-reactive to the rapid INSTITM HIV-1/HIV-2 assay at baseline. HIV conversion rates were calculated by dividing the number of clients who became reactive by the person-years of observation. All statistical analyses including Poisson...
Panton-Valentine leukocidin and staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec characterization of community acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Velma Rebić, Ana Budimir, Mufida Aljicević, Sabina Mahmutović Vranić, Damir Rebić
Cent Eur J Public Health 2019, 27(1):58-63 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a4979
Objectives: Staphylococcus aureus (SA) represents one of the most important microorganism that is part of the normal microflora of humans, but in certain conditions can cause very serious infections. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is responsible for a wide spectrum of nosocomial and community associated infections worldwide. The aim of this study was to determine community acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA), as well as the frequency of Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) genes and staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) types in isolates obtained from outpatients in the region of 700,000 people (Canton Sarajevo,...
Potential role of Emergency Medical System call centres in epidemiological surveillance of seasonal influenza
Pedro Arcos González, Sergio Pérez García, Rafael Castro Delgado
Cent Eur J Public Health 2019, 27(1):64-67 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a4768
Objectives: Seasonal influenza causes high morbidity worldwide and high mortality in developing countries. As a result, the development of systems for seasonal influenza surveillance has been of great interest. The aim of this study is to explore the potential role of an Emergency Medical System (EMS) call centre to complement traditional surveillance systems of seasonal influenza. Methods: Retrospective observational study in which data on influenza from the system of Notifiable Diseases List (Spanish acronym EDO) and Sentinel Physicians Network (Spanish acronym RMC) were compared with information on calls made to the Principality of Asturias EMS...
Added value of human biomonitoring in assessment of general population exposure to xenobiotics
Katarína Kromerová, Vladimír Bencko
Cent Eur J Public Health 2019, 27(1):68-72 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a5348
Human biomonitoring (HBM) has a wide range of applications and long tradition both in health care and the field of public health. Its major advantage is the integration of all exposure routes and sources. Since HBM information is an integrated exposure finding it offers the opportunity to trace and mimic a realistic exposure scenario. It reduces the number of assumptions that need to be made when estimating exposure and thus helps to reduce the uncertainties in exposure science. In spite of some challenges, such as further harmonization in the area of HBM, necessity of deriving equivalents of markers of external exposure and addressing the ethical...
Contact sensitization to ingredients of dental materials and cosmetics in dental students: a pilot study
Maya Grigorievna Lyapina, Maria Stoyanova Dencheva
Cent Eur J Public Health 2019, 27(1):73-77 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a4756
Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the rate of contact sensitization to selected cosmetic allergens, i.e. ingredients of dental materials, in students of dental medicine and dental patients. Methods: A total of 50 participants were included in the study: 40 students of dental medicine exposed to the studied allergens during the course of practical education; and 10 randomly selected dental patients without occupational exposure to the investigated substances served as a control group. All of them were patch-tested with colophonium, myroxylon pereirae resin, paraben mix, fragrance mix I, isopropyl myristate, triclosan, polysorbate 80,...
Epidemics caused by contamination of drinking water supplied by public water supply systems in terms of current legislation
Vít Vlček
Cent Eur J Public Health 2019, 27(1):78-82 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a5093
Objectives: This paper describes and comments on contemporary legislation concerning prevention of epidemics caused by contaminated drinking water from public water supplies in the Czech Republic. Methods: Suggestions are made for removing existing legislative shortcomings, clarifying diction of existing laws and expanding sanctions and penalties for health injury caused by providers and operators of public drinking water. Results: The author reflects on improving legislation concerning the compensation of victims of contaminated water with reference to the aftermath of a local epidemic in the Dejvice District of Prague. Conclusion: The issues raised...
Correction to: HSPB7 gene polymorphism associated with anthropometric parameters of obesity and fat intake in a Central European population
Tereza Pavlová, Jan Novák, Filip Zlámal, Julie Bienertová-Vašků
Cent Eur J Public Health 2019, 27(1):83 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a5752
We would like to submit the following correction to our recently published paper due to an error in the Table 2. The corrected Table 2 is given below by the PDF icon.