Taking over the responsibility for one's own health and active participation in eliminating the existing health problems is ever more widespread in the world. Self-medication in the form of using any ...kind of therapy without previous consultation with medical professionals has been ever more common among student populations in many countries. The aim of this study was to determine the attitudes about self-medication for pain relief and features of self-medication in first-year students of the University of Applied Health Studies in Zagreb.
The study was conducted using an anonymous questionnaire, which was completed by 389 respondents.
Taking painkillers in the past year was reported by 74.6% of respondents, significantly more by female students (80.8%); 62.6% of female students used painkillers once a month versus 45.7% of male students taking analgesics once a year. Ibuprofen was preferred by female students and acetylsalicylic acid by male students. Headache was the most common indication for taking painkillers (76.6%), followed by menstrual discomforts in female students (66.2%) and toothache (28.6%). Significant sex differences were recorded in the choice of drugs, indications for self-medication, and frequency of drug use. There were no differences between study courses.
Appropriate student education and improved information transfer between professionals and students are the key elements to ensure judicious, quality and knowledge based use of drugs among students.
This article provides a review of hazardous medical waste production and its management in Croatia. Even though Croatian regulations define all steps in the waste management chain, implementation of ...those steps is one of the country’s greatest issues. Improper practice is evident from the point of waste production to final disposal. The biggest producers of hazardous medical waste are hospitals that do not implement existing legislation, due to the lack of education and funds. Information on quantities, type and flow of medical waste are inadequate, as is sanitary control.
We propose an integrated approach to medical waste management based on a hierarchical structure from the point of generation to its disposal. Priority is given to the reduction of the amounts and potential for harm. Where this is not possible, management includes reduction by sorting and separating, pretreatment on site, safe transportation, final treatment and sanitary disposal. Preferred methods should be the least harmful for human health and the environment. Integrated medical waste management could greatly reduce quantities and consequently financial strains.
Landfilling is the predominant route of disposal in Croatia, although the authors believe that incineration is the most appropriate method. In a country such as Croatia, a number of small incinerators would be the most economical solution.
In 2009, we conducted a survey to assess the use of mercury-based thermometers and sphygmomanometers and their disposal in Croatian healthcare facilities. The questionnaire addressing the use of ...mercury-based medical devices, waste management, preferences between mercury-based and electronic devices, and the knowledge on mercury toxicity was filled by ward nurses affiliated with 40 (71.4 %) out of 56 contacted healthcare facilities. Only one of these facilities had given up the use of mercury-containing medical devices at the time. As many as 84.6 % of the nurses believed that broken devices did not increase the risk of mercury exposure, even though 90 % claimed they were aware of mercury toxicity. In fact, 69.4 % of the nurses preferred mercury-containing devices on account of their precision and reliability and because they received little training in the use of electronic devices.Breaking of thermometers and sphygmomanometers is common in healthcare facilities. The number of broken thermometers and sphygmomanometers was estimated to 278 and five per month, respectively. Only 18 (46.2 %) of the surveyed healthcare facilities claimed to have had a proper disposal procedure for mercury from broken devices. Nurses, who most often handle these devices and collect mercury spills, are primarily exposed to mercury vapours via inhalation. Croatia has adopted the EU Directive 76/769/EEC intended to reduce mercury exposure in the living and working environment. Our survey suggests that all healthcare professionals need training in proper management of broken mercury-based medical devices, nurses in particular. To reduce the risk of exposure, all Croatian healthcare facilities should implement guidelines for staff protection and programmes to gradually replace mercury-based with electronic devices.
Uz obavljanje poljoprivrednih poslova vezani su brojni zdravstveni problemi i ozljede. Djeca na obiteljskim posjedima obavljaju
različite poljoprivredne poslove, koji ih izlažu brojnim opasnostima i ...zdravstvenim rizicima što mogu uzrokovati ozljede. Cilj je utvrditi
postojeće stanje zaštite zdravlja i sigurnosti djece u poljoprivrednim kućanstvima u Požeško-slavonskoj županiji, opasnosti i
štetnosti što se javljaju prilikom obavljanja poljoprivrednih poslova radi uređivanja i donošenja specifi čnih mjera za zaštitu zdravlja
kojima se mogu otkloniti i smanjiti ozljede. Upitnikom su prikupljeni podatci o poljoprivrednim poslovima što su ih su djeca obavljala,
najčešćim ozljedama i primjeni zaštitne opreme. Istraživanje provedeno od rujna 2011. do svibnja 2012. godine pokazalo je da od
188-ero praćene djece njih 52,1% svakodnevno obavlja različite poljoprivredne poslove. Ozljede nastale prilikom obavljanja poljoprivrednih
poslova, okarakterizirane kao lakše i teže, zadobilo je 30,6% ispitanika. Najveći broj nastalih ozljeda uzrokovale su
mehaničke sile pri radu s poljoprivrednim strojevima, raznim ručnim alatima i pri radu sa životinjama. Na djecu kao članove poljoprivrednih
kućanstava ne primjenjuju se mjere i pravila sigurnosti za osiguranje njihove zaštite zdravlja, ni nadzor nad njihovom
primjenom temeljem postojećih zakona, jer nije zasnovan radni odnos. Prikazani podatci o stanju zaštite zdravlja djece upućuju na
potrebu proširivanja istraživanja zdravstvenog statusa djece u ruralnim područjima Republike Hrvatske i utjecaja obavljanja poljoprivrednih
poslova na pojavu ozljeda i bolesti, kao i pristupanju uređivanja i donošenja mjera kojima bi se djeci, kao članovima
poljoprivrednih kućanstava, osigurali sigurniji uvjeti rada i zaštite zdravlja.
Ozljede i bolesti mogu znatno utjecati na stvaralačku sposobnost, kreativnost i dostignuća umjetnika. Povezanost uvjeta i načina rada s pojavom bolesti u umjetnika prepoznata je već u srednjem ...vijeku. Tjelesna zahtjevnost izvedbe, gdje se tijelo koristi kao instrument izražavanja, može uzrokovati ozljede i razvoj profesionalnih bolesti koje mogu dovesti do nemogućnosti umjetničke interpretacije na očekivanoj razini, prekinuti aktivnosti i onemogućiti nastavak profesionalne karijere. Plesači su jedna od skupina umjetnika/izvođača koji su izloženi specifičnim rizicima i kojima treba specifična zdravstvena zaštita, što nije moguće ostvariti bez poznavanja mehanizama nastajanja ozljeda i uvažavanja posebnosti potreba plesača. Mnogi plesači teže visokim umjetničkim i estetskim kriterijima izvedbe, pri čemu često protežu svoje tjelesne mogućnosti i izdržljivost i zanemaruju vlastita tjelesna ograničenja. Zdravstveni problemi plesača obuhvaćaju čitav niz ozljeda, profesionalnih bolesti i bolesti vezanih uz rad koji se kreću od stresa i straha od nastupa sve do poremećaja u prehrambenim navikama. Također obuhvaćaju ozljede mišićno-koštanoga sustava, sindrome prenaprezanja i trenažnoga preopterećenja koje može uzrokovati karakterističnu topološku pojavu boli, koja je često početak kroničnih zdravstvenih problema kod plesača. Navedeni zdravstveni problemi plesača sve su češće područje zanimanja liječnika različitih specijalizacija, unaprjeđenja i provođenja preventivnih programa, dijagnostičkih metoda i liječenja u tom djelu populacije.
Injuries and diseases can significantly affect the creativity and artistic performance. The link between working conditions and artistic performance had been recognised as early as the medieval age. ...Physically demanding performance arts such as dance can sometimes result in injuries, illnesses, inability to perform, and even end artist's career. Dancers are exposed to specific risks and in need of specific medical care. Many dancers often stretch their physical capabilities and endurance and neglect their physical limitations. Their health problems include a number of work-related illnesses that range from stress and stage fright to metabolic and nutritional disorders. They also include musculoskeletal injuries due to overload training that are often the beginning of chronic health problems.
Floods can pose a number of safety and health hazards for flood-affected populations and rescuers and bring risk of injuries, infections, and diseases due to exposure to pathogenic microorganisms and ...different biological and chemical contaminants. The risk factors and possible health consequences for the rescuers involved in evacuation and rescuing operations during the May 2014 flood crisis in Croatia are shown, as well as measures for the prevention of injuries and illnesses. In cases of extreme floods, divers play a particularly important role in rescuing and first-response activities. Rescuing in contaminated floodwaters means that the used equipment such as diving suits should be disinfected afterwards. The need for securing the implementation of minimal health and safety measures for involved rescuers is paramount. Data regarding injuries and disease occurrences among rescuers are relatively scarce, indicating the need for medical surveillance systems that would monitor and record all injuries and disease occurrences among rescuers in order to ensure sound epidemiological data. The harmful effects of flooding can be reduced by legislation, improvement of flood forecasting, establishing early warning systems, and appropriate planning and education.
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