Objectives: Suicides of hospitalized patients present rare but very serious adverse events in healthcare settings. The aim of this article is to describe and analyse the facilities and material ...equipment of acute psychiatric settings in the Czech Republic and contrast these with recommendations for effective prevention of suicidal behaviour. Since there are currently no universally accepted protocols for risk assessment and prevention of suicides in hospital settings in the Czech Republic, these recommendations draw on international guidelines. Based on the outcomes of our study we provide recommendations for risk management and effective prevention of suicidal behaviour of patients hospitalized in acute care settings. Methods: In order to describe and analyse the environment of acute psychiatric wards in the Czech Republic we have developed a questionnaire based on international recommendations for risk management and prevention of suicidal behaviour. We also collected data on the prevalence of attempted and completed suicides and their respective methods in these hospitals. Results: We have established that acute psychiatric wards in the Czech Republic operate within insufficient safety regimes, especially with respect to the prevention of suicide by hanging and the accessibility of objects for cutting. Our findings demonstrate that only 75% of the wards are equipped with safety glass, and only 50% of the wards with safety mirrors. Only just over 40% of hospitals have safety door handles and shower heads. Conclusion: While it is impossible to entirely eliminate the risk of suicidal behaviour it is possible to manage it. The risk reduction is attainable by providing a safe-proofed environment and minimizing opportunities of suicide attempts by hanging and cutting. In order to effectively prevent suicides, it is essential to increase the awareness of the possibilities of safe proofing of the environment as well as standardization of risk assessment of potential suicidal behaviour of patients.
Background: Body balance control represents a key function for the physical activities of elderly people aged sixty-five and over. Due to the biological and psychosocial changes in this age group, ...yoga-based intervention appears to be beneficial to maintaining their ability to balance along with related mental aspects of health. Objective: The aim of the presented study was to examine the effects of the 4-week yoga-based intervention on balance, body composition and the mental health aspects of elderly men. Methods: 67-80-year-old elderly men (N = 234, mean age 72.5 ± 7.7 years) were assessed with The Tinetti Balance Assessment Tool, bioimpedance body composition analyser InBody 230 and the Health Survey SF-36, applied for the pre- and post-testing. The experimental group (n = 122) underwent the 4-week intervention based on yoga exercises, while the control group (n = 112) had a usual daily program at their senior homes or centers. Results: The yoga intervention led to significant improvement of both the static balance and gait scores compared to the control group, with medium effect size, ηp2 = .070 and .080. The intervention also had an effect on the decrease of body fat percentage (by 1.7%) and an increase in muscle mass (by 1.3 kg), with a large effect size, ηp2 = .214 and .301. Results of the Health Survey showed that overall mental health did not change significantly although positive improvement in two items connected with emotional problems. Conclusions: A short-term yoga-based intervention may have a significant positive influence on physical abilities such as balance control and body composition rather than on mental health aspects in elderly men aged sixty-five and over.
Body balance control represents a key factor preventing falls and subsequent injuries in seniors aged 65+. Intervention based on yoga exercises seem to be effective in improving balance.
The ...objective is to analyse and compare changes in static, dynamic, and total balance scores, changes in body composition and social indices as effects of yoga-based intervention.
A total of 500 participants (234 men aged 74.5 SD±7.74 and 266 women aged 76.9 SD±7.23) were assessed using the Tinetti Balance Assessment Tool, the InBody 230 bioimpedance body composition analyser, and the SF-36 Health Survey, applied to pre and post-testing. The experimental group (n=262; 122 males; 140 females) underwent a four-week yoga-based intervention, 30 minutes daily, while the control group (n=238; 112 males; 126 females) underwent its usual daily programme at senior homes or centres. The ANOVA model, consisting of the Group, Stage, Subject and Group × Stage interaction factors, was used for data evaluation.
Intervention led to improvements in the static, dynamic and total balance scores in the experimental group compared to the control group. The results of SF-36 showed positive changes in the psychosocial aspects of health, such as promoting of calmness and happiness in male seniors and reducing fatigue, nervousness and depression in female seniors. The post-intervention decrease in body fat percentage and increase in muscle mass in seniors is discussed.
The four-week yoga-based intervention had positive effects on the static, dynamic and total balance scores, body composition and social status.
Spa treatment can effectively reestablish mood balance in patients with psychiatric disorders. In light of the adrenal gland's role as a crossroad of psychosomatic medicine, this study evaluated ...changes in 88 circulating steroids and their relationships with a consolidation of somatic, psychosomatic and psychiatric components from a modified N-5 neurotic questionnaire in 46 postmenopausal 50+ women with anxiety-depressive complaints. The patients underwent a standardized one-month intervention therapy with physical activity and an optimized daily regimen in a spa in the Czech Republic. All participants were on medication with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. An increase of adrenal steroidogenesis after intervention indicated a reinstatement of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. The increases of many of these steroids were likely beneficial to patients, including immunoprotective adrenal androgens and their metabolites, neuroactive steroids that stimulate mental activity but protect from excitotoxicity, steroids that suppress pain perception and fear, steroids that consolidate insulin secretion, and steroids that improve xenobiotic clearance. The positive associations between the initial values of neurotic symptoms and their declines after the intervention, as well as between initial adrenal activity and the decline of neurotic symptoms, indicate that neurotic impairment may be alleviated by such therapy provided that the initial adrenal activity is not seriously disrupted.
Balance control is a critical task of daily life, the ability to maintain upright posture becomes of particular concern during aging when the sensory and motor system becomes deteriorated. Falls ...contribute to the most deaths caused by injury within the aged population, and the mortality rate following a fall is drastically elevated. Longitudinal and reliable assessment of balance control abilities is a critical point in the prediction of increased risk of falling in an elderly population. The primary aim of the study was to evaluate the efficiency of the Homebalance test in the identification of persons being at higher risk of falling. 135 subjects (82 women and 53 men) with geriatric syndrome have been recruited and the Homebalance and the Tinetti Balance test were performed. Results of both tests strongly correlated proving the good performance of the Homebalance test. Standing balance declines with increasing body mass index in both genders. Analysis of fluctuations of the center of pressure (COP) revealed higher frequency and magnitude in mediolateral direction COP movements when compared women to men. A strong negative correlation has been found between Tinetti static balance score and the total length of the COP trajectory during the examination on Homebalance (r = -0.6, p<0.001). Although both methods revealed good performance in detecting balance impairment, Homebalance test possesses higher precision due to the continuous nature of COP-derived parameters. In conclusion, our data proved that the Homebalance test is capable to identify persons with impaired balance control and thus are at higher risk of falling.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies demonstrated a relationship between sex and balance determinants in seniors; however, no study has focused on sex-related differences in static and ...dynamic balance performance after a physical intervention as primary interest. The aim was to investigate sex differences in the static and dynamic balance performance after a 4-week physical intervention based on yoga in seniors 65+ years of age. Five-hundred participants (234 males, 266 females) were assessed with the Tinetti Balance Assessment Tool in pre-and post-testing. The experimental group (122 males, 140 females) underwent the intervention, while the control group (112 males, 126 females) ran their usual daily program. ANCOVA model was used for the statistical evaluation of the results. No sex differences were found in balance performance after a short-term physical intervention in seniors 65+ years of age. At the same time, a significant positive shift was demonstrated in performance in both static and dynamic balance.
Aging, hormones and receptors Hill, M; Třískala, Z; Honců, P ...
Physiological Research,
09/2020, Volume:
69, Issue:
Suppl 2
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Ageing is accompanied by deterioration in physical condition and a number of physiological processes and thus a higher risk of a range of diseases and disorders. In particular, we focused on the ...changes associated with aging, especially the role of small molecules, their role in physiological and pathophysiological processes and potential treatment options. Our previously published results and data from other authors lead to the conclusion that these unwanted changes are mainly linked to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis can be slowed down, stopped, or in some cases even reversed by an appropriate treatment, but especially by a life-management adjustment.
Aging, Hormones and Receptors Hill, Martin; Třískala, Zdeněk; Honců, Pavla ...
Physiological research,
01/2020, Volume:
69
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Ageing is accompanied by deterioration in physical condition and a number of physiological processes and thus a higher risk of a range of diseases and disorders. In particular, we focused on the ...changes associated with aging, especially the role of small molecules, their role in physiological and pathophysiological processes and potential treatment options. Our previously published results and data from other authors lead to the conclusion that these unwanted changes are mainly linked to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis can be slowed down, stopped, or in some cases even reversed by an appropriate treatment, but especially by a life-management adjustment.
Martin Hill, Zdeněk Třískala, Pavla Honců, Milada Krejčí, Jiří Kajzar, Marie Bičíková, Leona Ondřejíková, Dobroslava Jandová, Ivan Sterzl.
Obsahuje bibliografii
Ageing is accompanied by deterioration ...in physical condition and a number of physiological processes and thus a higher risk of a range of diseases and disorders. In particular, we focused on the changes associated with aging, especially the role of small molecules, their role in physiological and pathophysiological processes and potential treatment options. Our previously published results and data from other authors lead to the conclusion that these unwanted changes are mainly linked to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis can be slowed down, stopped, or in some cases even reversed by an appropriate treatment, but especially by a life-management adjustment.
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