Abstract Objective Our aim was to assess the level and socio-demographic correlates of the ability to maintain health among children in Albania, a post-communist country in the Western Balkans. ...Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in Albania in September 2022. The study population consisted of a nationwide representative sample of 7,831 schoolchildren (≈54% girls) aged 12–15 years. A structured self-administered and anonymous questionnaire inquired about the children’s attitudes toward health promotion (ability to maintain and improve health) and a range of key dimensions on knowledge and practices regarding healthcare services. Socio-demographic data were also collected. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the socio-demographic correlates of children’s ability to maintain health. Results Overall, about 71% of schoolchildren exhibited the best attitudes toward health promotion (ability to maintain and improve health). In the multivariable adjusted logistic regression models, poorer attitudes toward health promotion (ability to maintain and improve health) were significantly related to older age (OR=1.2, 95% CI=1.0–1.3), middle/low maternal education (OR=1.2, 95%CI=1.1–1.3), poor/very poor economic situation (OR=1.5, 95%CI=1.2–1.8), lack of appropriate knowledge about rights to healthcare (OR=1.3, 95% CI=1.1–1.5), lack of knowledge about obtaining healthcare services (OR=1.7, 95%CI=1.4–2.2), and lack of consultations/visits with health professionals excluding vaccinations (OR=1.2, 95%CI=1.1–1.4). Conclusions Almost 1/3 rd of Albanian schoolchildren included in this study did not exhibit the best attitudes toward health promotion (ability to maintain and improve health). The best attitudes were related to a higher socioeconomic level and adequate knowledge and practices regarding healthcare services. There is thus a need to increase health literacy levels among children in order to ultimately induce sustainable healthy behavioural/lifestyle practices.
The aim of the survey was to assess the differences in disclosure by the type of violence to better plan the role of health services in identifying and disclosing violence.
A validated, anonymous ...screening questionnaire (NorAQ) for the identification of female victims of violence was offered to all postpartum women at a single maternity unit over a three-month period in 2014. Response rate was 80% (1018 respondents). Chi square test was used for statistical analysis (p<0.05 significant).
There are differences in disclosure by type of violence. Nearly half (41.5%) of violence by health care services was not reported, compared to 33.7% physical, 23.4% psychological, and 32.5% sexual that was reported. The percentage of violence in intimate partnership reported to health care staff is low (9.3% to 20.8%), but almost half of the violence experienced by heath care services (44%) is reported. Intimate partnership violence is more often reported to the physician than to the psychologist or social worker. Violence in health care service is reported also to nurses.
Disclosure enables various institutions to start with the procedures aimed at protecting victims against violence. Health workers should continuously encourage women to speak about violence rather than asking about it only once. It is also important that such inquiries are made on different levels of health care system and by different health care professions, since there are differences to whom women are willing to disclose violence.
PDF