Self-rated health (SRH) is a health measure related to future health, mortality, healthcare services utilization and quality of life. Various sociodemographic, health and lifestyle determinants of SRH have been identified in different populations. The aim of this study is to extend SRH literature in the Greek population. This is a cross-sectional study conducted in rural communities between 2001 and 2003. Interviews eliciting basic demographic, health-related and lifestyle information (smoking, physical activity, diet, quality of sleep and religiosity) were conducted. The sample consisted of 1,519 participants, representative of the rural population of Tripoli. Multinomial regression analysis was conducted to identify putative SRH determinants. Among the 1,519 participants, 489 (32.2%), 790 (52%) and 237 (15.6%) rated their health as “very good”, “good” and “poor” respectively. Female gender, older age, lower level of education and impaired health were all associated with worse SRH, accounting for 16.6% of SRH variance. Regular exercise, healthier diet, better sleep quality and better adherence to religious habits were related with better health ratings, after adjusting for sociodemographic and health-related factors. BMI and smoking did not reach significance while exercise and physical activity exhibited significant correlations but not consistently across SRH categories. Our results support previous findings indicating that people following a more proactive lifestyle pattern tend to rate their health better. The role of stress-related neuroendocrinologic mechanisms on SRH and health in general is also discussed.

Objective: To validate a Greek version of the structured self-reported 8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8) and determine its psychometric properties in patients with chronic illnesses. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in a small public hospital and a public health care centre, in a rural town in western Greece. The sample consisted of 100 patients with various chronic illnesses. Data were collected between January-May 2011, on the Greek version of the MMAS-8 and Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire (BMQ). Results: Scale's reliability analysis revealed an overall Cronbach's alpha of 0.753 and the corrected item to total correlations, were greater than 0.30 for each of the 8 items comprising the medication adherence scale, showing good internal consistency. Convergent validity was supported by a significant correlation between the present scale's total score and the BMQ-Specific Necessity score (Spearman's rho = 0.492, p < 0.001). Conclusion: The current study showed acceptable reliability and validity of the Greek version of the 8-item MMAS to measure adherence to medications for various chronic illnesses. The validated Greek version of the MMAS-8 can help towards understanding adherence barriers in Greece so as to develop effective strategies to increase adherence and reduce the costs.

Changes in visiting policies in Greece are needed to meet the needs of relatives adequately. Recommendations for changes with minimal investment of time and funding are made.

Critical care hospitalisation is emotionally overwhelming for the relatives of patients. Research has shown that religiosity is an effective coping resource for people with health related problems and has been correlated with better health outcomes. However the processes by which religiosity is utilized and its effects on relatives of critically ill patients have not been adequately explored. This article presents relatives' experiences and processes of religiosity; it is part of a wider grounded theory study on the experiences of critically ill patients' relatives in Greece. Twenty-five relatives of patients in the intensive care units of three public general district hospitals in Athens, Greece, participated in 19 interviews. Religiosity was found to be the main source of hope, strength and courage for relatives and was expressed with church/monastery attendance, belief in God, praying, and performing religious rituals. Health care professionals should pay attention and understand these aspects of coping.

It is best if end-of-life care in the ICU is planned and coordinated, where possible. Nurses need to become more self-reflective and aware in relation to end-of-life situations in ICU in order to develop privacy practices that are responsive to family and patient needs.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of a stress management program regarding mitigating psychological repercussions in women who experience intimate partner violence (IPV). This randomized controlled trial took place from January 2015 to June 2015, in Attica, Greece. A total of 60 women were randomly assigned into an intervention and control group, with the intervention group ( n = 30) receiving stress management and a lifestyle program. Self-reported measures were used to assess stress, depression and anxiety levels, daily routine, severity of abuse, self-esteem, health locus of control, and self-efficacy. Statistical analysis showed a significant improvement in measures of stress, depression, anxiety, self-esteem, and self-efficacy in the intervention group. Daily routine and physical exercise also improved. Based on these findings, we strongly encourage health professionals to advise women experiencing current and past IPV to adopt stress management techniques to their daily program, as a further means of empowerment.

Nurse managers should recognize, respect and facilitate the expression of spirituality through the practice of religious rituals by patients and their relatives.

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