Purpose To analyze the prevalence of select behavioral risk factors among Russian university students majoring in medicine, education, and exercise science. Methods A total of 834 students from five Federal universities located in four federal regions of Russia were included in the study. The purposive sample included future doctors, school teachers, and fitness trainers. Students were asked specifically about smoking, level of physical activity, and food preferences. To calculate body mass indices (BMIs), waist, hip, weight, and height were also measured. Results Smoking rates, level of activity, and nutritional habits were significantly different by age, but BMI was not. Smoking rates and BMI were significantly different by gender, but level of activity and nutritional habits were not. Like the differences found by age, smoking rates, level of activity, and nutritional habits were significantly different by ethnicity, but BMI was not. There were significant difference across all behavioral health risk factors by region. The results show significantly higher levels of physical inactivity, consumption of unhealthy foods, and high BMIs among medical students compared with future teachers and wellness instructors ( p < .05). In the same time, the smoking levels are the highest among future teachers. The highest prevalence of smoking was found to be associated with gender (for females living Moscow and for males in rural regions), and Russian ethnic group. Conclusion Tailored programs to prevent common health behavior risk factors among future medical doctors are urgently needed in the Russian Federation.
Clinical significance of determining the neopterin concentration in body fluids is reviewed. The results of researches on determining the neopterin concentrations in various infectious diseases (vector-borne diseases, herpes, respiratory and intestinal infections, as well as human immunodeficiency virus infection) conducted over the past 2 years are discussed. Neopterin is a biologically stable metabolite, which gives an advantage of its detection to assess the activity of the immune response. Previously neopterin was determined mainly by high-performance liquid chromatography. In recent years, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was introduced and frequently used for determining neopterin concentrations. It was shown that neopterin concentrations can vary also in the absence of the pathological process. In particular, some general factors such as race, age, body mass index, smoking and arterial pressure may influence on the concentrations of neopterin in the human body. Increased level of neopterin in body biological fluids and the kynurenine/tryptophan ratio are measured in diseases involving interferon-γ-mediated immune response activation. In this regard, the highest concentrations of neopterin and increased kynurenine/tryptophan ratio are observed in cases of infectious diseases, malignancies, transplant rejection, a number of cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases. It was shown that neopterin can be regarded as a highly specific marker of viral infection, and its blood concentration reflect the prognosis of the disease. Monitoring neopterin level may be useful to assess the severity and activity of an infectious disease, its clinical course, and to control the effectiveness of etiological treatment for many infectious diseases.
Purpose To analyze the prevalence of risk factors among Russian students. Methods In this study, 834 students were included from five Federal universities which were localized in four Federal regions of Russian Federation. Future doctors, school teachers, and wellness trainers were included in this study. Students were specifically asked about smoking, physical activity International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and food preference. Waist, hip, weight, and height were measured. Results The region of study and ethnic group were not influenced with respect to age and body mass index ( p > .1), while all other factors had a significant influence ( p < .05). High levels of smoking, hypodynamia, and motivation to intake of unhealthy food were found in medical students in comparison with those in future teachers and wellness instructors ( p < .05). The indicators of central obesity (due to levels of body mass index and waist-hip ratio) were found in medical students. Perspective Special programs to prevent the most common behavior risk factors in future medical doctors have to be designed.
Relevance. Informing patients about the carriage of a pathogenic mutation may result in a psychologically traumatizing situation, characterized by acute stress reactions, post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, or anxiety-depressive disorder. This highlights the importance of psychological counseling.Objective. To investigate the effectiveness of psychological support in a patient with mutations in genes associated with hereditary breast cancer.Materials and methods. Description of patient's medical history and results of instrumental psychological diagnosis after identifying a pathogenic mutation in the CHEK2 gene, which increases a risk of developing breast cancer to 20–40 % via genetic testing.Results. The nature of emotional response in this case is determined by personal history — identification of ideas about one's possible disease with mother's one. The conducted psychological consultations mitigated acute stress reactions and minimized the perception of received genetic information as a psychologically traumatic event. Furthermore, significant positive shifts were observed in the formation of adaptive stresscoping strategies, awareness of one's own mental resources, and reinforcement of adherence to the dynamic observation plan.Conclusion: Patients in situations involving the identification of mutations in genes associated with hereditary breast cancer require a personalized approach. Development of criteria for psychological support should be aimed at improving patients' quality of life not only in the immediate aftermath of information disclosure but also in the long term.
Vaccination of the population is the most essential and decisive measure in overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic that has involved the whole world. The vaccination of healthcare workers and medical students who can spread the infection among patients is crucial.Objective: to study the attitude towards vaccination among medical students.Patients and methods. From 18 to 22 June 2021, an anonymous Internet survey of 364 students of medical and technical universities was conducted. The sample included 135 medical students with no immunity to COVID-19 – who had not been ill or vaccinated. Three variants of behavioral strategies related to vaccination were compared: refusal to vaccinate, observation of the situation, consent to vaccination.Results and discussion. The key factors influencing the choice of a behavioral strategy for avoiding vaccination are the belief that COVID-19 infection is not dangerous for young people and that the vaccine is not studied enough. The willingness to get vaccinated is associated with denial of insufficient knowledge about the vaccine, belief in its safety and effectiveness, fear of infecting loved ones. The observer student group is characterized by an intermediate position on vaccination beliefs.Conclusion. To increase the willingness for vaccination, it is necessary, first of all, to spread the information about the vaccine, its safety (inability to cause severe complications, death) and effectiveness in preventing infection, reducing the level of anxiety concerning vaccination. It is also important to spread awareness about the danger of infecting loved ones and increase personal responsibility for the health of their loved ones.
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