Cross-sectional Study In Greece Research Articles

Burden of Caregivers of Patients with Chronic Diseases in Primary Health Care: A Cross-Sectional Study in Greece.

In the world of elderly people and people with chronic diseases, caregivers give a solution to caring at home. This study aimed to evaluate the burden of caregivers of patients with chronic diseases in primary health care and identify possible demographic and other determinants of it. This was a cross-sectional study with a convenience sample, which was conducted in two health centers. The sample comprised 291 caregivers who visited the aforementioned health centers in Patra, Greece. A composite questionnaire was utilized: the first part included demographic data and care-related information and the second included the Zarit Burden Interview and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). The highest mean score in the DASS was recorded in the depression subscale and the lowest in the stress subscale. Concerning the Zarit Burden Interview, the highest mean score was recorded in the personal strain subscale and the lowest in the management of care subscale. The highest correlation was recorded between role strain and anxiety and the lowest was between management of care and stress. Similarly, the total score in the Zarit Burden Interview correlated significantly (in a positive direction) with depression, anxiety, and stress. Most of the caregivers of patients with chronic diseases in primary health care experienced a moderate to severe burden (especially in the dimension of personal strain) and moderate depression. The experienced burden was positively associated with depression, anxiety, and stress. There were significant differences in the caregivers' burden according to several demographic and care-related characteristics.

Autonomy Orientation and Innovative Work Behavior

Abstract: Introduction: Innovative work behavior (IWB) has a built-in, definitional association with elements of creativity and the provision of benefits to others within the work context. Because of the properties of IWB and the nature of autonomy, as conceptualized by self-determination theory, we hypothesized that autonomy orientation would be positively associated with IWB through the mediating role of both creativity and prosocial motivation. Aim: The study examines the relationship of dispositional autonomy with IWB and offers evidence for potential explanatory mechanisms of how autonomous forms of motivation are associated with IWB. Method: We conducted a cross-sectional study in Greece and Canada, wherein employees ( N = 528) completed assessments of causality orientations at work, prosocial motivation, creativity and IWB. Results: Autonomy orientation, creativity, and prosocial motivation were positively associated with IWB, whereas controlled and impersonal orientations were negatively associated with IWB. Mediation analyses showed that creativity and prosocial motivation mediated the relationship between causality orientations and innovative work behavior. Discussion and conclusion: Our findings extend prior research on the role of autonomy and prosocial motivation on innovative and creative behavior at work.

Healthcare Professionals' Beliefs and Views towards Exercise during Pregnancy: A Cross-Sectional Study in Greece.

Healthcare professionals appear to play a key role in shaping pregnant women's views and attitudes towards lifestyle issues, such as exercise. The aim of this study is to investigate the views and beliefs of Greek midwives and obstetricians regarding exercise during pregnancy. This is a cross-sectional study conducted during the period of January 2022-March 2023. For this study, 237 Greek midwives and obstetricians employed in healthcare settings in Attica, Greece completed an anonymous and self-report questionnaire. Four different/independent models of multivariate analyses of variance were conducted. The vast majority of these healthcare professionals (88.6%) believed that exercise during pregnancy is generally beneficial. According to the multivariate analyses, healthcare professionals with postgraduate/doctoral studies were more likely to believe that (a) exercise is generally beneficial (p = 0.03), (b) pregnant women should be informed about it (p = 0.028), (c) informing pregnant women is necessary/useful (p = 0.023), and (d) pregnant women showed interest in it (p = 0.034). Also, freelance midwives were more likely to believe that pregnant women should be informed about exercise (p = 0.006), and that they showed interest in it (p = 0.034). In addition, (a) freelance midwives (p = 0.050), and those who had experience in antenatal counselling (p = 0.037), as well as (b) obstetricians who were largely experienced in monitoring normal pregnancies (p = 0.001), were less likely to associate exercise during pregnancy with the occurrence of placental abruption. Alongside healthcare professionals' educational level, their professional setting and professional experience emerge as key factors and need to be considered when designing innovative interventions to support exercise during pregnancy.

Social Support and Resilience Are Protective Factors against COVID-19 Pandemic Burnout and Job Burnout among Nurses in the Post-COVID-19 Era.

Nurses have experienced several psychological and work-related issues during the COVID-19 pandemic, including pandemic burnout and job burnout. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of social support and resilience on COVID-19 pandemic burnout and job burnout among nurses. We conducted a cross-sectional study in Greece. The study population included 963 nurses. We measured social support, resilience, COVID-19 pandemic burnout, and job burnout with the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, Brief Resilience Scale, COVID-19 Burnout Scale, and Single-Item Burnout Measure, respectively. Nurses received high levels of social support, while their resilience was moderate. Additionally, nurses experienced moderate levels of COVID-19 burnout and job burnout. Increased social support and increased resilience were associated with reduced COVID-19 pandemic burnout. We found a negative relationship between social support and job burnout. A similar negative relationship was found between resilience and job burnout. Social support and resilience can act as protective factors against COVID-19 pandemic burnout and job burnout among nurses. Policy makers should develop and implement appropriate strategies to improve nurses' social support and resilience since they are the backbone of healthcare systems worldwide.

Predictors of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice Regarding Heat Waves: An Exploratory Cross-Sectional Study in Greece

Predictors of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice Regarding Heat Waves: An Exploratory Cross-Sectional Study in Greece

The effect of exercise on quality of life, fatigue, and pain management in older women: A cross-sectional study in Greece

Background: Frequently, the contribution of exercise to the elderly and the associated benefits of such activities are discussed. Aim: This paper deals with the contribution of exercise to the levels of quality of life, fatigue, and pain management. Method: Then, quantitative and cross-sectional research is carried out to investigate the contribution of physical exercise to the levels of quality of life, fatigue, and pain management in women over 60 years of age. For the data collection, the questionnaire used consisted of the Missoula—VITAS Quality of Life Index (MVQOLI), the Pain Assessment Questionnaire (PSeQ), and the Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS). Results: From the statistical analysis made between exercise and quality of life, fatigue, and pain management of the women over 60 who participated in the research, it follows that women undergoing exercise show a better quality of life and less fatigue, while no statistically significant difference was detected in terms of pain management. Conclusion: It seems that exercise affects positively quality of life and fatigue. Potential implications must be addressed in order to organize more exercise programs, particularly for older people.

Emotional intelligence protects nurses against quiet quitting, turnover intention, and job burnout.

Emotional intelligence can improve nurses' interpersonal and coping skills, job performance, and resilience. However, there is a dearth in the literature on whether emotional intelligence affects levels of quiet quitting, turnover intention, and job burnout in nurses. We examined the relationship between emotional intelligence, quiet quitting, turnover intention, and job burnout. We conducted a cross-sectional study in Greece with a convenience sample of 992 nurses. We used the following valid tools to measure our study variables: the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form, the Quiet Quitting Scale, and the single item burnout measure. The mean age of our nurses was 42.2 years. After controlling for gender, age, work experience, shift work, and understaffed department, the multivariable linear regression models indicated significant negative relationships between emotional intelligence and quiet quitting, turnover intention, and job burnout. Specifically, self-control reduced detachment, lack of motivation, job burnout, and turnover intention. Moreover, emotionality reduced detachment, lack of motivation, and lack of initiative. Sociability reduced lack of initiative and lack of motivation, while well-being reduced lack of motivation, job burnout, and turnover intention. Emotional intelligence reduced quiet quitting, turnover intention, and job burnout in nurses. Therefore, nurse managers and policy-makers should apply interventions to optimize the emotional intelligence profiles of nurses.

The Benefit of Air Conduction Pure-Tone Audiometry as a Screening Method for Hearing Loss over the VAS Score.

Hearing loss is commonly encountered by general practitioners. We aimed to evaluate the screening benefit of air conduction pure-tone audiometry over visual analogue scale (VAS) scores for hearing loss. Moreover, we intended to perform the first cross-sectional study in Greece to assess hearing loss with pure-tone audiometry in young adults of the general population. We evaluated Greeks between 15 and 40 years old in a high school in Karditsa, Greece, and a primary health care unit in a nearby community. Subjects filled out a VAS score sheet and underwent pure-tone audiometry in a room without sound isolation, with air conduction only. We named the latter procedure modified pure-tone audiometry (mPTA). Subjects with pathologic results were examined via otoscopy and standardized pure-tone audiometry (sPTA). Of the 286 subjects evaluated, the VAS score revealed 5 subjects (1.7%) with hearing loss. mPTA (100 s duration) doubled this percentage (in total 3.8%; Pearson Chi-Square test; p < 0.001). Based on sPTA, the sensitivity and positive predictive value of the VAS score were 40% and 13%, respectively. For mPTA, they were 100% and 37%, respectively. mPTA filtered out pathologic cases in a proper, rapid, cheap and simple way and may be considered a proper screening method for hearing loss in primary health care.

Knowledge and attitudes of medical students about clinical aspects of congenital cytomegalovirus infection in newborns: A nationwide cross-sectional study in Greece.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most frequent cause of congenital infection worldwide causing severe morbidity in newborns, infants, and children. Despite the clinical importance of congenital CMV (cCMV) infection, studies conducted so far indicate that there is limited awareness in the medical community in the field. The aim of this study was to assess Greek medical students' knowledge on cCMV infection. We performed a questionnaire-based nationwide cross-sectional study. A convenience sample of medical students from seven medical schools was enrolled. Of the 562 respondents, 54,8% considered themselves undereducated on cCMV infection. However, almost half of the participants could correctly recognize some basic principles of cCMV infection including ways of transmission, diagnosis and treatment, while there were aspects of cCMV infection with knowledge deficit. The year of study had a positive impact on the level of knowledge with students of higher years of study being of more sufficient education on the specific topic. Overall, our study indicates a discrepancy between self-reported awareness and the level of knowledge among medical students in Greece. Further educational opportunities about cCMV should be offered, particularly in areas of the curriculum involving the care of women and children. Establishing medical students' solid background on the disease burden and educating them about preventative strategies for at-risk populations, should be the main pillars of such efforts in order to promote confidence in managing these cases in their future professional careers.

Parental Home Safety Practices for Domestic Accident Prevention: How Prepared Were Parents for COVID-19 Confinement? A Cross-Sectional Study.

(1) Background: Children are susceptible to home injuries. How prepared parents were to protect their children from accidents before and during the COVID-19 quarantine is uncertain. (2) Methods: We conducted a community-based, cross-sectional study in Greece between November and December 2021. We asked parents to complete an anonymous questionnaire voluntarily. Questions focused on accident-preventive measures taken at home during the COVID-19 quarantine. (3) Results: A greater proportion of parents took protective measures for a safer home before the lockdown than during the quarantine, while an interesting percentage of parents never utilized preventive measures for their children. Slightly more than half (58.6%) of parents did not seem to worry about a possible increase in domestic accidents during the quarantine. It was observed that those who had one or two children took more protective measures than those with more than two children. Older parents seemed to explain to their children how to access emergency services more often. Mothers stayed at home with the children more often, and their education affected the presence of some of the assessed measures. In our logistic regression modeling, parental concern about accidents was more related to the incidence of an accident during the pandemic and attendance at seminars. (4) Conclusions: Although the COVID-19 lockdowns disorganized family life, parents were aware of the importance of their parenting role in creating a safe environment for children, but according to the study, there is room for improvement.

Association of Mediterranean Diet Adherence with Sociodemographic, Anthropometric, and Lifestyle Factors during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study in Greece.

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected several aspects of people's lifestyle worldwide. Healthy dietary patterns and their bioactive components may improve or even co-treat the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in several aspects of people's lifestyle and mental health in daily life. The aim of this survey is to evaluate the potential effect of Mediterranean diet (MD) adherence against COVID-19-induced complications. This is a cross-sectional survey performed on 3721 adults aged between 18 and 65 years old, which aims to evaluate the potential association of MD adherence with multiple sociodemographic, anthropometric, and lifestyle factors during the COVID-19 pandemic period. This study has supported evidence that elevated MD compliance was independently related to female gender, better economic status, no smoking, increased risk of abdominal obesity, higher physical activity levels, greater prevalence of adequate sleep quality, better quality of life, and reduced probability of anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic by adjusting for multiple confounders. MD compliance may improve or even co-treat the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in several aspect of people's lifestyle in daily life. Further research is strongly recommended exploring the possible beneficial effects of the MD against COVID-19 lifestyle complications in daily life.

Cardiovascular and respiratory effects of long-term exposure to air pollution: A cross sectional study in Greece

Cardiovascular and respiratory effects of long-term exposure to air pollution: A cross sectional study in Greece

A cross-sectional study in Greece to investigate burnout, anxiety, and depression in health staff: the impact of occupational and demographic factors

A cross-sectional study in Greece to investigate burnout, anxiety, and depression in health staff: the impact of occupational and demographic factors

Exploring radiographers' perceptions and knowledge about patient lead shielding: a cross-sectional study in Greece and Cyprus.

The present study aimed to explore radiographers' knowledge, clinical practice and perceptions regarding the use of patient lead shielding in Greece and Cyprus. Qualitative data were analyzed using conceptual content analysis and through the classification of findings into themes and categories. A total of 216 valid responses were received. Most respondents reported not being aware of the patient shielding recommendations issued by the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (67%) or the guidance issued by the British Institute of Radiology (69%). Shielding-related training was generally not provided by radiography departments (74%). Most of them (85%) reported that they need specific guidance on lead shielding practices. Also, 82% of the respondents said that lead shielding should continue to be used outside the pelvic area when imaging pregnant patients. Pediatric patients are the most common patient category to which lead shielding was applied. Significant gaps in relevant training have been identified among radiographers in Greece and Cyprus, highlighting the need for new protocols and provision of adequate training on lead shielding practices. Radiography departments should invest in appropriate shielding equipment and adequately train their staff.

Development and Validation of the CVP Score: A Cross-Sectional Study in Greece.

Although central venous pressure (CVP) is among the most frequent estimated hemodynamic parameters in the critically ill setting, extremely little is known on how intensive care unit (ICU) nurses use this index in their decision-making process. The purpose of the study was to develop a new questionnaire for accessing how ICU nurses use CVP measurements to address patients' hemodynamics investigating its validity and reliability. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 120 ICU nurses from four ICUs of Greece. Based on a comprehensive literature review and the evaluation by a panel of five experts, a new questionnaire, named "CVP Score", was created, having eight items. The construct validity and the reliability of the questionnaire were examined. Half of the study participants (51.7%) worked at a specialized ICU, and they had a mean [±Standard Deviation (SD)] ICU experience of 13(±7.1) years. The estimated construct validity of the newly developed tool was acceptable, while the internal consistency reliability as measured by Cronbach alpha was excellent (0.901). CVP Score had acceptable test-retest reliability (r = 0.996, p < 0.001) and split-half reliability (0.855). The CVP score is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring how critical care nurses use CVP measurements in their decision-making process.

Physical activity and depression later in life: a cross sectional study in Greece

IntroductionDepression is a very prevalent mental disorder among older people. Exercise and physical activity may have beneficial effects on depressive symptoms that are comparable to those of antidepressant treatments.ObjectivesThe purpose of the present study was to estimate the role that physical activity plays in wellbeing of older people, as well as its association with depression.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among 101 people over the age of 60, who are active members of the Open Day Care Centers (K.A.P.I) of the municipality of Serres, North Greece. An anonymous questionnaire was created to record the basic demographic data of the studied population. The Greek version of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) was used to assess depressive symptoms in the elderly, and the (IPAQ) short edition - 7 items, was applied to evaluate the physical activity of the participants. Statistical analysis was performed with a SPSS 21.ResultsAccording to our results, as the age of the participants increases, so does the severity of the depression according to GDS-15. In addition, depressive symptoms were associated with marital status, widows in comparison to divorced, with participants living in urban areas and with illiterates and high school graduates. Furthermore, older adults with monthly income of 1000 to 2000 Euros presented to suffer more from depression than those who had a monthly income of up to 2000 Euros (p &lt;0.05).On the other hand, physical activity based on IPAQ was strongly associated with age, married compared to not, high level of education, living in rural areas and depression (p &lt;0.05).Conclusions The results of the present study may contribute to further interventions in Primary Health Care for the prevention and detection of depression among older people. Furthermore, physical exercise may be an alternative or adjunct to traditional forms of treatment in mild to moderate forms of depression later in life.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Why Don’t Young People Seek Help for Mental Illness? A Cross-Sectional Study in Greece

Young adults are less likely to seek professional help even though they are most likely to experience mental health problems. The aim of the present study was to investigate young adults’ attitudes towards mental illness and self-stigma of help-seeking, identify possible determinants of attitudes and self-stigma, and examine the association between attitudes towards mental illness and self-stigma of help-seeking. The sample consisted of 485 Greek young adults (24.5% men, 75.5% women) aged 18–25 years (M = 19.54, SD = 1.83) who completed the Attitudes towards Severe Mental Illness (ASMI) and the Self-Stigma of Seeking Help Scale (SSOSH). The results indicated that Greek young adults hold mostly positive attitudes towards severe mental illness and help-seeking, while their unfavorable attitudes are mainly related to difficulties with viewing people with a severe mental disorder as similar to other people, and fear that by seeking professional help a person’s worth will be diminished. Gender, age, familiarity with mental health difficulties, education, and relationship status were found to be associated with young adults’ attitudes towards severe mental illness and self-stigma of help-seeking. Finally, stereotyping, pessimistic beliefs, and negative beliefs about coping with mental illness were identified as key determinants of self-stigma of help-seeking. These findings suggest a need for age- and gender-sensitive psychoeducational interventions specifically designed to promote young adults’ mental health literacy and to ameliorate unfavorable attitudes towards mental illness in order to increase help-seeking behavior.

Predictors of Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Willingness among High-Risk Populations Three Years after the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

High-risk populations are at increased risk of severe influenza-related illness, hospitalization, and death due to influenza. The aim of our study was to assess the willingness of high-risk populations to take the influenza vaccine for the 2022-2023 season, and to investigate the factors associated with such willingness. We conducted a cross-sectional study in Greece in September 2022 using a convenience sample. We considered demographic characteristics, COVID-19-related variables, resilience, social support, anxiety, depression, and COVID-19-related burnout as potential predictors. Among participants, 39.4% were willing to accept the seasonal influenza vaccine, 33.9% were unwilling, and 26.8% were hesitant. Multivariable analysis identified that increased age and increased family support were associated with increased influenza vaccination willingness. Moreover, participants that have received COVID-19 booster doses were more willing to accept the influenza vaccine. In contrast, adverse effects because of COVID-19 vaccination and exhaustion due to measures against COVID-19 reduced influenza vaccination willingness. We found that the intention of high-risk populations to receive the influenza vaccine was low. Our study contributes to an increased understanding of the factors that affect vaccination willingness. Public health authorities could use this information to update vaccination programs against influenza. Emphasis should be given on safety and effectiveness issues.

Psychosocial Predictors of COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake among Pregnant Women: A Cross-Sectional Study in Greece.

An understanding of the factors associated with the COVID-19 vaccine uptake in pregnant women is paramount to persuade women to get vaccinated against COVID-19. We estimated the vaccination rate of pregnant women against COVID-19 and evaluated psychosocial factors associated with vaccine uptake among them. We conducted a cross-sectional study with a convenience sample. In particular, we investigated socio-demographic data of pregnant women (e.g., age, marital status, and educational level), COVID-19 related variables (e.g., previous COVID-19 diagnosis and worry about the side effects of COVID-19 vaccines), and stress due to COVID-19 (e.g., danger and contamination fears, fears about economic consequences, xenophobia, compulsive checking and reassurance seeking, and traumatic stress symptoms about COVID-19) as possible predictors of COVID-19 vaccine uptake. Among pregnant women, 58.6% had received a COVID-19 vaccine. The most important reasons that pregnant women were not vaccinated were doubts about the safety and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines (31.4%), fear that COVID-19 vaccines could be harmful to the fetus (29.4%), and fear of adverse side effects of COVID-19 vaccines (29.4%). Increased danger and contamination fears, increased fears about economic consequences, and higher levels of trust in COVID-19 vaccines were related with vaccine uptake. On the other hand, increased compulsive checking and reassurance seeking and increased worry about the adverse side effects of COVID-19 vaccines reduced the likelihood of pregnant women being vaccinated. An understanding of the psychosocial factors associated with increased COVID-19 vaccine uptake in pregnant women could be helpful for policy makers and healthcare professionals in their efforts to persuade women to get vaccinated against COVID-19. There is a need for targeted educational campaigns to increase knowledge about COVID-19 vaccines and reduce vaccine hesitancy in pregnancy.

Vaccination coverage of primary care providers against seasonal influenza, tetanus, pneumococcal pneumonia and herpes zoster: A cross-sectional study in Greece.

Primary care providers' (PCPs) compliance to self-immunization is important for their protection and the protection of their colleagues and patients and has been associated with the coverage of the general public. In this study, we aim to investigate the vaccination coverage of PCPs. A questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among physicians, nurses and pharmacists employed in public or private primary care settings in Greece. Demographic and occupational characteristics as well as vaccination coverage data for influenza, tetanus, pneumococcal pneumonia and herpes zoster were collected. Statistical significance was set at 0.05. In total, 748 (61.7% response rate) PCPs participated. Vaccination rates were 66.4% (496/747) for influenza (2019/2020 flu season), 62.9% (469/746) for tetanus (10-year Td or Tdap booster dose), 70% (14/20) for pneumococcal pneumonia (≥ 1 dose of PPSV23 or PCV13) and 12.3% (10/81) for herpes zoster. Multiple logistic regression revealed that nurses had significantly lower probability of being vaccinated against influenza [odds ratio (OR) = 0.25; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.14-0.45] and pharmacists had significantly lower probability of being vaccinated against both influenza (OR = 0.44; 95% CI = 0.31-0.62) and influenza & tetanus (OR = 0.52; 95% CI = 0.37-0.73) compared to physicians. Older age (>40 years) was an independent risk factor for not receiving a tetanus vaccine (40-49 vs. 19-39; OR = 0.42; 95% CI = 0.28-0.63, over 50 years old vs. 19-39; OR = 0.54; 95% CI = 0.36-0.79). The results revealed suboptimal vaccination rates among health providers who are in the frontline of adult immunization. Individualized and targeted measures to improve their vaccination coverage and indirectly the vaccination coverage of their patients, are therefore required.