Quality Of Life Support Research Articles

Users’ Satisfaction with the Urban Design of Nature-Based Parks: A Case Study from Saudi Arabia

Rapid urbanization in Saudi Arabia has reshaped land use and increased the demand for public spaces to enhance residents’ well-being, support quality of life, and strengthen cities’ resilience to global warming and climate change. In this study, an evaluation of user satisfaction with the design of nature-based parks in Saudi Arabia was conducted, using Wadi Hanifa Park in Riyadh city as a case study. To this end, direct observation alongside a questionnaire survey of park users was employed. The findings indicate that users are generally satisfied with the design of the park, with a weighted mean overall satisfaction score of 3.38 out of 5 observed. High satisfaction ratings were reported for various features, with visual quality receiving the highest rating. In contrast, lower satisfaction levels were recorded for some aspects, with the lowest rating given to lighting levels at night. The most frequently cited issue needing attention was the limited presence of greenery. This suggests that users tend to report a higher satisfaction in parks that incorporate diverse plant life and create a harmonious blend of natural and built environments. Accordingly, this study recommends the planting of native species, which require less water, enhance visual appeal, and strengthen place identity. Enhancing these aspects could further increase the effectiveness of nature-based parks in enhancing the quality of life in Saudi cities. This study recommends developing a national evaluation framework for public parks in Saudi Arabia to guide designers and policymakers in implementing the best design practices.

The Importance of Biochemical Parameters, Immunonutritional Status, and Social Support for Quality of Life in Chronic Hemodialysis Patients.

Background and Objectives: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a growing public health problem and one of the leading causes of premature death worldwide. The progressive nature of CKD is associated with serious complications that can reduce the quality of life in CKD patients. Additional factors that can worsen well-being include dialysis treatment, malnutrition, inflammation, and lack of social support. The aim of our study was to analyze the quality of life of CKD patients undergoing hemodialysis and its association with certain biochemical and immunonutritional parameters, as well as with social support. Materials and Methods: This research was conducted as a cross-sectional study that included 170 patients, divided into two groups: a group of patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD group) (n = 85), and a control group of non-hemodialysis patients (group with CKD stage 3-4) (n = 85). The Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) score was used to assess the quality of life of the study population. Measurement of biochemical and immunonutritional parameters was also performed in all patients. The Oslo-3 Social Support Scale (OSSS-3) was used to analyze social support. Results: The HRQoL score was significantly lower in HD patients compared to patients with CKD stage 3-4 (0.701 ± 0.137 vs. 0.832 ± 0.122, p < 0.001). It declined significantly as the concentrations of urea (β = -0.347, p < 0.001), creatinine (β = -0.699, p = 0.005), uric acid (β = -0.184, p = 0.016), β2-microglobulin (β = -0.432, p < 0.001), and parathormone (β = -0.209, p = 0.006) increased in HD patients. In addition to uremic toxins, an increase in glucose (β = -0.278, p = 0.010) and triglyceride (β = -0.354, p = 0.001) concentrations was associated with poor HRQoL in patients with CKD stage 3-4. There was a significant connection between the Hemoglobin, Albumin, Lymphocyte, and Platelet (HALP) score and HRQoL in HD patients (β = 0.229, p = 0.035). Additionally, C-reactive protein (β = -0.361, p < 0.001) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (β = -0.288, p < 0.001), as markers of systemic inflammation, directly affected HRQoL in HD patients. In both study groups, perceived social support positively influenced the HRQoL scores (β = 0.192, p = 0.012 for hemodialysis; β = 0.225, p = 0.038 for non-hemodialysis). Conclusions: There is a decline in HRQoL in chronic hemodialysis patients, significantly affected by certain biochemical and immunonutritional parameters, along with perceived social support.

Agroecosystem's contributions to people: how ranchers and specialists perceive threatened Espinal forests used for cattle-grazing.

Scientists and managers seek to implement more inclusive and effective conservation strategies by incorporating plural valuations of nature and nature's contributions to people (NCP) into research and decision-making. For Argentina's threatened Espinal ecoregion, this need is particularly acute. In Entre Ríos province, practically all of these forests are devoted to production, and the expanding agricultural frontier increases their conversion to crops. We surveyed family ranchers and agricultural/environmental specialists, two key stakeholders for managing Espinal forests used for cattle grazing. Employing a sociocultural valuation, we determined i) stakeholder recognition of the Espinal's NCP and its support for quality of life, ii) similarity between stakeholder valuations (importance: 0 = none; 4 = very) of NCP and dimensions of well-being derived from the Espinal, and iii) relationship between ecological (e.g., forest degradation) and social (e.g., place of residence) factors and perceptions of the forest. Ranchers recognized more NCP and quality-of-life aspects, and the importance to their well-being tended to be greater than specialists. Both groups valued regulating and non-material NCP above material contributions and considered that forests are very important for physical and mental health. Finally, only rancher perceptions varied with tested variables, depending on degradation levels of forests with which they have the most contact and/or carry out their activities, the number of uses and recreational activities they carry out in forests, their knowledge of forests, and their place of residence. This study illustrates common ground upon which to promote synergies between production and conservation in Espinal-cattle agroecosystems.

A Patient-Centered Conceptual Model of AYA Cancer Survivorship Care Informed by a Qualitative Interview Study.

Purpose: Conceptual models provide frameworks to illustrate relationships among patient-, provider-, system-, and community-level factors that inform care delivery and research. Existing models of cancer survivorship care focus largely on pediatric or adult populations whose needs differ from adolescents and young adults (AYAs). We developed a patient-centered conceptual model of AYA survivorship care. Methods: We conducted a narrative literature review of current conceptual and theoretical models of care. We engaged AYA cancer survivors (n = 25) in semi-structured one-hour telephone interviews. Most participants were in their 20s and 30s, and the majority (84%) were women. Recruitment was stratified by age and time since cancer diagnosis. We conducted a thematic analysis of interview transcripts to identify themes that exemplified patient-centered care. Results: Most participants identified as white and female. Leukemia and breast cancer were the most common cancer types. Main themes included the need for (1) care coordination, (2) ongoing mental health support, (3) connection to AYA peer support, (4) support during fertility preservation efforts, (5) support with financial burden, (6) support for quality of life, (7) information about and support with side effects and late effects, and (8) attention to the unique needs of young adults. Conclusions: We present a patient-centered conceptual model of AYA survivorship care needs that can inform future cancer care delivery and research.

Hubungan Dukungan Sosial Terhadap Quality of Life Pada ODHA (Orang dengan HIV/AIDS)

Background: HIV or Human Immunedeficiency Virus is a disease that attacks the human immune system so that this disease causes a weakening of the immune system to fight a disease. While AIDS or Acquired Immunne Deficiency Syndrome is a collection of diseases caused by a decrease in the human immune system caused by HIV infection. A person infected with HIV / AIDS will feel depressed, unable to accept the situation, feel helpless and experience fear for the future. This is because in Asia the negative stigma of HIV/AIDS is still very high. Thus, it is very necessary to know the relationship of social support to the quaity of life for PLHIV at Bangli General Hospital. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of social support to the quaity of life in PLHIV. Methods: The research method used quantitative analytics with a cross sectional approach using primary data with data collection instruments in the form of questionnaires distributed to 60 respondents where the sampling technique used was the Non Probability Sampling technique with a saturated sampling method carried out in November-January 2024 at Bangli General Hospital. Data were analyzed univariately and bivariately chi square. Results: The results showed that there was a significant relationship between social support for quality of life in PLHIV with a p value of &lt; 0.05 which means ha was accepted and h0 was rejected. Conclusion: Social support is very influential on the quality of life in PLHIV. The better the support provided, the higher the quality of life that will be owned by PLHIV.

Experiences of Ambulatory Patients With Huntington's Disease With Case Management: A Qualitative Study.

Huntington's disease (HD) requires high-quality care to reduce disruption of the patient system, prevent crisis situations, and prevent early admission in a nursing home. In the Netherlands, case management has been available for the last to 9 years for people with HD. However, there is a notable gap in understanding experiences and beliefs of HD patients regarding case managers' care, guidance, and support for quality of life. To improve the international quality of care for people with HD, insight in experiences of ambulatory HD patients with the care, guidance, and support received from a case manager HD (CMHD) is crucial. Ambulatory care. Ambulatory patients with HD highly appreciate and value the role and support of the CMHD. This was reflected in four themes: (1) the CMHD as a person, with commitment, sympathy, and reliability as central concepts; (2) the CMHD as a professional, with the key roles of coordinator, point of contact, expert, and supporter; (3) impact of the CMHD on quality of life, with support of coping with decline and monitoring the home situation as important subthemes; and (4) support of the CMHD for family members, with providing help and giving attention as subthemes. This insight into patients' experiences of the CMHD's role adds value to the improvement of the international quality of care for people with HD. Commitment, expertise, support for both family members and patients, and bond of trust from the CMHD are experienced as very valuable. These qualitative findings from a patient's perspective add significantly to the body of knowledge on CMHD's role and practices as "spider at the center of the web."

Quality of Life of Young Gastric Cancer Survivors: An Interpretation in the Context of Our Society.

Background and Objectives: This retrospective case-control study aimed to investigate the quality of life (QoL) of young gastric cancer survivors and determine what should be pursued to obtain the best QoL for them after surgery. Materials and Methods: Patients with stage I gastric cancer who underwent distal subtotal gastrectomy were included. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life questionnaires were used to assess QoL. The QoL outcomes of younger (age 30-49 years, n = 76) and older (age 50-69 years, n = 232) groups were compared preoperatively, 3 months, and 1 year postoperatively. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in the preoperative QoL except for the physical functioning scale, which favored the younger group (p = 0.020). This difference remained significant throughout the postoperative periods (3 months, p = 0.002; 1 year, p = 0.004). Better QoL was found for the younger group according to the body image scale (p = 0.031). However, it was limited to the 3-month postoperative assessment. Persistent QoL disadvantages for the younger group were revealed by the diarrhea scale at the 3-month (p = 0.007) and 1-year (p = 0.005) postoperative assessments. Conclusions: While young gastric cancer survivors enjoyed better QoL in physical functioning and body image, worse QoL was related to diarrhea after surgery. Despite ever-rising concerns about QoL deterioration in elderly patients in our aged society, young gastric cancer survivors also need QoL support.

Social Support in Quality of Life among Breast Cancer Patients after Diagnosis: A Bibliometric Analysis

In terms of bibliometric analysis, there are no studies related to the impact of social support on breast cancer survivors' quality of life. Therefore, this study aims to provide a bibliometric assessment of results on social support in quality of life in breast cancer patients. The studies for the dataset were selected from Scopus published in the year 2001–2021 based on their relevancy to the established subjects. The VOSviewer software was used for bibliometric analysis to represent the performance of publications covering annual outputs, mainstream journals leading countries, institutions, research tendencies, and hotspots. The analysis of the findings indicated only 45 articles over the range of 2001-2021. The highest number of publications was published in 2021, and the lowest was in 2002-2004 and 2006. Social support strongly correlates with the psychological adjustment of adherence to cancer treatment. Only one study failed to find an association between social support and suicide after a cancer diagnosis. Meanwhile, China, the United States, and Hong Kong contributed to social support. Instrumental, financial, information, and emotional support were reported as domains needed to support breast cancer patients. This bibliometric analysis provides the results of thoughts and insights about the development needed by breast cancer patients to prolong survival.

Multifaceted support for quality of life in childhood cancer survivors: Questionnaire survey

AbstractBackgroundAlong with improvements in curative treatment for childhood cancer, childhood cancer survivors (CCSs) often face numerous problems such as late complications of cancer treatment, social issues at school, struggles in employment, and financial difficulties. These children have received a wide range of support from the medical, educational, and administrative sectors. However, it was unclear how this multifaceted support contributed to quality of life (QOL) of CCSs in Japan.MethodsThe subjects were 46 CCSs of 16 years of age or older at the time of the survey, who had been diagnosed and treated for pediatric cancer. A self‐administered questionnaire survey was conducted to investigate the in‐hospital status during treatment, adjustment when returning to school, and administrative social support. The QOL of CCSs was also evaluated by the Medical Outcome Study 36‐Item Short‐Form Health Survey.ResultsTwenty‐four CCSs answered the questions. The respondents who had experienced school‐life problems tended to have lower role/social QOL scores (p = 0.046), whereas the CCSs who had experienced administrative counseling tended to have lower physical QOL scores (p = 0.036). The mental QOL scores tended to be higher in respondents who were informed of the exact diagnosis of cancer during hospitalization. The role/social QOL scores tended to be lower in respondents who advanced to their preferred career path.ConclusionsIt is essential for three stakeholders—health‐care providers, education offices, and public administrative agencies—to collaborate to share long‐term psychosocial issues or concerns related to employment or daily living that CCSs may encounter, and to establish a coordinated approach to support CCSs.

Social security for families of military professionals OS SR

Within the framework of social security for professional soldiers, social security services are its support subsystem, from which spa care (support and maintenance of good health), recreational care (creating conditions and support for quality of life and family background) is provided, and this also includes security the funeral of a former professional soldier.

Co-designing tools and support for quality of life of people with disabilities and their families in times of Covid-19. A viable space for the disability case manager (DCM)?

The COVID-19 syndemic experience exacerbated the urgency of finding innovative solutions to support the autonomy, integration and care of people with disabilities in our country. Specifically, the fragility of the protection measures for the disabled and their families emerged forcefully, and they were all too often abandoned in residences -and in their own homes- as a result of dedicated service closures, leading to the loss of flexible or adequate alternatives and to an often unsustainable burden of care for families. The article first discusses the experimentation of introducing a disability case manager (DCM) in a local context, starting from an interesting drive for innovation exercised by a banking foundation that promoted a participatory process with public and private stakeholders. The second part explores the salient features of the DCM profile in relation to the needs that emerged from listening to local stakeholders, particularly care workers and disabled people and their families. In the last part, the experimentation is presented as a possible innovative path towards improving the quality of life and well-being of disabled people. Finally, several key recommendations are provided for urgent interventions to support disabled people and their families both during and after the syndemic crisis.

Significance of palliative care for the quality of life for oncology patients

Background and Aim of Study: Oncological diseases are one of the biggest problems that can cause irreparable harm to human health. The significance of various types’ medical care on the quality of life for patients with malignant diseases remains an urgent research problem. The aim of the study: to provide empirical data for the significance of palliative care in supporting the quality of life for patients with gastric cancer. Material and Methods: The study was conducted at the University Hospital of Heidelberg, Germany. A representative sample of the study subjects consisted of 378 patients diagnosed with gastric cancer. Comparative analyzes to approaches in cancer prevention, as well as 5-year survival among patients with gastric cancer in Germany, Bulgaria, Japan, and Singapore were used. Results: The majority of the patients in the study sample from Germany died in their homes or in hospices (91.2%), while only a small proportion died in the hospital (8.7%). Based on the international comparison, we concluded that in Bulgaria, the ongoing treatment and care of terminally ill patients differ significantly in terms of their scope, development level and impact on the patients. The 5-year survival rate for stomach cancer in Bulgaria is 3%, which is much lower than in Asian countries, where there is a significantly higher survival rate for this disease: Singapore 10-30%, Japan 12-35%. Conclusions: The significance of the palliative care to support the quality of life for oncological patients has been constantly increasing in recent years. Systemic and long-term palliative care provides the necessary support for quality of life and can affect the 5-year survival of oncological patients. This is confirmed by our study in Germany, where rates are 28-30%. The authors recommend providing professional, high-quality palliative care as needed to ensure quality of life for patients with malignant diseases.

Help-Seeking Buffers the Impact of Grief on Quality of Life: A Study of Loss During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a global challenge for anticipating the support and treatment needs of bereaved individuals. However, no studies have examined how mourners have been coping with grief and which strategies may buffer negative mental health consequences. We examined the various coping strategies being used and which strategies best support quality of life. Participants completed self-report measures of demographic and loss-related characteristics, grief symptoms, quality of life (QOL), and coping strategies used. Despite help-seeking being one of the least endorsed coping strategies used, help-seeking was the only coping strategy that buffered the impact of grief on QOL for individuals with high grief severity. Results support predictions that grief may become a global mental health concern requiring increased accessibility and availability of grief therapies and professional supports for bereaved individuals during and in the aftermath of the pandemic.

Exploring the Moderation and Mediation Effects in Addressing the Main Determinants of Income Inequalities in Supporting Quality of Life: Insights from CEE Countries

Income inequality has become an increasingly pressing economic and social problem in Europe, especially in emerging countries with more significant inequalities than the EU average. The high-level inequality persistence can decrease well-being by accentuating the shortcomings at the household level, increasing poverty and social exclusion, generating political instability, leading to a decline in social cohesion, and, finally, a weakening of the Union as a whole. In this context, the paper aims to identify the main determinants of income inequality across the CEE countries and their significant implications in supporting the quality of life and well-being, highlighting the mediation and moderation effects. The analysis focuses on emerging European countries, using panel-based data analysis for ten EU countries covering 2008–2019. The empirical findings highlighted the importance of the minimum wage, high-tech exports, the degree of economic openness, the quality of institutions, and education spending in reducing income inequality. On the other hand, the proportion of the population with a higher education level and the interaction between official and unofficial economies led to income inequality. Therefore, to increase the quality of life, it is mandatory to decrease inequalities. Thus, fewer people will be at risk of living a less qualitative life. The empirical results also proved that the informal economy and the share of people employed in industry exhibited mediating roles. In contrast, the economic growth, the urbanization degree, and the share of people employed in services exhibited moderating roles. Additionally, we also tested the impact of the income inequality determinants of the quality of life, the empirical results supporting the influence of minimum wage, employment with tertiary education, government effectiveness, the degree of economic openness, and education expenditures.

Descriptive study family informational support for quality of life of visual impairement children in covid-19 pandemic

Family informational support for visually impaired children in quality of life must be a concern during the Covid-19 pandemic. The research aim is to describe the quality of life in physical, psychological, social, and environmental of visual impairment children, also to provide family informational support in Covid-19 pandemic at SLB Negeri Semarang. The method of research is a descriptive study with univariate analytics. The total sample is 25 respondent visual impairment children at SLB Negeri Semarang with their parents. This research is using total sampling. Results from it are most of the respondents with visual impairments have a good physical quality of life is about 21 respondents (84%), psychological quality of life in a good category is about 13 respondents (52%), quality of social life in a good category is about 16 respondent (64%), and environmental quality of life in a bad category is about 13 people (52%). Most respondents as a parent of blind children have a good category in family informational support is about 15 respondents (60%). The conclusion is most of the respondents with visual impairment respondent have a good category for quality of life of physical, psychological, social, and bad category for quality of life environmental. Family informational support with parents respondents mostly has a good category. The recommendation is this research can give concern to parents for always giving a family informational support to increase the quality of life of visually impaired children.

Abstract P3-15-04: How can we help: The needs of those seeking breast cancer information and support from a cancer patient advocacy organization in Brazil

Abstract Introduction Oncoguia, founded in 2009, is a cancer patient advocacy organization in Brazil that provides information and assistance to patients and families through programs, such as the National Support Program for Patients with Cancer, Canal Ligue Câncer. Launched in 2012, Canal Ligue Câncer is a toll-free hotline that offers support and personalized guidance about early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer, navigating the healthcare system, and patients’ rights. The objective of this research was to conduct an analysis of the Canal Ligue Câncer database to better understand the needs of callers seeking information about breast cancer. Methods In this cross-sectional study, we retrospectively analyzed descriptive data from the Canal Ligue Câncer database (2013-2019). This data was collected by trained attendants who used a conversational, semi-structured script to assist callers, details of which are recorded in the database. Results A total of 11,137 calls were registered in the Canal Ligue Câncer database from 2013-2019. Callers requested information related to breast cancer (34%) more than any other cancer. This analysis considered 3,695 of these records; 3,072 (83%) came from cancer patients and 623 (17%) from family members, representing all 27 states of Brazil, predominantly from São Paulo (50%). At the time of the call, more than half (57%) of patients were actively in treatment, of which 41% were receiving chemotherapy, 23% hormone therapy, 9% had surgery, and 8% radiotherapy. These patients accessed their healthcare services through private health plans (48%) or the Brazilian public health system (46%). More than 1 in every 4 (29%) records described an advanced breast cancer diagnosis; 27% of which had advanced cancer at first diagnosis. Many (25%) indicated that breast cancer treatment affected the daily life of the patient. The most commonly impacted areas were related to emotional health (36%), work (22%), finances (16%), self-esteem (10%), and family (5%). The main motives for contact were to seek assistance in the realization of patients’ rights (57%), learn more about Oncoguia (16%), ask questions or report access barriers to diagnostic, treatment, and care services throughout each stage of the patient journey (15%), and request information about quality of life support (8%). Conclusion Oncoguia is a leading cancer patient advocacy organization in Brazil. Canal Ligue Câncer assists callers throughout the country who are seeking information about cancer through empathetic, active listening and offers easy-to-understand information and guidance to help callers overcome challenges. The aggregated data of the Canal Ligue Câncer database highlights trends and provides an important snapshot of common questions and challenges of the larger cancer community, which inform Oncoguia’s health education campaigns and advocacy initiatives. Our analysis demonstrated not only do breast cancer patients need information and assistance to navigate the healthcare and legal systems and to manage the impact of cancer in their lives, but support is also requested by family members. There is also a particularly high demand for information related to patients’ rights, which in Brazil often relates to the Law of 60 Days that guarantees patients begin treatment through the Brazilian public health system no more than 60 days after diagnosis. Further analyses will consider longitudinal trends and changes in the characteristics of callers, their questions, and challenges. Citation Format: Luciana Holtz de Camargo Barros, Anna Carolina Arena Siqueira, Meredith Kruse, André Marques dos Santos, Lycia TramujasVasconcellos Neumann. How can we help: The needs of those seeking breast cancer information and support from a cancer patient advocacy organization in Brazil [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2021 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2021 Dec 7-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-15-04.

A comparative study on psychiatric morbidity among elderly population residing in old-age homes and community.

Aims and Objectives:The objective of this study is to study, assess and compare the socio-demographic profile, psychiatric morbidity, cognitive functioning, quality of life and social support of senior citizens in care homes as well as in the communities.Material and Methods:Hundred subjects (50 were from old-age home and the rest were from the community) were assessed using intake pro forma details and an interview questionnaire. The Geriatric Mental Status questionnaire, Mini-Mental Status Examination, Quality of Life Support, and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support scales were then performed on each subject from the two groups in that order, and they were rated on all scales.Results:Individuals with lack of spouse and lack of children were higher and common attitude was death in old-age homes. Past history of psychiatric illnesses was more in the inmates of old-age homes. Memory disturbances, concentration problems, hypochondriasis, somatic dysfunction, error behaviour, thought disturbances, perceptual disturbances, persecution, expressed happiness and satisfaction were greater in the inmates of old-age care homes. The quality of life was poor in community group than in old-age home group.Conclusion:There is a need to increase community and health-care professional awareness of mental health problems in later life, as well as improve access to appropriate geriatric and mental healthcare.

Relationship Of Self-Concept, Social Support And Depression On The Quality Of Life In Diabetes Mellitus

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a disease that cannot be cured but can be managed both physically and psychologically. The majority of DM patients are very pessimistic about the recovery of their illness. Purpose: This study aims to find out 1) the role of depression as a mediator variable between self-concept variables and social support for the quality of life of DM patients, 2) the role of self-concept of depression, 3) the role of social support against depression and 4) the role of depression in quality of life. Methods: This study was 253 patients with diabetes mellitus at hospital dr. Moewardi Surakarta. Sampling in this study was purposive sampling. Data collection used the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) questionnaire, Tennese Self Concept Scale (TSCS), the Hersarling Diabetes Family Support Scale (HDFSS) and the Word Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL). Data analysis used path analysis method (path analysis) and strengthened by sobel test test. Results: The study showed that there was a correlation between self-concept, social support and depression on the quality of life of patients with diabetes mellitus which was characterized by the p-value of self-concept of 0.002, p value of social support, depression and quality of life of 0,000. The results of path analysis show that depression is able to be a mediator between self-concept and quality of life and the mediterator between social support for quality of life. this result is reinforced by the sobel test showing a value of&gt; 1.98 with a significance level of 5%. Conclusion: Depression can be a mediator between self-concept and quality of life and depression is also able to be a mediator between social support and quality of life.

Crisis, Urban Fabrics, and the Public Interest: The Israeli Experience

The relation between urbanization and pandemics is not new. In fact, the “reformative” urban plans of the late 19th and early 20th centuries sought the addition of green patches, reliable running water systems, good sanitation, and sunlight to fend off the common ailments of the industrial city. No wonder then that these urban planning elements are also compatible with the Covid-19 era, as ample green and low-density areas are supposed to ensure or at least support quality of life and good health, even amid the health crisis we face today. This article examines whether additional elements tie together urban fabrics and coping with crises, particularly pandemics. To answer this question, I examine national urban planning in the state of Israel from the mid-20th century onwards. Urban planning in Israel has implemented theories and precedents from Europe and America; however, Israeli planners have also included nationalist-ideological contents in their work, so that the state and its interests have dictated their planning. The article concludes that the state interest of producing a cohesive society has created Israeli urban fabrics with community values and proximity to green areas, which are better suited for individual coping with crises involving the denial of personal freedom, whether due to a pandemic or any other reason. Accordingly, it proposes viewing these elements as suggestive of the need for significant involvement by public representatives in future urban renewal efforts.

The Effectiveness of Basic Resuscitation Activities Carried out by Combat Paramedics of the Police, as Exemplified by Polish Counterterrorist Units

The tasks carried out by Police officers are often accompanied by dangerous situations that threaten the life and health of the people involved, the police themselves, and bystanders. It concerns especially counter-terrorism police units whose activities are aimed at terrorists and particularly dangerous criminals, and their course is violent and aggressive. In conjunction with the inability to bring civilian rescue services into the action zone, this results in the need to expand the assault team by including one more specialisation — combat paramedic, having the appropriate knowledge, skills and qualifications, as well as equipment that allows for independent first aid while the operations are underway. A paramedic’s preparation must be versatile, but the key to effective action is the ability to perform basic activities, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation, after the diagnosis of sudden cardiac arrest. The study aims to present the results of research conducted on a fairly unique research sample regarding the effectiveness of indirect heart massage by combat paramedics of police special units and conclusions resulting from empirical research and their comparison with the results of similar studies, in relation to other professional groups. The knowledge and skills acquired during the training quickly become obsolete, requiring systematic consolidation and improvement. Therefore, cyclical repetition of exercises in the area of rescue activities plays a key role in maintaining the required quality of life support. The collected material may be a premise for further research, indicating their potential directions.