Client outcomes after student community fieldwork in Russia

This short report outlines how occupational therapy education was introduced in Russia in 1996 through a partnership between Canadian and Russian academic organizations and consumer groups. Role‐emerging placements were selected as a strategy to provide clinical experience in a healthcare system where there were no established occupational therapists. Students' ability to help clients to improve their occupational performance was evaluated through a record audit when the second cohort of students had completed their training. Thirty‐one files of clients aged 6 to 80 were reviewed. Clients' ratings of performance and satisfaction scores on the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure before and after occupational therapy intervention were examined. Analysis using the Wilcoxon signed rank test showed highly significant differences (p=0.001), indicating that students were able to help clients to improve their occupational performance. This is also interpreted as an indication of the success of the education programme. Copyright © 2000 Whurr Publishers Ltd.     

The VNTR polymorphism of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene and blood pressure in women at the end of pregnancy

ObjectiveExamine the association of the 4a/4b polymorphism of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) with blood pressure in women at late pregnancy.Materials and methodsBlood pressure before pregnancy and at the end of gestation (37–40-week term) was measured in 588 women of the Russian ancestry. The women were divided into groups according to the body mass index and the presence of preeclampsia at late pregnancy. The 4a/4b polymorphism of the eNOS gene was genotyped using PCR with subsequent screening of amplified fragment length polymorphisms.ResultsThe 4a4a eNOS genotype was associated with higher levels of diastolic blood pressure in pregnant women and with more pronounced dynamics of the diastolic and mean arterial pressure in the development of pregnancy (p = 0.02–0.03). Pregnant women with the 4a4a genotype and increased body mass index had higher systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure (p = 0.001–0.009). In pregnant women with preeclampsia, the 4a4a genotype was associated with higher level of diastolic blood pressure at the end of pregnancy (p = 0.04), whereas in the women without preeclampsia this genotype was associated with more pronounced changes of blood pressure at pregnancy (p = 0.02).ConclusionThe results of our study suggest that the genotype 4a4a of the eNOS gene is associated with higher levels of blood pressure in women at the end of pregnancy.     

Fears about antiretroviral therapy among users of the internet forum for people living with HIV/AIDS in Russia

The purpose of this research was to identify different types of fear related to starting and adhering to antiretroviral therapy (ART) among people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Russia. Data were collected from the Russian-language internet forum for PLHIV (hivlife.info). Qualitative data analysis focused on the sections of the forum where users discussed health-related issues in order to identify fears related to HIV treatment. The following types of fear were revealed: fear of the illness, fear to learn negative information about one’s health, fear of side effects, fear of therapy to be ineffective, fear that the appropriate medications will become unavailable, fear of lifestyle changes, and fear for the well-being of significant others. Efforts to increase the uptake of and adherence to ART should take into account the fears of PLHIV.     

《俄罗斯藏敦煌医药文献释要》补正

李应存等著《俄罗斯藏敦煌医药文献释要》,是敦煌医药文献研究者的必读之作,笔者对照原卷细读此书,发现在识录、句读和注释等方面仍有疏漏之处,遂结合其它相关文献予以补正。     

Economic strain, social relations, gender, and binge drinking in Moscow

The harmful effects of alcohol consumption are not necessarily limited to the amounts consumed. Drinking in binges is a specific feature of Russian alcohol consumption that may be of importance even for explaining the current mortality crisis. Based on interviews conducted with a stratified random sample of 1190 Muscovites in 2004, this paper examines binge drinking in relation to the respondents' economic situation and social relations. Consistent with prior research, this study provides further evidence for a negative relationship between educational level and binge drinking. Our results also indicate a strong but complex link between economic strain and binge drinking. The odds ratios for binge drinking of men experiencing manifold economic problems were almost twice as high compared to those for men with few economic problems. However, the opposite seemed to be true for women. Being married or cohabiting seemed to have a strong protective effect on binge drinking among women compared to being single, while it seemed to have no effect at all among men. Women having regular contact with friends also had more than twice the odds for binge drinking compared to those with little contact with friends, while again no effect was found among men. Gender roles and the behavioural differences embedded in these, may explain the difference. The different effects of economic hardship on binge drinking may also constitute an important factor when explaining the large mortality difference between men and women in Russia.     

Comparative analysis of learning curve in complex robot-assisted and laparoscopic liver resection

Background

There is no comparative analysis of the learning curves for robot-assisted and laparoscopic liver resection. We aimed to compare learning curves in complex robotic and conventional laparoscopic liver resections with regards to estimation of the difficulty index score.

Education in cardiopulmonary resuscitation in Russia: A systematic review of the available evidence

BACKGROUND: To summarise and appraise cumulative published scientific evidence relevant to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) education in Russia.     

Female Migrant Sex Workers in Moscow: Gender and Power Factors and HIV Risk

This study aimed to build formative knowledge regarding HIV risks in female migrant sex workers in Moscow, focusing on gender and power. This was a collaborative ethnographic study, informed by the theory of gender and power, in which researchers conducted minimally structured interviews with 24 female sex workers who were migrants to Moscow and who provided sexual services to male migrant laborers. Overall, the female migrant sex workers engaged in HIV risk behaviors and practiced inadequate HIV protection with their clients. These behaviors were shaped by gender and power factors in the realms of labor, behavior, and cathexis. In the labor realm, because some female migrants were unable to earn enough money to support their families, they were pushed or pulled into sex work providing service to male migrants. In the behavior realm, many female migrant sex workers were intimidated by their male clients, feared violence, and lacked access to women's health care and prevention. In the cathexis realm, many had a sense of shame, social isolation, emotional distress, and lacked basic HIV knowledge and prevention skills. To prevent HIV transmission requires addressing the gender and power factors that shape HIV/AIDS risks among female migrant sex workers through multilevel intervention strategies.     

‘In different situations,in different ways’: male sex work in St. Petersburg,Russia

We conducted a qualitative study of male sex work in St. Petersburg Russia with a focus on social vulnerabilities, HIV-risk perception and HIV-related behaviours. In-depth interviews were conducted with individuals knowledgeable about male sex work through their profession and with male sex workers themselves. Male sex work involves a variety of exchanges, including expensive vacations, negotiated monetary amounts or simply access to food. Methods of finding clients included the Internet, social venues (e.g. gay clubs and bars) and public places (e.g. parks). Use of the Internet greatly facilitated male sex work in a variety of ways. It was used by both individuals and agencies to find clients, and appeared to be increasing. Men often reported not being professionally connected to other male sex workers and limited disclosure about their work. Many were aware of the work-related risks to personal safety, including violence and robbery by clients. Perceived risk for HIV was mostly abstract and several exceptions to condom use with clients were noted. Alcohol use was reported as moderate but alcohol was consumed frequently in association with work. These data suggest that the most salient risks for male sex workers include professional isolation, threats to personal safety, limited perceived HIV risk and sub-optimal levels of condom use.     

Autochthonous Case of Rickettsia slovaca Infection in Russia

We describe an autochthonous case of Rickettsia slovaca infection in a man 35 years of age from Russia who had tickborne lymphadenopathy. We used ELISA and quantitative PCR testing to further identify DNA and confirm diagnosis. Physicians in Russia should consider similar diseases in differential diagnoses after tick bites.