Małgorzata Marcysiak

Aging is a slow but progressive and irreversible process. It leads to old age, which is characterized by increasing unfavorable changes in the body. They cover the biological, mental and social spheres. They affect all organs and systems. They cause, among others: failure of regulatory and adaptive mechanisms, instability of water, heat and electrolyte management, and failure of detoxification organs. In the post-war period, this posed a challenge in the diagnosis and treatment of this age group. Due to the specificity of diseases in the elderly, diagnostics attempted to distinguish groups of patients in relation to the severity of changes, which could facilitate the identification of deficits, needs and problems in order to make a diagnosis. The ongoing changes in the morphology, physiology and pathology of older people resulted in specific therapy, both in terms of conservative and surgical treatment, with particular emphasis on pharmacotherapy.

The aim of the study was to learn about selected aspects of the development of geriatric medicine in the post-war period, with particular emphasis on the specificity of pathology, diagnosis and therapy in old age.

Introduction: There have been attempts to introduce the ban of smoking in public places for several years.
Aim of the project was to find out the teenagers’ opinion on introducing the total ban of smoking in public places.
Materials and methods: The research was conducted in January 2009 among 88 students of secondary schools in Town of Płońsk. The diagnostic survey method was used.
Results: 59,0% of the questioned teenagers claim that the Total ban of smoking should be introduced in public places but only 30,6% declared their support to introduce such ban.
The places where the total ban should be introduced included clinics and hospitals (93,2%), children’s playgrounds (88,6%), sport facilities (62,5%), schools and universities (22,7%), bars, pubs, discos (5 questioned people!), private cars (2 people!).
Only 22,8% of the questioned know the law rules concerning the ban on smoking in public areas. Over the half claimed that the obligations are not obeyed.
Conclusions: Total ban of smoking should be promoted more widely in Poland. We should follow the example of other European countries in this respect. The stress should be put on introducing the ban in such places as bars or pubs and discos where the young generation spends their free time and can experience passive smoking. The issue of nicotine and its bad influence should be promoted widely in mass media.
Another group which should be educated in that area are adults who should be encouraged to giving up smoking and introducing the free from smoke houses.