In this article the authors review the trends and differentials in mortality from self-inflicted injury and poisoning in the Czech Republic between the early 1970s and the present in terms of their socio-economic and demographic associations. They describe the sources of data on suicide and explore the possible extent of under-reporting of deaths from suicide, and they examine the differences in suicide incidence by age and sex. With the decline in mortality from suicide, the male/female ratio of suicide rates increased from about 2,6 in the early 1970s to around 4.0 in recent years. Suicide rates increase steadily with age, and this pattern did not noticeably change during the period reviewed, The age-specific suicide rates of older men and women declined more than the rates for younger people. As in other societies, married men and women have the lowest suicide rates; in contrast, divorce puts both men and women at the greatest risk of suicide. The authors attempt to investigate the social correlates of suicide by analysing the variation in suicide rates among districts in the Czech Republic and selected socio-economic and demographic characteristics of the district populations. Stepwise regression analysis is used to identify three independent variables that explain 50% of the variation in suicide rates among districts: the abortion ratio, the percentage of locally born population, and the percentage of adults with limited education.
Výzkumný projekt "Vliv reminiscenční terapie na zdravotní stav a kvalitu života seniorů žijících v institucích", který řeší interdisciplinární tým Gerontologického centra Praha za podpory grantu IGA MZČR (č. NR 8488-3/2005), chce zhodnotit dopad cílené nefarmakologické intervence, kterou je skupinová reminiscenční terapie, na zdravotní stav a kvalitu života seniorů žijících v domovech důchodců. Měření vlivu reminiscenční terapie jako jediného faktoru v komplexním sociálním prostředí je metodologicky velmi náročné, spojené s rizikem nekontrolovaného ovlivnění výsledku. Řada studií přináší měření, která nejsou dostatečně přesvědčivá, nicméně naznačují trendy, které svědčí ve prospěch pozitivního vlivu reminiscence na projevy demence, na depresivitu, na chování, náladu a celkovou spokojenost seniorů se životem. Kvalitativní výsledky tyto trendy potvrzují. Studie Gerontologického centra Praha využívá souboru kvantitativních i kvalitativních metod, které navíc umožní sledovat vedle primárního cíle také různé aspekty života seniorů v institucích., The research project "Impact of reminiscence therapy on the health and quality of life of seniors living in elderly care institutions," carried out with the support of grant IGA MZCR (no. NR 8488- 3/2005) by the interdisciplinary team of the Prague Gerontology Centre, evaluates the impact of targeted nonpharmacological intervention, specifically group reminiscence therapy, on the health and quality of life of elderly clients living in retirement homes. The evaluation of the impact of reminiscence therapy as the only factor in a complex social environment places high demands on the methods applied, and involves the risk of the results being influenced by factors beyond control. A number of studies have supplied measurements which still leave some doubt, yet are indicative of trends bearing evidence of a positive effect of reminiscence on symptoms of dementia, depression, behaviour, mood and life satisfaction of elderly people. Such trends are confirmed by qualitative results. The study of the Prague Gerontology Centre draws upon a set of quantitative and qualitative methods which, in addition to the primary endpoint, allows for monitoring different aspects of life of seniors in elderly care institutions., Hana Janečková, Iva Holmerová, Hana Vaňková, Eva Dragomirecká, and Lit.: 38