SUMMARYBackground: Obesity-induced metabolic syndrome is a multiple risk factor for cardiovascular (CV) risk factors and type 2 diabetes, and ethnic minorities seem to have unfavourable medical risk factors in general more frequently than majority populations.Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in relation to metabolic syndrome in the Roma population compared with the non-Roma population residing in the eastern part of Slovakia.Results: 123 Roma and 79 non-Roma patients with metabolic syndrome were evaluated. Men between 40-55 years of age had 4.76-times higher odds and women 5.26-times higher odds for metabolic sydrome compared with the younger population. We found statistically significant higher waist circumference in the Roma subpopulation and higher body mass index as well, although in selected population with metabolic syndrome. HDL cholesterol was significantly lower in both Roma men and women, and LDL cholesterol was not significant in men and women with metabolic syndrome. Triglycerides levels were significantly higher in non-Roma women only. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) values were not in correlation with age but were associated with the increasing number of fulfilled criteria for metabolic syndrome in both subgroups (Roma, non-Roma), independently of gender.Conclusion: Our study confirmed higher prevalence of obesity, metabolic syndrome and other CV risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome among younger Roma population, which may be associated with increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality among elderly Roma compared with non-Roma.

The prevalence of chronic hepatitis B and simultaneous presence of MS was high among Roma. HBsAg-positive patients had lower levels of total and LDL cholesterol along with decreased apolipoprotein B100. The viral load of chronic hepatitis B patients with MS was higher than in patients without MS.

Our study confirmed that the prevalence of metabolic syndrome is strongly associated with hypertriglyceridemic waist, besides other risk factors, a marker of the atherogenic metabolic triad among younger Roma population, which may be the reason for the increased cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality in elderly Roma compared with non-Roma. In light of these results, better prevention of CV events for Roma minority settlements in Slovakia should be provided.

Introduction. Occupational asthma (OA) is the most common occupational lung disease in industrialized countries; however, in Western Europe, a decline in the prevalence of OA and changes in etiological factors has been recorded. Data from Central Europe, where in the past healthcare and economy sectors were different, are rare. Objective. The aim of this study was to discover the changes related to OA during a four decade long period in the Slovak Republic. Materials and method. The study included patients whom OA was reported during 1980-2016. All cases of OA were divided into four decades. The prevalence of OA, changes in etiological factors and key diagnostic methods were evaluated. All decades were analysed separately and compared to one another. Results. During 1980-2016, OA was reported in 155 patients. OA was most often found in the second decade (6.4 cases per year), the lowest number of cases was diagnosed in the third decade (2.1 cases per year). Since 1988, an increasing prevalence of OA was observed with the peak in 1992, followed by the significantly progressive decrease during subsequent years. In the fourth decade, a mild increase in OA causes was recorded again. In the first and second decades, agricultural allergens were the dominant agents, which were replaced by chemical factors in the last decade. The most frequently used key diagnostic methods in 1980-2009 were skin tests, during the fourth decade the importance of this method declined. However, specific BPT a serial BPT were more frequently used in the fourth decade. Conclusion. The number of OA cases induced by agricultural allergens declined, which was connected with a decrease of total OA cases. The current problem is the OA induced by the chemicals, which increased significantly in the last decade, even the possibility of underdiagnosed OA cases still exists.

The aim of the empirical study is to identify the symptoms and the preventive measuresof social workers' burnout, according to correlations of age, level of education, professionalexperience, length and the site of occupation.Design study. The study was carried out (from February to May 2016) on 49 respondents, socialworkers, by deliberate choice of typology: former colleagues currently working in NGOs of Košiceand Prešov regions, with who we had participated in various projects providing general-utilityservices. The Inventory of Burnout Symptom by T. and J. Tošner was used for processing thecollected data. The completion of this study is the correct implementation of innovative advancedtechnologies forming a part of the culture of the organization with clearly named functions andduties of the individual members of the working team