Health status, lifestyle habits, and perceived social support in long-term cancer survivors: a cross-sectional study

Objective: To compare the presence of comorbidities and self-perceived health and social support between long-term cancer survivors and people without a history of cancer from a clinical trial examining the effects of a multiple risk behavior intervention.Results: Of the 4259 people studied, 190 (4.46%) were cancer survivors. They had a mean ± SD age of 62.8±7 years vs. 58.7±8 years (P<0.01) for non-cancer people and were more likely to be on long-term sick leave (11.9% vs. 3.5%, P<0.001). No differences were observed for smoking, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, physical activity, obesity, or social support. Cancer survivors were more likely to have worse self-perceived health (OR 1.82; 95% CI 1.02–2.75), more comorbidities (OR 1.68; 95% CI 1.18–2.39), COPD (OR 2.17; 95% CI 1.25–3.78), and depression (OR 1.65; 95% CI 1.06–2.57). Older age and worse self-perceived health were independent predictors of survivorship in the adjusted analysis.

Health status, lifestyle habits, and perceived social support in long-term cancer survivors: a cross-sectional study

Objective: To compare the presence of comorbidities and self-perceived health and social support between long-term cancer survivors and people without a history of cancer from a clinical trial examining the effects of a multiple risk behavior intervention.Results: Of the 4259 people studied, 190 (4.46%) were cancer survivors. They had a mean ± SD age of 62.8±7 years vs. 58.7±8 years (P<0.01) for non-cancer people and were more likely to be on long-term sick leave (11.9% vs. 3.5%, P<0.001). No differences were observed for smoking, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, physical activity, obesity, or social support. Cancer survivors were more likely to have worse self-perceived health (OR 1.82; 95% CI 1.02–2.75), more comorbidities (OR 1.68; 95% CI 1.18–2.39), COPD (OR 2.17; 95% CI 1.25–3.78), and depression (OR 1.65; 95% CI 1.06–2.57). Older age and worse self-perceived health were independent predictors of survivorship in the adjusted analysis.

The prevalence of hepatitis B and C co-infections among people with HIV-1 in Bulgaria: 2010–2015

Aim: To evaluate hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) among individuals with HIV/AIDS in Bulgaria diagnosed between 2010 and 2015. Materials & methods: A total of 1158 individuals were diagnosed with HIV/AIDS during the study period. Different transmission groups were tested with ELISA and real-time PCR for HBV and HCV markers. Results: Hepatitis B surface antigen and hepatitis C virus antiboby were found in 9.3 and 23.2% of the tested. HBV DNA and HCV RNA has been found in 47.4 and 69.6%. Hepatitis B and C co-infections were predominant in multiple risk behavior groups, including people who inject drugs, men who have sex with men, prisoners and Roma individuals. Conclusion: HIV prevalence in Bulgaria is low but the rates of hepatitis B and C co-infections among these patients fall within the upper range reported in Europe.