Background: Eating disorders (ED) and behavioural risk factors among students in higher education remain to be investigated. The aim of the study was to identify the prevalence of ED and the behavioural factors associated with ED in university students in four European universities: Chisinau (Ch) in Republic of Moldava, Cluj-Napoca (CN) in Romania, Miskolc (Ms) in Hungary and Rouen (R) in France. Methods: In the four countries, students in higher education completed an anonymous standardized self-questionnaire, from 2016 to 2018. The questionnaire collected age, gender (M, W), housing, curricula, smoking, cannabis consumption, alcohol abuse problems (ADOSPA test), and perceived stress (Cohen score). The Sick, Control, One stone, Fat, Food (SCOFF scale) screening test was used to identify student with ED. Results: A total of 3076 students were included, 705 in Ch, 582 in CL, 534 in Ms and 1255 in R. The sex-ratio was M:F=0.31 Ch, 0.30 in CN, 0.44 in Ms and 0.66 in R. The mean age was 21.2 (SD = 3.98) in Ch, 21.2 (SD = 3.2) in CL, 23.8 (SD = 5.1) in Ms and 20.0 (SD = 3.4) in R. The global prevalence of ED was 23.8%. According to the gender, the prevalence of ED in the four universities was 14.7% in M and 38.3% in W in Ch, 21.8% in M and 24.7% in W in CN, 19.7% in M and 21.4% in W in Ms and 16.1% in M and 34.0% in W in R (p < 10-4). After logistic regression, significant positive relation between the positive SCOFF was observed with female gender, alcohol abuse problems and stress level. Conclusions: ED prevalence patterns were quite similar in the four countries, with high prevalence of ED, even in men. Associated behavioural risk-factors were quite similar. It might be necessary in the future to screen students for potential ED upon entry to the university and also to inform student about the risk of ED and advise them to consult a healthcare professional. Key messages: Our study highlights the high prevalence of eating disorders, with similar behaviours in university students in four countries. Because of the detrimental effects of ED on physical and emotional health, it seems mandatory to set up public health programs (health promotion, prevention).

Introduction. Osteoporosis remains a major public health issue, particularly affecting the elderly, and is characterized by decreased bone mass and deterioration of bone structure, increasing the risk of severe fractures. The development of specific and precise tools that allow for the identification and estimation of the influence of modifiable factors on the development of osteoporosis is an important step in early intervention for at-risk individuals. Material and methods. The initial version of the questionnaire was created to identify modifiable factors contributing to the development of osteoporosis, including the type and frequency of drinking water consumption, water quality, knowledge about its mineral composition, dietary preferences, alcohol and tobacco use, physical activities, and stressful situations. The questionnaire initially contained 65 questions, organized into three sections. Five experts reviewed the content validity, evaluating the clarity, cultural and linguistic relevance, structure, and coherence of the questions. The feedback led to adjustments, reducing the questionnaire to 52 questions. A pre-test was conducted with 30 adults from the Republic of Moldova, confirming the validity and internal consistency of the questionnaire, with a Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient of 0.768. Results. To ensure content validity, experts evaluated the questionnaire, and based on their comments and suggestions, semantic and syntactic reformulations and modifications were made. As a result, 13 questions were eliminated, reducing the second version of the questionnaire to 52 questions. During the pre-testing stage, the order and content of the questions were deemed appropriate by the respondents. The average time required to complete the questionnaire was 14.19 minutes (SD ± 1.567), with a minimum of 11.90 minutes and a maximum of 17.33 minutes. The sample used in the pre-testing stage included 30 respondents, the majority of whom (93.3%) were women. The respondents’ ages ranged from 25 to 72 years, with a mean age of 50.37 ± 2.6 years. The distribution of respondents was balanced between urban (53.3%) and rural (46.7%) areas. Regarding education level, 56.6% had higher education, 26.7% had secondary vocational education, and 16.7% had no higher education. Conclusions. The study demonstrated that the new questionnaire is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing the impact of modifiable risk factors on morbidity due to osteoporosis. Ongoing research is necessary to refine and further validate the questionnaire within the broader population.

Objectives: This study aimed to explore healthcare providers’ experiences with workplace violence cases before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify the prevalence of risk factors.Methods: A cross-sectional study design was conducted among healthcare professionals from six hospitals in Moldova during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study included 189 medical professionals and clinical support staff.Results: This study surveyed 189 healthcare professionals, mostly aged 40–49 (31.7%), with physicians (43.9%) and nurses (42.3%) being predominant. Departments most represented were infectious disease (28.3%), emergency (21.4%), and intensive care (16.1%). Violence prevention training was lacking (83.6%). Hallways (38.5%) and poorly visible areas (34.3%) were leading environmental risk factors. Workplace violence affected 43.1% of participants. Physical assault and verbal threats have a strong correlation before and during the pandemic (r = 0.654; r = 0.714), but changes were not statistically significant. Female staff had lower odds of experiencing serious violence (OR = 0.43, p = 0.013). Workers with 11+ years’ experience faced fewer incidents, while those with 2–5 years faced a higher risk.Conclusion: Workplace violence remained prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic, with statistically significant variation over time, pointing the need for ongoing prevention efforts.

Water quality, especially drinking water quality, is one of the most essential requirements for the survival of not only mankind but all terrestrial life on Earth. As a determining factor of health, the quality of drinking water must correspond to sanitary regulations, and the violation of the water protection regime results in pollution. Water pollution is one of the major threats to public health in the Republic of Moldova. According to data compiled by the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy, globally, the Republic of Moldova was placed 83rd out of 180 countries in terms of drinking water quality, the first place being occupied by the countries with the highest drinking water quality. The „age-standardized life-years lost per 100,000 people due to exposure to unsafe drinking water (Daily rate)” is a measure used to evaluate the quality of water. The Daly score for the Republic of Moldova in 2022 was 50.0. The Republic of Moldova is considered a biogeochemical zone with regard to some chemical elements in the environment, including the content of fluorine in groundwater, soil, and subsequently in food products. The analysis of water samples taken by the National Public Health Center of the Republic of Moldova demonstrated that in 90% of cases, water sources subjected to laboratory investigations for microbiological and chemical parameters (boron, fluorine, and nitrates) do not meet the requirements. The present study was a prospective, observational one, the main objective of which was to evaluate the epidemiological dental characteristics of children from the fluorosis-endemic area of the Republic of Moldova. The study targeted 520 12- and 15-year-old children from Fălești district, where the fluoride concentration in drinking water exceeds 16 times the permissible norm of 16.2 ppm/l. Thus, the prevalence of dental fluorosis in this locality (Dean index ≥1) was 98.7 for 12-year-old children and 100% for 15-year-old adolescents. The prevalence of dental caries was 51.2% with an intensity of 2.1 for 12-year-old children, and for 15-year-old children, the prevalence was 67.1% with an intensity of 3.5. Children’s age and severity of dental fluorosis were independent predictors of dental caries intensity. Thus, a positive correlation was established between the severity of dental fluorosis and the intensity of dental caries in both study groups and in all groups of teeth. The percentage of children with a COAD index (decayed, filled, or absent teeth) ≥1 was higher in those whose Dean index was ≥ 5 in the second molar compared to other groups of teeth. Conclusion. Dental fluorosis remains the most common dental disease in fluorosis-endemic areas, and the severity of fluorosis increases with increasing fluoride concentrations in drinking water. Contrary to the previously established opinion, tooth decay also develops in children from endemic areas of fluorosis, and its frequency and intensity are directly correlated with the concentration of fluoride in drinking water. The higher the concentration of fluoride, the higher the values of the prevalence indices and intensity of dental caries. Republic of Moldova performs suboptimally in the prevention of oral diseases in the pediatric population, and the implementation of dental disease prevention programs would have major implications for improving dental morbidity.

This study evaluated the chemical quality of drinking water from 157 sources across northern, central, and southern regions of the Republic of Moldova, sampled during two seasonal campaigns. Significant differences were observed between source types, with wells showing the highest contamination levels: 35.7% of samples exceeded the nitrate limit (50 mg/L), 33.1% exceeded the sulfate limit (250 mg/L), and 23.6% surpassed the TDS threshold (1500 mg/L). Artesian boreholes frequently exhibited elevated fluoride and sulfate concentrations linked to geological formations, while public supply and filtered water were largely compliant. Statistical analysis using non-parametric tests and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) confirmed distinct hydrochemical regimes and a clear mineralization gradient across sources. These findings highlight potential public health risks, especially for rural populations relying on decentralized sources. The study underscores the need for regular monitoring and improved management of groundwater resources, although its cross-sectional design and lack of geospatial data limit the ability to assess temporal or spatial trends.