Jolanta Lewko

Prof. Jolanta Lewko

Department of Primary Health Care, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-054 Bialystok, Poland
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Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

23Years (2004-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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RSRegina Sierżantowicz
Regina Sierżantowicz
Jerzy LadnyJerzy Ladny
Jerzy Ladny
JLJolanta Lewko
Jolanta Lewko
Background: Most studies analyzing the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) after bariatric treatment ceased at five years post-surgery or even earlier, and it is unclear whether the HRQOL benefit persists for a longer time. This paper reviews sparse evidence regarding HRQOL in patients who underwent bariatric surgery at least nine years prior. Materials and Methods: A of PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar between 2007–2021 was carried out for the studies investigating HRQOL as an outcome measure in patients after bariatric surgery of any type and having at least a 9-year follow-up. Inconsistent reporting of weight loss or postgraduate study results unrelated to QoL were not included in the study. The study used the PICO procedure. Results: The review of 18 identified publications demonstrated that bariatric treatment seems to provide a persistent benefit in terms of HRQOL, especially its physical component score. Due to psychological predispositions, some patients appear to be less likely to benefit from bariatric treatment, whether in terms of HRQOL or bodyweight reduction. Inconsistent and imprecise studies may limit the evidence included in a review. Conclusions: The early identification of such patients and providing them with holistic care, including psychological intervention, would likely further improve the outcomes of bariatric treatment.

JLJolanta Lewko
Jolanta Lewko
BMBianka Misiak
Bianka Misiak
RSRegina Sierżantowicz
Regina Sierżantowicz
Background: In their professional work, nurses struggle repeatedly with difficult situations that are causes of stress. Another issue is the low prestige of the nursing profession compared with other professions, which results in dissatisfaction, increased frustration, and lack of precision when performing professional tasks. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between mental health and quality of life and satisfaction with life in nurses with many years of experience in the profession. Methods: The study was conducted in a group of 523 randomly selected professionally active nurses aged over 40 years old from the Podlaskie Voivodeship. Standardized questionnaires were used, including WHOQOL-BREF, a short version of a questionnaire assessing quality of life, the general health questionnaire (GHQ-28), and the satisfaction with life scale (SWLS). Results: The mental health component was found to be significantly affected by financial situation (p = 0.005). Among respondents describing their financial status as bad, the assessment of negative mental health symptoms was higher. The remaining studied variables—work experience, nature of work, place of residence, age, material status, having a partner, and having children—did not affect the respondents’ mental health status. The co-occurrence of chronic diseases affected (p = 0.008) the intensification of negative mental health symptoms such as somatic symptoms, anxiety, insomnia, and social dysfunction. The intensification of negative mental health symptoms was not connected with absence from work. Conclusions: The financial situation of the respondents significantly determined their quality of life as well as influencing mental health components. Nurses’ satisfaction with life was correlated with all studied domains of quality of life.

BMBianka Misiak
Bianka Misiak
RSRegina Sierżantowicz
Regina Sierżantowicz
EKElżbieta Krajewska-Kułak
Elżbieta Krajewska-Kułak
KLKarolina Lewko
Karolina Lewko
JCJoanna Chilińska
Joanna Chilińska
JLJolanta Lewko
Jolanta Lewko
Background: Nursing requires a commitment to work and care for the well-being of the patient, which is a great mental and physical burden for the nurse. As a result of exposure to adverse psychosocial work conditions and experiencing the resulting work-related stress, the problem of burnout is becoming more common. The aim of the study was to assess the psychosocial work conditions and their relationship to quality of life in the studied group of nurses. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 523 randomly selected professionally active registered nurses. The study was based on a diagnostic survey using standardized psychometric questionnaires: The Psychosocial Working Conditions Questionnaire and the quality of life WHOQOL-Bref. Results: Respondents with a better education assessed the level of demands at work to be higher (p = 0.000); however, they were also more satisfied in the well-being category (p = 0.020). Shift work was associated with a worse perception of psychosocial work conditions in almost all considered domains. The strongest correlations were between the scale of well-being and the assessment of quality of life in the somatic and psychological domains. Conclusion: Nurses doing shift work assessed working conditions as being worse in all domains. They felt the mental and physical burden the most. Psychosocial work conditions were assessed to be better by nurses working in management positions. The strongest correlations were between the scale of well-being and the assessment of quality of life in the somatic and psychological domains.

7 February 2020 in Medicina
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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RSRegina Sierżantowicz
Regina Sierżantowicz
JLJolanta Lewko
Jolanta Lewko
DBDorota Bitiucka
Dorota Bitiucka
KLKarolina Lewko
Karolina Lewko
BMBianka Misiak
Bianka Misiak
Jerzy LadnyJerzy Ladny
Jerzy Ladny
Background and Objectives: Choosing a pain management strategy is essential for improving recovery after surgery. Effective pain management reduces the stress response, facilitates mobilization, and improves the quality of the postoperative period. The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of pain management in patients after surgery. Materials and Methods: The study included 216 patients operated on in the following surgical wards: the Department of Cardiosurgery and the Department of General and Endocrine Surgery. Patients were hospitalized on average for 6 ± 4.5 days. Patients were randomly selected for the study using a questionnaire technique with a numerical rating scale. Results: Immediately after surgery, pre-emptive analgesia, multimodal analgesia, and analgosedation were used significantly more frequently than other methods (p < 0.001). In the subsequent postoperative days, the method of administering drugs on demand was used most often. Patients with confirmed complications during postoperative wound healing required significantly more frequent use of drugs from Steps 2 and 3 of the World Health Organization (WHO) analgesic ladder compared with patients without complications. Conclusion: The mode of patient admission for surgery significantly affected the level of pain perception. Different pain management methods were used and not every method was effective.

1 January 2007
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
JLJolanta Lewko
Jolanta Lewko
BPBarbara Politynska
Barbara Politynska
JKJ Kochanowicz
J Kochanowicz
WZW Zarzycki
W Zarzycki
AOA Okruszko
A Okruszko
KKKrystyna Kowalczuk
Krystyna Kowalczuk

RSRegina Sierżantowicz
Regina Sierżantowicz
JLJolanta Lewko
Jolanta Lewko
GJGrażyna Jurkowska
Grażyna Jurkowska
Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common functional diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. A typical symptom is changed bowel patterns: diarrhea, constipation, or alternation of the two. Abdominal pains vary in intensity and location, with periods of exacerbation and remission, causing disorganization in everyday life and work. Educational intervention could be one strategy to improve the well-being of IBS patients. Only a few trials have examined this hypothesis. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of an educational program combined with elements of behavioral therapy, individualized for each patient, on quality of life (QOL) and severity of pain of patients with IBS. Methods: In total, 150 IBS patients and 100 healthy persons in the control group were included. QOL (36-Item Short Form Health Survey, SF-36) and pain severity (Visual Analogue Scale) were measured at baseline and six months after education of IBS patients. Results: At baseline, patients with IBS showed highly significantly worse QOL. In the IBS group, significantly higher physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) scores were noted for 35- to 50-year-old patients compared to other patients. Six months after education and behavioral therapy, significant improvement in QOL and a significant decrease in the subjective perception of pain severity were noted compared to values before therapeutic education. Conclusion: An educational program combined with elements of behavioral therapy, individualized for patients with IBS, is an important part of therapy for these patients.