Jitse P van Dijk

Publications (147) View all

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  Available from: S.A. Reijneveld

  Article: Roma coronary heart disease patients have more medical risk factors and greater severity of coronary heart disease than non-Roma.

  A Sudzinova, I Nagyova, M Studencan, J Rosenberger, Z Skodova, H Vargova, B Middel, S A Reijneveld, J P van Dijk
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  ABSTRACT: OBJECTIVES: Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the most common cause of mortality and morbidity world-wide. Evidence on ethnic differences between the Roma and non-Roma regarding medical risk factors is scarce. The aim of this study was to assess differences in medical risk factors and the severity of CHD in Roma compared with non-Roma CHD patients, adjusted for gender, age and education. METHODS: Six hundred seventy four patients were included in this cross-sectional study (132 Roma, 542 non-Roma). Data on medical risk factors, symptoms, medication and severity of CHD were obtained from medical records. After matching Roma and non-Roma according to education, linear and logistic regression analyses with adjustments for gender and age were used. RESULTS: Compared with non-Roma, Roma patients had significantly more risk factors and more severe types of CHD. They were treated less frequently with statins and beta-blockers, were more frequently left on pharmacotherapy and surgically revascularised. These differences remained after controlling for education, gender and age. CONCLUSIONS: Roma CHD patients have a worse risk profile at entry of care and seem to be undertreated compared with non-Roma CHD patients.
  International Journal of Public Health 03/2013; · 2.54 Impact Factor
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  Available from: S.A. Reijneveld

  Article: Social support, hopelessness and life satisfaction among Roma and non-Roma adolescents in Slovakia.

  P Kolarcik, A Madarasova Geckova, S A Reijneveld, J P van Dijk
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  ABSTRACT: OBJECTIVES: Evidence on the psychosocial determinants of health among Roma adolescents is completely lacking. Our aim was to compare social support, life satisfaction and hopelessness of Slovak Roma and non-Roma adolescents and to assess the impact of parental education and social desirability on these differences. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study among Roma from settlements in the eastern part of Slovakia (N = 330; mean age = 14.50; interview) and non-Roma adolescents (N = 722; mean age = 14.86; questionnaire). The effect of ethnicity on social support, life satisfaction and hopelessness was analysed using linear regression, adjusted for gender, parental education and social desirability. RESULTS: Roma adolescents reported higher social support from parents, higher life satisfaction and higher hopelessness rates. Parental education explained part of the ethnic differences, as did social desirability. After adjustment for the aforementioned factors, differences by ethnicity remained statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Roma adolescents experience higher levels of social support, life satisfaction and hopelessness than non-Roma adolescents. Reduction of hopelessness feelings while maintaining levels of social support and life satisfaction among Roma adolescents should be a topic for both intervention and further research.
  International Journal of Public Health 09/2012; · 2.54 Impact Factor
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  Available from: S.A. Reijneveld

  Article: Socio-economic status and physical activity among adolescents: the mediating role of self-esteem.

  Z Veselska, A Madarasova Geckova, S A Reijneveld, J P van Dijk
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  ABSTRACT: Physical activity is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle in adolescence. Previous studies have shown physical activity to be associated with socio-economic status and self-esteem; the latter association may mediate the former, but evidence on this is lacking. The aim of this study was to explore the associations of socio-economic status and the self-esteem of adolescents with physical activity, and their joint effects. A sample of 3694 elementary-school students from Slovakia (mean age 14.3 years, 49% boys) completed the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale and answered questions about the frequency of their physical activity and their parents' educational level. Adolescents with higher socio-economic status were significantly more likely to report physical activity on ≥5 days/week and to report higher self-esteem. In logistic regression, the association between socio-economic status and physical activity decreased after including self-esteem, suggesting that at least a part of this association is mediated by self-esteem. To conclude, youths from lower socio-economic groups have already been identified as a target group, for intervention. These findings suggest that it is important for promotion programmes to focus not only on the enhancement of their physical activity, but also on their self-esteem as a possible mediator.
  Public health 11/2011; 125(11):763-8. · 1.26 Impact Factor
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  Available from: S.A. Reijneveld

  Article: Gender differences in adolescent health-related behaviour diminished between 1998 and 2006.

  L Pitel, A Madarasova Geckova, J P van Dijk, S A Reijneveld
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  ABSTRACT: Male teenagers used to smoke more than females, but this male:female ratio has reversed in several European countries over recent decades. The aim of this study was to assess whether a similar shift in gender differences in smoking and other health-related behaviours has occurred in Slovak adolescents over the last decade. Cross-sectional study. Data were collected in 1998 (n=2616, 52.4% male, mean age 14.9±0.6 years, response rate 96.3%) and 2006 (n=1081, 47.0% male, mean age 14.3±0.6 years, response rate 93.0%). Changes in gender-specific prevalence rates for smoking, alcohol consumption and lack of physical activity were assessed for both cohorts overall and by socio-economic group using the highest educational level of the parents. Statistically significant changes occurred in the male:female ratios for smoking and lack of physical activity but not for alcohol consumption. The prevalence of smoking in males dropped below that in females, and the physical activity of females increased substantially. However, changes in gender ratios varied strongly by socio-economic group. The greatest shift in the gender ratio for smoking occurred in the middle socio-economic group, showing an increase in the entire sample. Changes in gender ratios over time among adolescents from the highest socio-economic group were much smaller. The behaviour of Slovak female adolescents has become similar to that of their male peers in terms of smoking and physical activity. This shift in the gender ratio in Slovakia over the last decade mimics the shift in Western Europe from approximately two decades ago.
  Public health 09/2010; 124(9):512-8. · 1.26 Impact Factor
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  Available from: S.A. Reijneveld

  Article: Parental divorce and adolescent drunkenness: role of socioeconomic position, psychological well-being and social support.

  Z Tomcikova, A Madarasova Geckova, O Orosova, J P van Dijk, S A Reijneveld
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  ABSTRACT: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to explore the association between parental divorce and adolescent drunkenness in the last 4 weeks and the contribution of socioeconomic position, family structure, social support from family and well-being to this association. We obtained data on 3,694 elementary school students from several cities in Slovakia (mean age 14.3, 49.0% males; response rate 93%). Respondents completed questionnaires on how often they had been drunk in the last 4 weeks, whether their parents were divorced, their socioeconomic position (education of parents, family affluence), the composition of the household (one or two parents/step-parents), social support from the family and their own well-being. Parental divorce was found to have an effect on adolescent drunkenness in the last 4 weeks, as well as high socioeconomic position, low social support from the family and high depression/anxiety. The effect of divorce on drunkenness decreased only slightly after adding social support into the model. Our findings indicate that parental divorce has a persistent influence on risk behavior independent of the influence of socioeconomic position and well-being. Parental divorce may increase the likelihood of drunkenness more than other factors such as low parental support and poor socioeconomic position.
  European Addiction Research 09/2009; 15(4):202-8. · 2.53 Impact Factor