Marina Topuridze

• Ilia State University

INTRODUCTION Armenia’s and Georgia’s high rates of smoking and secondhand smoke and recent implementation of smoke-free laws provide a timely opportunity to examine factors that increase compliance, like social enforcement and support for governmental enforcement. METHODS Using 2022 data from 1468 Armenian and Georgian adults (mean age=42.92 years...

Introduction Local coalitions can advance public health initiatives such as smoke-free air but have not been widely used or well-studied in low-income and middle-income countries. Methods We conducted a matched-pairs community-randomised controlled trial in 28 communities in Armenia and Georgia (N=14/country) in which we helped establish local coa...

Context Despite high smoking rates, Armenia and Georgia recently adopted smoke-free policies (2022 and 2018). Objective We examined associations between exposure to pro-tobacco media (news opposing smoke-free policies; cigarette, e-cigarette, heated tobacco product [HTP] advertisements) and anti-tobacco media (media, community-based action) and (1...

Despite the development of new diagnostic and treatment tools, cancer remains one of the leading public health challenges of developed and developing countries. According to the National Center for Disease control and Public Health (NCDC), incidence of all cancer cases in 2018 was 258.6 per 100.000 in Georgia. However, the national cancer screening...

Background: Perceived harm, social influences, smoke-free policies, and media exposure have been understudied in relation to tobacco-related attitudes/behaviors in aggregate or in low and middle-income countries; thus, this study examined these factors collectively in relation to smoking-related outcomes among Armenian and Georgian adults. Method...

Garnering support for smoke-free policies is critical for their successful adoption, particularly in countries with high smoking prevalence, such as Armenia and Georgia. In 2018, we surveyed 1456 residents (ages 18–64) of 28 cities in Armenia (n = 705) and Georgia (n = 751). We examined support for cigarette and electronic nicotine delivery systems...

Purpose Globally and in the European region, the road traffic injuries (RTI) have emerged as a major public health and development problem, killing the most productive adult members of a population, including women. This study aimed to identify the key socio-demographic determinants of premature and avoidable RTI mortality in reproductive-aged wome...

Purpose Worldwide, noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of premature death of women, taking the highest toll in developing countries. This study aimed to identify key socio-demographic determinants of NCD mortality in reproductive-aged women (15–49 years) in Georgia. Materials and Methods The study employed the verbal autopsy data...

Local coalitions can advance public health initiative but have not been widely used or well-studied in low- and middle-income countries. This paper provides (i) an overview of an ongoing matched-pairs community-randomized controlled trial in 28 communities in Armenia and Georgia (N = 14/country) testing local coalitions to promote smoke-free polici...

Abstract Background Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), mainly cardiovascular diseases, are a substantial cause of mortality in the country of Georgia, accounting for approximately 93% of all deaths (standardized mortality rate 630.7 deaths per 100,000 persons per year) and an important threat to health security. We conducted a nationally representat...

Background: While pictorial health warning labels (HWLs) are evidence-based, the different messaging strategies are understudied. Methods: We analyzed 2014 national survey data from 1163 Georgian adults to examine: (1) perceived effectiveness of pictorial vs. text-only HWLs; (2) pictorial HWL themes; and (3) correlates of perceived effectiveness of...

Tularemia has sustained seroprevalence in Eurasia, with estimates as high as 15% in endemic regions. The purpose of this report is to characterise the current epidemiology of Francisella tularensis subspecies holarctica in Georgia. Three surveillance activities are summarised: (1) acute infections captured in Georgia's notifiable disease surveillan...

Purpose An understanding of women’s health problems during the reproductive years, based on reliable cause-of-death data, is of critical importance to avoid premature female mortality. This study aimed to investigate mortality levels, cause-specific patterns, and trends in women of reproductive age in Georgia. Materials and methods The National Re...

Background Graphic health warning labels demonstrate effectiveness, particularly for low- and middle-income countries. This study examined six recommended health warning labels, three of which include gruesome imagery and three relatively benign imagery, in a sample of 1,163 adults in Georgia, a middle-income country with high smoking prevalence. W...

Background: While alcohol consumption is pervasive in the country of Georgia, the extent of alcohol consumption among pregnant women is yet to be examined. The goal of this study is to examine prevalence and correlates of alcohol consumption during pregnancy in Georgia. Methods: Using data from the World Health Organization’s Stepwise approach to n...

Rotavirus (RV) is the most common cause of severe gastroenteritis in infants and young children worldwide. RV causes approximately half a million deaths each year among children aged <5 years. According to WHO estimates for 2008, there were approximately 10 to 50 deaths annually in young children due to rotavirus diarrhea in Georgia. The purpose of...

Objectives: We examined receptivity to public smoke-free policies and smoke-free home status among adults in the Republic of Georgia. Methods: In Spring 2014, we conducted a national household survey of 1163 adults. Results: Our sample was on average 42.4 years old, 51.1 % male, and 43.2 % urban. Current smoking prevalence was 54.2 % in men an...

Georgia has limited tobacco control policies, particularly in the area of smoke-free public policies, which may influence the adoption of smoke-free home rules. We qualitatively examined knowledge about and reactions to public and personal smoke-free policies among Tbilisi residents. In Spring 2014, we conducted six focus groups among 47 total part...

Objective: To determine cardio-vascular risk in Georgian population. Design and method: Multi-variant analyses of STEPS survey data. Results: 10-year cardiovascular risk according the Framingham Risk Score: 11% (589) are at a high risk (>20%), 17% (915) are at medium risk (10-20%) and 72% are at low risk (<10%). 10-year cardiovascular according the...

Objective: To determine the role of social-economic determinants in the prevalence of hypertension among Georgian population. Design and method: Multi-variant analyses of STEPS survey data. Results: According the multivariate analysis there main social-economic determinants are area of residence and income of the household. In rural residents the r...

Objective: To determine the role of biological risk-factors in the prevalence of hypertension among Georgian population. Design and method: Multi-variant analyses of STEPS survey data. Results: According the multivariate analysis it was revealed that anthropometrical data, such as body mass index (BMI) and waist and hip circumference ratio (WHR) is...

Objective: To determine the prevalence of major factors associated to hypertension among Georgian population. Design and method: Multi-variant analyses of STEPS survey data. Results: According the multivariate analysis there were 8 factors associated with hypertension that were statistically significant: age, place of residence, income, body mass i...

Background Most cases of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and subsequent liver diseases can be prevented with universal newborn HBV vaccination. The attitudes of health care workers about HBV vaccination and their willingness to recommend vaccine have been shown to impact HBV vaccination coverage and the prevention of vertical transmission of HBV....

In present review hepatocyte apoptosis is presented as universal defensive reaction of liver, to the damages. Hepatocyte apoptosis may be caused by hepatotropic virus's direct affection, or by the immune reactions initiated by viruses. Apoptosis development caused by virus direct affection varies and contains at lest two mechanisms: production of s...

While the Republic of Georgia has a high prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (3.4% of blood donors tested positive for HBV surface antigen [HBsAg]), relatively few healthcare workers (HCWs) are thought to be immunized. To measure rates of HBV vaccination coverage and identify predictors of vaccine acceptance among HCWs. Cross-sectional...

Apoptosis is the vital issue of Biology and Medicine. Recent concept of molecular and cellular mechanisms of apoptosis--a well-controlled form of cell death was reviewed. The aim of a review was to broaden knowledge of apoptosis mechanism and to reveal molecular targets for the modulation of these processes. The data on the apoptosis was analyzed....

To specify mechanisms of paraneoplastic alterations of redox-status of tissues in experimental malignant tumor growth, we investigated electronic paramagnetic centers of blood, skeletal muscle and liver with electronic paramagnetic resonance (EPR) method. We also studied the concentration and activity of antioxidant enzymes. Our experiments on adul...

The present work was aimed to study mechanisms of paraneoplastic alterations of tissue redox-status, intensity of local blood flow in liver and their possible interrelations in case of malignant tumor growth. It has been investigated the electronic paramagnetic centres of blood and liver using the electronic paramagnetic resonance (EPR) method and...