AGE VARIABILITY OF PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF THE HYRUDOTHERAPY FOR WOMEN IN ARCTIC
Purpose. Study of age dependents variability of hirudotherapy (HT) effects for female permanently residing in Murmansk region in relation to general physical condition and characteristics of psychological state. Materials and methods. The study involved 9 women aged 32-76 years with different pathologies of cardiovascular and urinary systems. For all subjects psycho-emotional state and stress resistance were tested using methods of situational and personal anxiety evaluation by Spielberger-Khanin, and general psychological status, before and after the HT course. Resulting from patients testing by standart psychological methods of personal and situational anxiety, general well-being, activity and mood assessment, improvement of the overall psycho-emotional status in all age categories, except 55 and 63 years, was found. The findings suggest importance of patients age, as far as more detailed study of the HT effects age variability, taking into account. As a result of age variability of the HT effects study based on psychological characteristics assessment, three critical periods (34, 55 and 63 years) were found. The identified age-related effects of HT can be used to improve this method for women in the Arctic.