Browsing by Author "Bokonjic, Dubravko (35516999100)"

Background: Disability either due to illness, aging, or both causes remains an essential contributor shaping European labor markets. Ability of modern day welfare states to compensate an impaired work ability and absenteeism arising from incapacity is very diverse. The aims of this study were to establish and explain intercountry differences among selected European OECD countries and to provide forecasts of future work absenteeism and expenditures on wage replacement benefits. Methods: Two major public registries, European health for all database and Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development database (OECD Health Data), were coupled to form a joint database on 12 core indicators. These were related to disability, work absenteeism, and sickness benefits in European OECD countries. Time horizon 1989-2013 was observed. Forecasting analysis was done on mean values of all data for each single variable for all observed countries in a single year. Trends were predicted on a selected time horizon based on the mean value, in our case, 7 years up to 2020. For this purpose, ARIMA prediction model was applied, and its significance was assessed using Ljung-Box Q test. Results: Our forecasts based on ARIMA modeling of available data indicate that up to 2020, most European countries will experience downfall of absenteeism from work due to illness. The number of citizens receiving social/disability benefits and the number being compensated due to health-related absence from work will decline. As opposed to these trends, cancer morbidity may become the top ranked disability driver as hospital discharge diagnoses. Concerning development is the anticipated bold growth of hospital discharge frequencies due to cancer across the region. This effectively means that part of these savings on social support expenditure shall effectively be spent to combat strong cancer morbidity as the major driver of disability. Conclusion: We have clearly growing work load for the national health systems attributable to the clinical oncology acting as the major disability contributor. This effectively means that large share of these savings on public expenditure shall effectively be spent to combat strong cancer morbidity. On another side, we have all signs of falling societal responsibility toward the citizens suffering from diverse kinds of incapacity or impaired working ability and independence. Citizens suffering from any of these causes are likely to experience progressively less social support and publicly funded care and work support compared to the golden welfare era of previous decades. © 2017 Jakovljevic, Malmose-Stapelfeldt, Milovanovic, Rancic and Bokonjic.

Cadmium and selenium concentrations in maternal and umbilical cord blood and amniotic fluid were determined in 37 normotensive and 23 hypertensive women during the last trimester of pregnancy in relation to their smoking status. Thiocyanate concentration in plasma was used as the index of smoking status. Cadmium and selenium were determined with atomic absorption spectrometry (graphite furnace and mercury hydride system). In the group of normotensive and hypertensive women, significantly higher cadmium and lower selenium concentrations in blood in smokers were observed than in nonsmokers. Umbilical cord blood selenium concentrations in both normotensive and hypertensive smokers were significantly lower than in nonsmokers as well. In the group of normotensive women, significant differences in selenium concentrations in amniotic fluid were observed between smokers and non-smokers. In conclusion, the results of this study show that hypertension in pregnant women smokers is related to significantly higher blood cadmium concentrations, which indicates that cadmium may be considered as an independent factor involved in hypertension.

Cadmium and selenium concentrations in maternal and umbilical cord blood and amniotic fluid were determined in 37 normotensive and 23 hypertensive women during the last trimester of pregnancy in relation to their smoking status. Thiocyanate concentration in plasma was used as the index of smoking status. Cadmium and selenium were determined with atomic absorption spectrometry (graphite furnace and mercury hydride system). In the group of normotensive and hypertensive women, significantly higher cadmium and lower selenium concentrations in blood in smokers were observed than in nonsmokers. Umbilical cord blood selenium concentrations in both normotensive and hypertensive smokers were significantly lower than in nonsmokers as well. In the group of normotensive women, significant differences in selenium concentrations in amniotic fluid were observed between smokers and non-smokers. In conclusion, the results of this study show that hypertension in pregnant women smokers is related to significantly higher blood cadmium concentrations, which indicates that cadmium may be considered as an independent factor involved in hypertension.

Background/Aim. Chlamydia trachomatis infection (CTI) is an increasing public health problem worldwide and is the most frequent sexually transmitted infection. Studies conducted in many armed forces worldwide showed that CTI is common within military population and generate significant healthcare costs. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of CTI among members of the Serbian Armed Forces (SAF) and to determine risk factors for this infection. Methods. The study was designed as a cross-sectional survey and consisted of completing a questionnaire and chlamydial testing. The questionnaire was divided into two question groups: one was about demographic/service related characteristics and the other was about behavioral patterns/ habits. Chlamydia trachomatis real time polymerase chain reaction (Real-TM PCR) was used for detection of pathogen genome specific sequence in the male urethral swabs and in the female endocervical swabs. All data collected were used to compare military personnel with and without CTI. Risk factors independently associated with CTI were identified by the stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis(MLRA) of variables selected by the univariate logistic regression analysis (ULRA), with a limit for entering and removing variables from the model at 0.05. Results. The overall prevalence of CTI was 55 of 356 respondents (15.4%; 95% CI 0.5-2.7%). The ULRA identified that CTI was significantly associated with several characteristics: number of sexual partners during previous year (p = 0.008), knowledge about symptoms of CTI (p = 0.035), tattooing (p = 0.035) and married or in stable relationship (p = 0.022). The MLRA revealed that number of different sexual partners during last year was independent risk factor of CTI (p = 0.026; OR: 0.344; 95% CI: 0.13-0.88). Conclusion. CTI is significant problem in male and female military personnel in the SAF. The number of different sexual partners during previous year was independently associated with CTI. These finding indicates that screening for CTI should be undertaken in the SAF, to reduce rates of CTI in the SAF and to prevent morbidity due to this infection. © 2019, Inst. Sci. inf., Univ. Defence in Belgrade. All rights reserved.