Browsing by Author "Erić, Miloš (55888696700)"

Objective: Cardiovascular health (CVH) is a relatively new concept defined by the American Heart Association (AHA). The aim of the present study was to assess whether the indices of CVH were discriminators of socioeconomic status (SES) in the adult population of the Republic of Srpska (RS). Design: Population-based cross-sectional study. Setting: RS, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Participants: The study involved 4165 adults aged ≥18 years (mean age 50.2; 54% women) who participated in the National Health Survey performed from September to November 2010 in the RS. Study variables: Participant's education was a proxy for SES. Potential discriminators of SES were indices of CVH presented according to AHA as: ideal health behaviours index (non-smoking, body mass index <25 kg/m2, physical activity at goal level and healthy diet); ideal health factors index (untreated total cholesterol <200 mg/dL, untreated blood pressure <120/<80 mm Hg, untreated fasting glucose <100 mg/dL and non-smoking); and ideal CVH status (defined as all seven ideal health metrics present) versus intermediate and poor CVH status. Results: Participants with high educational levels had a significantly greater number of ideal CVH metrics, and ideal health factor metrics compared with those with low or medium educational level (OR 0.88 95% CI 0.77 to 0.99 and OR 0.88 95% CI 0.80 to 0.96; OR 0.81 95% CI 0.69 to 0.96 and OR 0.77 95% CI 0.68 to 0.87; respectively). The number of ideal behaviour metrics was not a discriminator of educational groups. Concerning the categories of CVH status the poor CVH was a discriminator for low and medium education compared with those with high education (OR 1.93 95% CI 1.24 to 3.01 and OR 1.54 95% CI 1.08 to 2.19, respectively). Conclusions: Our findings emphasise the large potential for preventing cardiovascular disease, showing a low proportion with a favourable CVH profile, especially among low-educated people. It is necessary to consider prevention strategies aimed at improving CVH in RS, targeting primarily low educational groups.

Background and Purpose: There are only a few published studies on the relationship between cardiovascular health (CVH) status as proposed by the American Heart Association and the metabolic syndrome (MetS) in persons with cardiovascular disease (CVD). The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of CVH and MetS and their correlation in the adult population of the Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina, in order to evaluate which set of cardiovascular risk factors (low or medium CVH status and MetS), or the combination of both, is a better predictor for the occurrence of CVD. Methods: We included 3601 adults (aged ≥25 years) from the Republic of Srpska National Health Survey 2010. CVH status was evaluated according to the American Heart Association criteria, whereas MetS was defined using the criteria of the National Cholesterol Education Program's Adult Treatment Panel III. Results: The prevalence of low or medium CVH status and MetS is significantly higher in participants who had experienced CVD than in those free of CVD. Our study showed that predictors for CVD occurrence were presence of MetS (odds ratio 3.61, 95% confidence intervals 2.14-6.07) and presence of both sets of cardiovascular risk factors in the same person (odds ratio 4.23, 95% confidence intervals 1.50-11.93). Conclusion: Our results suggest that presence of both sets of cardiovascular risk factors (low or medium CVH status and MetS) is the strongest predictor of CVD. Identification of individuals with cardiovascular risk factors may provide opportunities to intervene earlier and can help reduce the risk of developing CVD. © 2018 National Stroke Association

Objectives: To examine demographic, socio-economic, and health status inequalities in the utilization of health care services (UHCS) in the Republic of Srpska (RS), Bosnia and Herzegovina. Methods: Data were retrieved from the 2010 National Health Survey for the RS adult population (n = 4128). A complex sample design was taken into account for statistical analysis. Results: As compared to men, a higher percentage of women visited a family physician (FP), urgent care department, dentist and private doctor. Higher educated women and those worse-off (OR 1.17) more frequently visited FP. Hospitalization (OR 4.56 for males; OR 9.17 for females), visit to urgent care department (OR 3.19 for males; OR 2.42 for females) and visits to FP in females (OR 1.46) were associated with poor self-perceived health. No inequalities by wealth index were found for the utilization of FP, hospitalization, urgent care and dentist among persons with poor self-perceived health status. Conclusions: The present study confirmed demographic, socio-economic and health status inequalities in the UHCS in RS. These findings have significant implications for health policy makers that seek to provide equal care for all people living in RS. © 2017, Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+).

Background: The aim of this study was to determine sex differences in the prevalence of cardiovascular health (CVH) metrics according to the CVH status. Methods: The cross-sectional, population-based study involved 2250 women and 1920 men aged ≥18 years that participated in the 2010 National Health Survey in the Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Prevalence of CVH behaviours (smoking, body mass index, physical activity, diet), CVH factors (cholesterol, fasting blood glucose and blood pressure, plus smoking) and ideal CVH were estimated according to the American Heart Association criteria for ideal, intermediate and poor levels. Association between sex and ideal CVH categories was analyzed with multivariable logistic regression analysis across three age stratums. Results: A higher prevalence of ideal CVH metrics was seen in women for smoking status, body mass index, healthy diet score and blood pressure, and in men for physical activity and total cholesterol. Women from all age groups had better CVH behaviours (odds ratio [OR] = 1.40 for the youngest; OR = 2.05 for middle-aged; and OR = 2.03 for older-aged women), while only women from the youngest age group had better CVH factors (OR = 5.09). In line with this, ideal overall CVH prevailed in younger and middle-aged women in comparison to men of the same ages (OR = 3.01 and OR = 2.25, respectively), while disappeared in older ones. Conclusions: Significant differences in the prevalence of CVH metrics between men and women in the Republic of Srpska should be considered in cardiovascular disease prevention. © 2015 The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Background: The Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI) evaluates the impact of skin diseases on the patient's quality of life. Objective: The purpose of the study was to translate and to validate the CDLQI into Serbian. Methods: The CDLQI was translated into Serbian following international recommendations for translation and cultural adaptation. The validation study was carried out on a large cohort of secondary schoolchildren who self-reported acne. Results: Translating the CDLQI consisted of forward translation, reconciliation, back translation, back-translation review, and cognitive debriefing. The good internal consistency of the scale was demonstrated with a Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0.87. A Spearman correlation coefficient of 0.66 between the CDLQI and the Cardiff Acne Disability Index (CADI) was deemed satisfactory to demonstrate concurrent validity. Conclusion: The translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and psychometric qualities of the CDLQI were satisfactory, enabling its application in clinical practice and future studies. © 2013 Canadian Dermatology Association.