Browsing by Author "Tepavčević, Darija Kisić (57218390033)"

Background/Aim. Despite the availability of safe and effective vaccine since 1982, hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection still remains a major occupational disease among health care workers (HCWs) worldwide. The aim of this study was to estimate the level of knowledge regarding HBV among HCWs in Serbia. Methods. A random sample of 352 HCWs, stratified by occupation, was selected from the list of employees in the Clinical Centre of Serbia during December 2015. Anonymous questionnaire was used in data collection. Data were statistically assessed. Results. The mean HBV knowledge score was 22.9 ± 4.8 (out of maximum 30). Better knowledge score correlated with higher education attainment (= 0.377; p < 0.001), younger age (= -0.113; p = 0.034) and less working experience (-0.127; p = 0.017). We observed that those HCWs who were previously vaccinated against hepatitis B demonstrated statistically significantly higher knowledge level (t = 5.656, p < 0.001) compared to HCWs who were not vaccinated (23.9 ± 3.7 vs. 20.9 ± 5.8, respectively). Conclusion. We found poor level of knowledge on some aspects of HBV infection among HCWs in Serbia. Tailoring of education campaigns in this high-risk exposure group is necessary. Education intervention should focus on change of attitudes and behaviour modification to ensure safe and responsible health care environment. © 2020 Inst. Sci. inf., Univ. Defence in Belgrade. All rights reserved.

Objective – To examine health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among Serbian students who study in the northern Kosovo province and to explore potential differences in HRQoL relative to students’ region of origin. Materials and Methods – This study was conducted from April to June 2015. A total of 514 students from the University of Priština temporarily settled in Kosovska Mitrovica were enrolled in the study. The students completed the socio-demographic and lifestyle questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the generic HRQoL questionnaire Short Form-36 (SF-36). The region of origin was classified based on the area in which the students were originally from: Republic of Serbia vs. North Kosovo vs. Southern enclaves. Results – The highest scores were observed for Physical Functioning and the lowest for Vitality. No difference in HRQoL was observed between students from the Republic of Serbia, North Kosovo and Southern enclaves. Compared to females, males scored better on Bodily Pain, General Health, Social Functioning and Mental Health. They also had better Physical and Mental Composite scores and Total HRQoL than females. Worse depressive symptoms were consistently associated with poorer HRQoL across all three groups of students. Conclusion – The HRQoL among Serbian students in the northern Kosovo province does not differ based on their region of origin. Health care services for university students should prioritize prevention, early recognition and treatment of depressive symptoms. © 2021 by the University Clinical Centre Tuzla, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Background/Aim. Quality of life is impaired in patients with the chronic liver disease (CLD). Patients with this disease have numerous disabling problems which lead to a reduced health related quality of life (HRQoL). The aim of our study was to evaluate the predictive value of selected socio-demographic and clinical characteristics on HRQoL in Serbian cohort of patients with the CLD. Methods. Over a period of one year, we performed a study which included patients with the CLD. We used Short Form Health Survay-36 (SF-36) for assessment of HRQoL. The assessment of depression and anxiety was made by using Hamilton scale of depression and anxiety, while the assessment of fatigue was performed by Fatigue severity scale. Results. The study included 103 patients with the CLD. The average values of the overall SF-36 scores were 52.6 ± 20.4, while the mean score of the composite scores were 53.5 ± 19.6 for the Mental component summary and 49.8 ± 21.3 for the Physical component summary. Some domains of HRQoL were significantly affected by following factors: gender, age, employment status, alcohol consumption, depression, anxiety and fatigue. Predictors of physical components of HRQoL were employment, depression and fatigue, and predictors of mental components were depression and fatigue. Conclusion. The tested socio-demographic, clinical and behavioral factors have an impact on the HRQoL in patients with the CLD. The most important predictors of HRQoL are behavioral factors suggesting the need for an adequate therapeutic action in order to improve the HRQoL in these patients. © 2018, Inst. Sci. inf., Univ. Defence in Belgrade. All rights reserved.

Background/Aim. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is accompanied by numerous comorbidities, among which depression and anxiety (D/A) occupy a significant place. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of D/A in RA patients and the relationship with their quality of life (QoL). Methods. The study included RA patients treated at the Rheumatology Clinic of the Military Medical Academy in Belgrade, Serbia in the period from May to November 2016. Disease activity was assessed by the Disease Activity Score 28-SE (DAS28-SE). D/A was determined using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) questionnaire and European Quality of Life 5 Dimensions 3 Level Version (EQ-5D-3L) questionnaire Question 5. Three questionnaires were used to assess QoL: the general RAND 36-item Health Survey 1.0 (RAND36), the specific Rheumatoid Arthritis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RAQoL) and EQ-5D-3L. Results. Based on the HADS questionnaire, the prevalence of depression was 52% with the average HADS score value of 7.6 ± 3.2, while the prevalence of anxiety was 32% with the mean HADS score value of 5.8 ± 3.8. Question 5 of the EQ-5D questionnaire showed that the © 2022 Inst. Sci. inf., Univ. Defence in Belgrade. All rights reserved.

Vaccine communication between health workers and parents affects parental acceptance, so understanding this is particularly important when vaccination rates drop. This paper presents the findings of a qualitative research study conducted in Serbia as part of a Tailoring Immunization Programmes (TIP) project. The aims were to explore the process of vaccination communication between health workers and parents (accepting, indecisive, delaying, refusing), and identify barriers and drivers to effective communication. In-depth interviews with 14 health workers were supplemented and qualified by observations of 40 consultations, using thematic analysis. Study sites were two community health centers in two Belgrade municipalities where a significant drop in childhood vaccination rates had occurred. Key findings were: (1) communication mainly took place between pediatricians and parents, while nurses focused on administering vaccines. (2) Health workers were confident in their skills to communicate and address concerns of accepting and indecisive parents, successfully applying specific strategies. (3) When interacting with delaying and refusing parents, they sometimes agreed to delay vaccination to maintain relationships, confident that most parents would vaccinate in due course. (4) Some refusing parents asked questions grounded in a socio-political agenda regarding vaccines or vaccination. Such questions exceeded the domain of health workers’ expertise, which affected the communication between them. (5) Health workers’ behavior in consultations was sometimes affected by parents’ (dis) trust in their recommendations about vaccination. The study revealed that health workers in Serbia require additional skills and techniques to respond to parents who refuse and wish to delay vaccination, to secure timely vaccination. © 2021 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Vaccine communication between health workers and parents affects parental acceptance, so understanding this is particularly important when vaccination rates drop. This paper presents the findings of a qualitative research study conducted in Serbia as part of a Tailoring Immunization Programmes (TIP) project. The aims were to explore the process of vaccination communication between health workers and parents (accepting, indecisive, delaying, refusing), and identify barriers and drivers to effective communication. In-depth interviews with 14 health workers were supplemented and qualified by observations of 40 consultations, using thematic analysis. Study sites were two community health centers in two Belgrade municipalities where a significant drop in childhood vaccination rates had occurred. Key findings were: (1) communication mainly took place between pediatricians and parents, while nurses focused on administering vaccines. (2) Health workers were confident in their skills to communicate and address concerns of accepting and indecisive parents, successfully applying specific strategies. (3) When interacting with delaying and refusing parents, they sometimes agreed to delay vaccination to maintain relationships, confident that most parents would vaccinate in due course. (4) Some refusing parents asked questions grounded in a socio-political agenda regarding vaccines or vaccination. Such questions exceeded the domain of health workers’ expertise, which affected the communication between them. (5) Health workers’ behavior in consultations was sometimes affected by parents’ (dis) trust in their recommendations about vaccination. The study revealed that health workers in Serbia require additional skills and techniques to respond to parents who refuse and wish to delay vaccination, to secure timely vaccination. © 2021 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.