PONS - medicinski časopis

The The Prevalence of Hard Ticks Infesting Humans in the South Bačka District: Association of Age and Infestation Localization with Tick Developmental Stages

2025-11-24T12:35:01+01:00

ABSTRACT

Objective. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of different tick species infesting humans, to assess the correlation between patient age and the body region affected by the infestation, as well as to analyze the number of human infestations during the period from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023.

Methods. The study included patients residing in the South Bačka District who visited the Pasteur Institute with either a removed or attached tick. Patients were divided into eight age categories: 1–10 years, 11–20 years, 21–30 years, 31–40 years, 41–50 years, 51–60 years, 61–70 years, and 71–80 years. The study analyzed associations between age categories and the affected body regions (head and neck, upper extremities, lower extremities, torso, and genital area), the number of removed ticks, and the developmental stages of ticks (adult, nymph, larva).

Results. A total of 502 ticks were collected during the study period. Six tick species were identified, with Ixodes ricinus being the most prevalent (460/502; 91.63%). Of the total ticks collected, 252 (50.19%) were nymphs, while 205 (40.83%) were adults. Regression analysis revealed a statistically significant correlation between the frequency of infestation of arms, legs, and the genital region and the age of participants. Risk analysis showed a statistically significant difference in the likelihood of nymph infestations compared to adults in patients aged 1–10 years, with the probability of nymph infestation being nearly 1.5 times higher.

Conclusion. The results of this study highlight the dominance of Ixodes ricinus among ticks infesting humans in the South Bačka District, with nymphs being the most common developmental stage. A significant correlation was observed between the age of patients and the localization of infestations on the body, as well as an increased risk of nymph infestations in children aged 1–10 years. These findings provide valuable insights into the epidemiological characteristics of tick infestations, contributing to better planning of preventive measures and public education on tick-borne risks and protection.

Retrospektivna analiza padova kod obolelih od plućnih bolesti u hospitalnim uslovima

2025-11-24T12:35:01+01:00

OBJECTIVE: Patient falls are categorized as the most common adverse events in hospital practice. Lung patients are elderly, multimorbidity, limited mobility and cognitive dysfunctions, which is why they may have an increased risk. The aim of this research is to analyze the risk factors of falls during hospitalization of patients with lung diseases, as well as their causes and consequences.

METHOD: The study was designed as a retrospective - a pilot study on a sample of 37 patients with lung diseases, both sexes, aged from 43 to 90 years. Data were collected from medical records. The results are presented tabularly and graphically.

RESULTS: The sample consisted of 51% male and 49% female respondents, 92% aged >60 years. Analysis of risk factors indicated the greatest degree of increased risk of falling: older age > 60 years 92%, respiratory insufficiency 89%, multimorbidity 97%, drugs with risk factors 97% and additional equipment 97%. The main causes of falls in 68% of patients are cognitive dysfunction, in 19% environmental factors, while in 13% the cause of the fall is unknown. In our sample, 54% of the respondents were without injuries.

CONCLUSION: Based on this pilot study, we can conclude that there are a lot of associated risk factors that contribute to increased risk of falling in the studied population group, and in future research it is necessary to examine them in more detail in other lung diseases, not only in patients with COPD.

KEYWORDS: falls, risk factors, assesment risk

Association between depression screening and sick leave among employees in Serbia

2025-11-24T12:35:02+01:00

Objective. The mental health of employees represents a key factor affecting absenteeism and productivity. This study aimed to examine the association between depressive symptoms and absenteeism among employees in Serbia and to identify demographic and socioeconomic factors influencing this relationship.

Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the National Health Survey, including a sample of 4,652 employees aged 18-65 years. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression, adjusted for demographic and socioeconomic factors, were used to analyze the association between depressive symptoms and absenteeism.

Results. The prevalence of mild depressive symptoms was 2.3%, and depressive episodes were 0.6%. Women showed significantly higher prevalence of depressive symptoms compared to men (3.9% vs 2.1%, p=0.002). The most common symptoms were fatigue (2.1%) and sleep problems (1.6%). All depressive symptoms showed a statistically significant association with absenteeism (p<0.01). Absenteeism frequency increases with symptom severity: 1.6% in the absence of symptoms, 4.7% for mild symptoms, while long-term absenteeism with mild symptoms was 10.4%. Participants with mild depressive symptoms had twice the odds for absenteeism (OR=2.01), while those with depressive episodes had over three times higher odds (OR=3.20).

Conclusion. The study confirms a significant association between the presence of depressive symptoms and absenteeism among employees in Serbia, with a clear risk gradation depending on symptom severity. Higher prevalence of depressive symptoms in women indicates the need for gender-adapted preventive approaches. Findings support the implementation of depression screening as an early strategy for reducing absenteeism in the working population.

OVERCOMING CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN THE PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE OF HEALTHCARE WORKERS

2025-11-24T12:35:03+01:00

Cultural diversity, a characteristic of modern society, requires developed intercultural sensitivity and the application of acquired intercultural competencies in the daily practice of healthcare workers. Due to the nature of their activity, healthcare workers play a significant role in promoting multiculturalism. Thus, their professional actions should be based on ethical principles, empathy, respect for diversity, rejection of stereotypes and prejudices, and judgment of discrimination.

Intending to raise the awareness of healthcare workers about the importance of intercultural competence in professional practice, the work sublimates the basic assumptions about prejudice, stereotypes and discrimination as potential sources of obstacles in intercultural communication within the healthcare system. Their impact on the quality of health care provided to patients is emphasised, as well as the necessary knowledge and skills of health workers to provide culturally competent care and treatment. According to the existing legal regulations, the authors present basic strategies and interventions for overcoming the mentioned obstacles.

Social pluralism initiates the necessity of forming a solid value orientation of healthcare workers towards respect for universal human rights and values, developed through introspection, critical reflection and open dialogue.

Treating obesity - is diet enough?

2025-11-24T12:35:03+01:00

Obesity is prevalent, complex chronic disease, which can lead to more than 200 diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular and malignant diseases. Weight bias, stigmatization and discrimination are widespread and with serious consequences for people living with obesity. Approved methods for obesity treatment are: 1. Nutrition improvement; 2. Physical activity; 3. Psychotherapy; 4. Pharmacotherapy; and 5. Surgical therapy.

Nutrition interventions and medical nutrition therapy are core treatment for obesity. Nutrition interventions that are safe, effective, nutritionally adequate, culturally acceptable and affordable for long-term adherence, should be considered for adults living with obesity. However, to date, no single best nutrition intervention has been shown to sustain weight loss long-term.

Physical activity, psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy and surgical therapy can considerably improve results of treatment, but all together, treating of obesity is complex, expensive and with limited results. It has been suggested that primary prevention is the most cost-effective option for addressing obesity. Therefore, prevention of obesity and related health consequences should be a focus of every healthcare systems.

The process of patient education in nursing practice

2025-11-24T12:35:03+01:00

Introduction. Due to the long duration of the disease, patients are faced with limited health resources, shorter hospitalizations, so they are forced to stay and carry out the treatment for the disease independently or with the help of other persons outside the health institutions. All this emphasizes the trend and the need to encourage a healthy lifestyle and train patients to take care of their own health. The aim of this review was to describe the process of patient education. Two aspects of health education are distinguished: content (what is learned) and process (how the material is learned). Education affects the behavior of patients, which changes knowledge, skills and attitudes, which is necessary in order to preserve and improve one's own health. The patient education process includes several steps: assessment of educational needs, setting educational goals, defining content, activities and learning aids (learning plan), conducting education and evaluating what has been learned. It is important to harmonize educational strategies with the patient's age, because there is a different approach to children, elderly people, people with special needs, etc. Educational activities in health care include three interrelated domains: cognitive (related to the acquisition of certain contents); affective (implies change of attitudes and development of abilities) and psychomotor (refers to the development of practical skills). A key component of the education process is the assessment of patient needs related to the area of education. A nurse must be adequately qualified to assess educational needs, as this is a prerequisite for successful education. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, patient education is not carried out regularly and completely.

Conclusion. Patient education has always been an integral part of the work of nurses, and in today's circumstances, the need for it is increasing. Graduated nurses are the main and responsible bearers of educational interventions.

Keywords: education, patients, nurses, chronic diseases.

20th YEARS MONICA PROJECT IN NOVI SAD - INFLUENCE OF SOCIOPOLITICAL AND ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES ON STROKE EPIDEMIOLOGY

2025-11-24T12:35:03+01:00

Objective. To measure trends in CVD, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and MU morbidity and mortality, assessing the extent to which these trends are associated with changes in known risk factors (RF), daily lifestyle habits, health care, and major socioeconomic characteristics. Measurements were carried out at the same time in defined communities in different countries on several inhabited continents.
Methods MONICA combined the old with the new, routine standardized measurements of epidemiological parameter’s, RF and medical care were combined with quality control and publication of results on the internet, hypothesis testing and publication of study results in prestigious scientific journals. The hypothesis couldn’t be tested only on one population and without cooperation with the WHO, and the main activities were recording the incidence of AMI and stroke, coronary care, analysis of population samples and implementation of the intervention program. Incidence, morbidity, lethality and mortality of stroke, sociopolitical and economic characteristics, as well as stroke RF in the area of Novi Sad were investigated from 1979-1983-2002. in order to establish and implement the aforementioned protocols.
Results The levels and distribution of the main RF that determined the undertaking of preventive activities and the implementation of intervention programs to protect residents from CVD are presented. The results of the MONICA project in Novi Sad were achieved by reducing the epidemiological indicators of stroke in a period of favorable social, political and economic conditions, and by worsening them in the opposite circumstances in all expressed aspects of people's lives and state functioning.
Conclusion The hypothesis has been proven that the social community achieves a successful final mission of reducing stroke rates of morbidity and mortality by undertaking prophylactic measures, so that despite the development of reperfusion therapies for patients with acute ischemic stroke, prevention remains the approach of choice for reducing the its risk.