Demographic and Socioeconomic Predictors of Prehypertension and Hypertension in the Adult Population: Serbian National Health Survey.

Background and Objectives: Prehypertension and hypertension are the most common cardiovascular disorders worldwide and are increasingly considered one of the most serious public health problems, particularly in developing countries. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency and demographic and socioeconomic predictors of prehypertension and hypertension in the adults in Serbia, and to examine the relationship between prehypertension and hypertension and health behavior determinants (smoking, alcohol use, physical activity) and individual aspects of health (a health self-assessment, multimorbidity, BMI, depressive symptoms). Materials and Methods: The research is part of the fourth National Population Health Survey conducted in 2019, which was conducted by the Republic Institute of Statistics, in cooperation with the Institute of Public Health of Serbia and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Serbia. As a research instrument, questionnaires were used in accordance with the methodology of the European Health Survey. For the purposes of this research, data on the adult population aged 20 and over were used. Results: Women are at a reduced risk for both prehypertension (OR = 0.328) and hypertension (OR = 0.349) by nearly 70%. Similarly, those aged below 60 years have a lower risk for prehypertension and those younger than 40 years have a lower risk for hypertension (OR = 0.995), whereas people with a lower education have a 4.3 times higher risk of prehypertension (OR = 4.323) and a 1.6 times higher risk of hypertension (OR = 1.614). The poor have a 1.4 times higher risk of prehypertension (OR = 1.413) and a 1 times higher risk of hypertension (OR = 1.035). People with multimorbidity have a 1.2 times higher risk of both prehypertension (OR = 1.218) and a 4.8 times higher risk of hypertension (OR = 4.867). Conclusions: Male gender, lower education, poverty, age and the presence of multimorbidity are significant predictors of prehypertension and hypertension in the Serbian adult population, so preventive strategies should be aimed at these sensitive population groups.

Socioeconomic inequalities in the use of dental health care among the adult population in Serbia.

Objectives: The aim of this paper is to assess the association of demografic and socioeconomic determinants with utilization of dental services among Serbian adults. Materials and methods: The study is a part of the population health research of Serbia, conducted in the period from October to December 2019 by the Institute of Statistics of the Republic of Serbia in cooperation with the Institute of Public Health of Serbia "Dr. Milan JovanovicBatut" and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Serbia. The research was conducted as a descriptive, cross-sectional analytical study on a representative sample of the population of Serbia. For the purposes of this study, data on the adult population aged 20 years and older were used. Results: Men were approximately 1.8 times more likely than women to not utilize dental healthcare services (OR = 1.81). The likelihood of not utilizing dental healthcare protection rises with increasing age, reaching its peak within the 65-74 age range (OR = 0.441), after which it declines. Individuals who have experienced marital dissolution due to divorce or the death of a spouse exhibit a higher probability of not utilizing health protection (OR = 1.868). As the level of education and wealth diminishes, the probability of abstaining from health protection increases by 5.8 times among respondents with an elementary school education (OR = 5.852) and 1.7 times among the most economically disadvantaged respondents (OR = 1.745). Regarding inactivity, respondents who are not employed have a 2.6-fold higher likelihood of not utilizing oral health care compared to employed respondents (OR = 2.610). Conclusion: The results suggest that individual sociodemographic factors influence utilization of dental services by Serbian adults and confirmed the existence of socioeconomic disparities.

Mental health status and coping strategies during COVID-19 pandemic among university students in Central Serbia.

Background: The objective of this research was to evaluate the occurrence of depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as the level of life contentment and coping mechanisms employed by college students amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A total of 588 students of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and the Higher School of Medicine, Kraljevo, University of Kragujevac, Central Serbia, participated in an online cross-sectional survey in the period September-October 2022. Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21) was used to measure the levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. The Coping Questionnaire-a shorter version (Brief Cope Inventories) assesses the coping strategies a person uses in stressful situations, and the 5-item Life Satisfaction Scale is used to examine the level of life satisfaction. Results: The symptoms of depression were reported by 34.9%, of anxiety by 47.1% and of stress by 44.2%. The type of faculty (p = 0.001), and place of residence (p = 0.036) correlated with depression, gender with anxiety (p = 0.001) and stress (p = 0.015). In terms of coping mechanisms, the most frequently mentioned strategies, based on average scores, were acceptance (5.76), positive interpretation (5.55), humor (5.46). Conclusion: The adverse impact of COVID-19 was a risk factor for depression, anxiety and stress symptoms. A negative correlation exists between the levels of depression, anxiety, and stress, and the overall life satisfaction of university students. Offering the necessary assistance through psychological interventions and effective coping techniques is crucial in ensuring the optimal mental health of university students.