Geriatric Depression in Family Medicine.

INTRODUCTION: Elderly persons often suffer from depression, without anyone around them noticing. Depression is more common at physically ill elderly person then at their physically healthy contemporary. It is important mental health problem of developed society, because it is still faintly revealed thus insufficiently treated. OBJECTIVE: To explore the existence of geriatric depression in elderly persons living on their own and those who live in family environment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The research included 200 elderly respondents, experimental group made of elderly persons (>65 years) living alone. Control group included elderly persons living in a family environment. Universal geriatric questionnaire was made for this research. To assess the presence of depression at respondents we used "The scale of geriatric depression". RESULTS: The average age (±SD) was 75,4±6,2 years in the experimental group, while in the control group the average age was 74,9±5,6 years. In the experimental group there is significantly larger number of elderly persons that are neglected (p=0,001). Elderly respondents surrounded by loneliness are more depressive than elderly living in the family environment. Statistically geriatric depression is significantly connected with inability for everyday activities, with decreased result of cognitive abilities and indicated result of dementia (P=0.001). CONCLUSION: Depression is an important mental health problem of the developed society, because it is still faintly discovered and by that insufficiently treated. Organizing approach to different aspects of geriatric health, doctors of the primary protection can improve care of their elderly patients.

Influence of Unemployment on Mental Health of the Working Age Population.

INTRODUCTION: Bosnia and Herzegovina has one of the highest unemployment rates in the Balkan region (43.2%), so unemployment is one of the most serious public concerns in our country. AIM: To analyze the influence of unemployment on mental health of the working age population who attend primary care center. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was carried out in the municipality of Bosanska Krupa, which has the highest unemployment rate in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (56%), and included 510 randomly selected working age patients (aged 23-65 years). We used the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) to evaluate mental health of the working age population. RESULTS: There were significantly more women than men (53.5% vs. 46.5%; p=0.02). The mean age of participants was 51.04±12.84 years. The experimental group included 318 (62.35%) unemployed working age participants: 160 (50.3%) had been unemployed for more than 5 years and had had no work experience, while 158 (49.7%) unemployed participants had had a previous work experience of more than five years. The control group included 192 (37.65%) employed working age participants. Unemployment had a significant influence on mental health of the working age population. The unemployed participants had a significantly poorer mental health compared to the employed (p=0.0003). A predictor of impaired mental health was a job loss. A significantly greater mental health impairment occured in the group of unemployed participants with previous work experience of more than five years compared to the unemployed participants who had had no work experience (p=0.001) and employed (p=0.000). CONCLUSION: Unemployment has a negative impact and leads to impaired mental health of the working age population in Bosnia and Herzegovina. A job loss has a predictive role. It indicates that social and health policies must be developed in order to improve well-being of the working age population.

The effect of loneliness on malnutrition in elderly population.

INTRODUCTION: The clinical and epidemiological data show that proper nutrition plays an important role in maintaining health and combating the danger of developing some chronic diseases in the elderly population. Nutrition is an important factor in many physiological and pathological changes that accompany the aging process. More than 50% of elderly patients are suffering from malnutrition which is information that concerns. Due to various factors, older people are potentially vulnerable groups at risk of malnutrition. Loneliness, isolation from society and neglect of parents by children is a big problem to many people in old age. OBJECTIVE: To determine differences in nutritional status of elderly people living alone compared to those who live in family surroundings. SUBJECT AND METHODS: The study was conducted in the municipality of Tuzla in 2009-2010, in outpatient family medicine Simin Han. The survey covered a total of 200 elderly subjects (age >65 years). Subject group consisted of 45% of people living alone, and 55% control group consisted of elderly patients who live in traditional family surroundings. Questionnaires used in this study are General geriatric assessment questionnaire and Mini nutritional status. RESULTS: The average age (+/- SD) was 75.4 +/- 6.2 years in subject group, while the same in the control group was 74.9 +/- 5.6 years. In subject group significantly more patients are on the verge of poverty. There are significant differences in the classification of financial status, according to the groups (p = 0.043). Members of subject groups have significantly lower BMI categories (p = 0.03) compared with the control group. In our study, people who live alone are at increased risk of malnutrition (p = 0030), have reduced the number of daily meals, significantly lower daily intake of protein, fruits and vegetables in the diet in relation to persons living in a family environment. Significantly more patients with loss of appetite live alone. According to the existence of self-reported food problems significantly more people are in subject group. There is a difference value score "Small assessment of nutrition" between the two groups (p = 0.001). About 22% of the total number of respondents said they have not so good health status compared to others. CONCLUSIONS: Loneliness is a significant predictor of anorexia nervosa, the risk of malnutrition and malnutrition. Results indicate that it is necessary to work on improving the status and protection of elderly.

Influence of lifestyle on overweight and obesity in school-age children.

INTRODUCTION: Special attention needs to be given to resolution of obesity problem among children because many studies indicate that majority of persons that have suffered from obesity during their child age still have the same problems when they become adults. Incorrect nutritional habits cause health problems at later age. The purpose of this study is to determine the frequency of overweight and obesity occurrence among school-age children, as well as risk factors that certainly lead to obesity. METHODS: This research was conducted on sample of 530 pupils from one elementary school from suburban area. Assessed children were from seven to fourteen years old. Anthropometric measurements were taken and questionnaires and general medical examinations followed with the statistical processing of collected data. RESULTS: Based on the Body Mass Index (BMI) considering age and gender of examined subjects we have found that 14.7% subjects were overweight and 7.3% of children were obese. Also, we have determined that children often use food that is identified as risk factor for obesity. Overweight and obesity are directly related to amount of time spent in front of TV set or personal computer (p = 0.01). Children that were overweight in 57.1% cases would prefer to change their nutritional habits and 68.4% of obese children would like to do so as well. Children that were obese, in high percent would like to change habits regarding their physical activity (57.9% of them) and overweight children in 33.8% cases. CONCLUSION: It is necessary to encourage young people to develop healthy nutritional habits, to promote physical activity and sports, and definitely to strongly advice against the sedentary lifestyle. It is crucial to educate parents on healthy nutritional habits and physical activity because they have the strongest influence on their children. Also, effort needs to be taken in schools by increasing number of physical education classes and to provide healthy food in school canteens in order to ensure improvement of physical activity and healthy nutritional habits among children.

[Evaluation of diabetic nephropathy in older patients with diabetes mellitus type 2]. / Evaluacija dijabetesne nefropatije u starijih bolesnika sa dijabetes mellitus-om tip 2.

INTRODUCTION: Diabetes currently affects more than 170 million people world-wide, but the World Health Organization (WHO) expects that the number of patients will double within the next 20 years. Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the leading cause of kidney disease in patients who need renal replacement therapy. It is defined by increased urinary albumin excretion in the absence of other renal diseases. The goal of the study is evaluation of DN in older patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) type 2. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Prospective study has been used to analyze 182 patients of old age with DM type 2 according to the criteria of WHO. According to the concentration of albumin in urine the patients were divided in 2 groups: the patients who have confirmed type 2 DM with DN and patients who have confirmed type 2 DM without DN. The following parameters were determined and compared in both groups of patients: age, sex, duration of diabetes, concentration of glucose in blood, microalbuminuria, blood pressure, smoking, obesity, and family history with kidney disease. Albumin/ creatinine ratio was calculated and concentration of albumin in urine was tested by specified albumin straps. RESULTS: The prevalence of type 2 DM in the health care center is 3.64% and prevalence of DN is 24.72%. Results show that duration of DM type 2 is significantly longer in patients with DN (p<0.0001) and concentration of albumin in urine is inreased (p<0.0001), and that significantly higher concentration of HbA1c (p=0.005) and increased creatinine in serum (p=0.04) is present when compared with patients without DN. This study did not find evidence of age, sex, blood pressure, smoking, obesity and family history with kidney disease as risk factors in genesis of DN. CONCLUSION: Duration of DM type 2, increased concentration of glycosyllated HbA1c, and increased creatinine in blood are the risk factors in genesis of DN in older patients with DM type 2.