Ulcerative colitis in Zagreb, Yugoslavia: incidence and prevalence 1980-1989.

We present a ten-year incidence of ulcerative colitis in Zagreb, Yugoslavia. The study included both outpatients and inpatients regardless of the extent and severity of the disease. The mean annual incidence rate was 1.5 per 100,000 inhabitants for the period of 1 January 1980 through 31 December 1989. There was no increase in the incidence of ulcerative colitis during the study period. A prevalence rate estimate of 21.4 per 100,000 inhabitants was based on July 1985 official estimated population. The results confirm the low frequency of ulcerative colitis in central Europe.

Epidemiology of Crohn's disease in Zagreb, Yugoslavia: a ten-year prospective study.

A ten-year prospective study of Crohn's disease was carried out in Zagreb, Yugoslavia. It included both inpatients and outpatients regardless of the extent and severity of the disease. The mean annual incidence rate was 0.7 per 100,000 between 1 January 1980 and 31 December 1989. There was no increase in the incidence of Crohn's disease during the study period. The prevalence of Crohn's disease was 8.3 per 100,000 on 31 December 1989. The results confirm the low frequency of Crohn's disease in central and southern Europe.

Eating behaviour, weight status and depressive feelings in female adolescents.

The aim of this study was to examine the attitudes towards food and eating, body image, mood, feelings and relationships in family and peer group in female adolescents with varying weight status in an attempt to explore whether a relationship between emotional difficulties and body weight could be found. The data on use of 81 item measure of emotional difficulties and behavioural symptoms related to eating disorders and dieting in female adolescents aged 15 to 19 years and group of eating disorder patients are reported. The findings suggest that the adolescents who by self-reported weight value appear to be relatively overweight and eating disorder patients score significantly higher on a body dissatisfaction subscale of the applied questionnaire than normal weight and underweight adolescents. Only in the clinical sample of eating disorder patients, however, difficulties in dealing with depressive feelings and fear of poor impulse control were present.

The Croatian Health Survey--SF-36: I. General quality of life assessment.

The objective of the Croatian Health Survey was the assessment of population health related quality of life in the transitional environment of Croatia. Health status measures incorporate dimensions such as physical, psychological, and social functioning, role performance and perception of wellbeing. In order to assess health status, "The medical outcome study 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36) model" was used. A total sample of 5048 inhabitants (1983 males and 3065 females), 18 years and over, represents approximately 1% of the general population of Croatia. Mean scores were as follows: physical functioning (PF) 69.94, role-physical (RP) 63.01, bodily pain (BP) 64.51, general health (GH) 53.40, vitality (VT) 51.85, social functioning (SF) 72.96, role-emotional (RE) 72.42, mental health (MH) 61.71 and health transition (HT) 44.79. Results of the SF-36 health survey in Croatia are very much like the results in other European countries with indication that general quality of life is lower in Croatia.

The adolescents assessment of family functioning.

The aim of this study was to find out in what way adolescents assess their families and family functioning. An 34-item scale in self-report format was administered to 154 high school students and 34 patients in diagnostic procedure before entering psychotherapy in order to explore basic elements of family functioning (structure, affect, communication; behaviour control, ethic values transmission, intimacy and idealization, and elements of family dysfunction). The results showed that adolescents in general assessed their families as growth and individuation supportive. The adolescents in the clinical sample presented more dissatisfaction with their families and elements of family dysfunctions were more emphasized.

Attitudes, behaviour and knowledge on sexuality among female adolescents in Zagreb, Croatia.

The aim of this study was to estimate the level of knowledge about sexuality, attitudes and sexual behaviour of female adolescents. The study included 194 female students, 117 from Medical High School (MHS) and 77 from General High School (GHS) in Zagreb. Data was collected using an anonymous self-administered questionnaire. In addition to items on personal data (age, parental education etc.), the participants were asked to define terms about sexuality (e.g. menstruation, puberty) the definitions of which are found in biology textbooks for the fifth and eighth grade of primary school. The aim of the third part of the survey was to collect information about attitudes and behaviour of female adolescents. The results showed a low level of knowledge in students of both schools. General High School students showed a higher level of knowledge than their Medical High School peers. One fifth of General High School students and 1/3 of Medical High School students were unable to define the term "menstruation". The majority of adolescents talk about sexuality with their friends, 92.1% of General High School and 81.2% of Medical High School students. Almost 50% of students of both schools would like to talk about sexuality with their school doctor. 6.9% of Medical High School students had at least one sexual intercourse while none of the General High School students had been sexually active at the time of the survey. As the majority of students were not sexually active and results showed a rather low level of knowledge, this seems to be the ideal period for the implementation of educational programs aimed at increasing the level of knowledge, and thus preventing unwanted consequences (STD, pregnancy, abortion, infertility).

[Cigarette smoking and ulcerative colitis--is there a causal relationship?]. / Pusenje cigareta i ulcerozni kolitis--postoji li uzrocna veza?

The relation between cigarette smoking and ulcerative colitis was assessed in a case-control study of 235 cases of ulcerative colitis and 311 age- and sex-matched control subjects admitted to the hospital for conditions unrelated to smoking. Smoking habits and daily number of cigarettes smoked were analysed. We found significantly less number of smokers and more ex-smokers in the ulcerative colitis group. The intensity of smoking was equal in both groups. It was noted that pancolitis occurred more frequently in the ex-smokers group. The intensity of smoking did not influence the extension and clinical course of ulcerative colitis. For ulcerative colitis, the relative risk for nonsmokers was 7.4. The study revealed a positive correlation between nonsmoking and ulcerative colitis, higher incidence of pancolitis among ex-smokers and higher relative risk of ulcerative colitis for never-smokers. Various possible causes of influence of smoking on ulcerative colitis are discussed.

Secular growth changes in Zagreb schoolchildren over four decades, 1951-91.

Secular changes in growth and development vary over past decades in intensity and in trend. The purpose of this paper is to present changes in growth patterns of Zagreb schoolchildren aged 7-19 years over the past four decades. Surveys were performed in 1951, 1964, 1973, 1982 and 1991. The mean height of boys and girls in all observed groups has increased significantly over the 40-year period. Age groups up to 9 years in 1991 were 4-7.5 cm taller than their coevals in 1951. Differences increased from the age of 10 in girls and 12 in boys, reaching 10 cm in girls of 12 years and even 14 cm in boys of 14 years. They were also highly pronounced in adult height (5 cm in girls, 7 cm in boys). The most pronounced changes appeared from 1951 to 1964, while in the period from 1964 to 1973 the increase was smaller; in girls only up to 13 years, in boys to 17 years. However, between 1973 and 1982 positive changes were again significantly pronounced, especially in the older age groups. In the last period, 1982-91, the trend seemed to come to an end. Changes in average weight mostly corresponded to the height changes, being somewhat greater in boys. Moreover, in the last two periods, weight gain in older girls was smaller compared to height. Menarche in the period 1964-73 shifted to a younger age by 8 months (13.34-12.67 years), retaining the same level over the next 9 years. However, since 1982 a slight reverse trend has been noticed.

Croatia has reached iodine sufficiency.

This study was performed in 2002, 6 yr after the introduction of a new regulation on salt iodination with 25 mg KI/kg of salt. The aim of the study was to evaluate whether further significant positive results of improved iodine intake could be observed among schoolchildren in Croatia. A total of 927 schoolchildren of both sexes, aged 6-12 yr, were included in the study. In Croatia, with a population of 4,437,460 the research was implemented in four major geographical regions: the Northwestern, Slavonia, Northern Adriatic and Dalmatian regions. Investigations included randomly selected pupils from regional centers and neighboring smaller towns or villages. The results have revealed that thyroid volumes were within the normal range according to the provisional WHO/ICCIDD reference values for sonographic thyroid volume in iodine-replete school-age children, updated in 2001. A significant improvement in medians of urinary iodine excretion was detected in 2002: from 9 microg/dl in 1991 to 14.6 microg/dl in Zagreb, from 4.3 microg/dl in 1995 to 13.1 microg/dl in Split, from 9.4 microg/dl in 1997 to 14.2 microg/dl in Rijeka and from 13.4 microg/dl in 1997 to 14.7 microg/dl in Osijek. An overall median of 14.0 microg/dl of urinary iodine excretion was detected in Croatian schoolchildren. The control of salt at different levels, from production to consumption, including salt produced in all three Croatian salt plants and imported salt, revealed that Croatian salt is adequately iodized. From severe iodine deficiency before the 1950s, through mild-to-moderate iodine deficiency in the 1990s, Croatia has now reached iodine sufficiency.