The impact of armed conflict on morbidity and mortality globally

Introduction Empirical evidence isolating the independent effect of armed conflict on health is scant, has methodological limitations, and neglects a growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This thesis aims to evaluate the impact of armed conflict on civilian morbidity and mortality globally. Methods Two systematic reviews assessed the existing evidence on conflict and NCDs (Chapters 4 & 5). Longitudinal, fixed effects panel regression models used data from the Uppsala Conflict Data Program and Global Burden of Disease to assess relationships between four armed conflict specifications and health outcomes. Outcomes included all-cause and cause-specific civilian mortality (Chapter 6), and maternal and child mortality and health service coverage (Chapter 7). Models were adjusted for ten confounders, lagged by between one and ten years, and were age- and -sex stratified. Multiple sensitivity analyses assessed model robustness. Results Systematic review findings found positive but inconsistent associations between conflict and NCDs, although two thirds of studies had low methodological quality. Empirical research chapters included 193 countries between 1990 and 2017 and found that more intense conflicts (wars) drove associations. Wars were associated with an increase in civilian mortality by 81.5 per 100,000 population (95% CI 14.3-148.8), predicting 29.4 million (95% CI 22.1-36.6) deaths globally over the study period, two thirds of which were from communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional diseases and 20% of which were from NCDs. Males appeared more affected than females, particularly for deaths from injuries, and point estimates were largest for children under 5 years and adults over 69 years. Wars were positively associated with all maternal and child health indicators, predicting 14.1 million (95% CI 11.5-16.7) infant deaths. Sensitivity analyses demonstrated robustness of findings. Discussion This thesis comprehensively and robustly contributes to understanding the detrimental impact of conflict on civilian morbidity and mortality globally, including on NCDs and across the life course.Open Acces

Mapping the Victimological Landscape of the Balkans : A Regional Study on Victimology and Victim Protection with a Critical Analysis of Current Victim Policies

This timely and comprehensive collection of discussions on victimology, victims of crime and victim protection policies in the Balkans and beyond engages readers with the current state of the art of regional victimology in the Balkans and Central Europe. Original contributions from as many as ten countries of the region analyse the development of victimology, victim protection policies and practices, as well as major areas of victimological research. The main idea of the book at hand is to provide an insight into the complex nature of victimisation in contemporary societies and a deeper understanding of the nature of, and responses to, victimisation in the context of the criminal justice system and civil society. Chapters about the recent developments of victimology in Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, and Turkey reflect on cultural victimology and contextualisation of victimology and victimological thought from a broader societal perspective. More importantly, the chapters thus present, for the first time, a comparative and contextual account of regional contributions to present-day victimology. This publication is a milestone of victimological research calling for a follow-up and more comparative victimological studies in the future, improvement of practice in victim protection and more feasible victim protection policies

Epidemiological Features of Suicides in Osijek County, Croatia, from 1986 to 2000

Suicide is a devastating tragedy associated with social, cultural and psychological factors. It takes approximately 1,060 lives in the Republic of Croatia each year. We retrospectively reviewed all cases referred to in the Registrar office and Police Department at Osijek County from 1986 to 2000. The cases of suicide totaled 1,017. All of the cases were analyzed as to age, gender, marital status, occupation, place and time of suicide and method of suicide. The suicide rate for the entire population of the County averaged 20.5/100,000 inhabitants per annum. The age of the suicides ranged from 15 to 92. The male to female ratio was 2.1:1. The highest suicide incidence was among the age groups from 55 to 64 (19.27%), followed by age group from 45 to 54 (16.12 %). The lowest suicide incidence was among the age group years was also low (2.06%). The suicide was frequent among people who live alone: single, widowed, divorced (47.29%). Eighty percent of victims were found in surroundings familiar to them. These included various premises of their residences. The retired, the laborers and the unemployed (67.36%) were predominant among suicide victims. The most common methods of suicide were hanging (43%), followed by firearms (24%). No correlation was found with the day of the week or the month of the year. The study showed a slightly increased rate of suicide, from 21 cases at the beginning of the investigation (in 1986) to 22.3/100,000 population fifteen years later (in 2000)