Mental health and well-being in healthcare workers in Croatia during COVID-19 pandemic: longitudinal study on convenient sample

Aim: To examine changes in general and work well-being of health professionals in the Republic of Croatia during the first and second waves of the pandemic COVID-19. Although there are numerous studies, in our country and worldwide, that have examined the general and/or work well-being of health care workers during the pandemic(s), few researchers have used a longitudinal approach. Participants and methods: Ninety-two participants took part in the study. Most of the participants were nurses and technicians (N=88; 95.65%), while physicians were represented to a much lesser extent (N=4; 4.35%). The sample was dominated by women (N=82; 89.1%), compared to men (N=10; 10.9%). Data from all participants were collected at two measurement time points corresponding to the two waves of the pandemic in the Republic of Croatia. In addition to questions on sociodemographic characteristics (age, gender, workplace...), the following instruments were used: DASS-42 (to assess depression, anxiety and stress), Short Mental Health Inventory, Oldenburg Burnout Inventory and Job Satisfaction Scale. Results: A statistically significant increase in the level of depression (p < 0.05), anxiety (p < 0.05), and stress (p < 0.05) was found during the second wave of the pandemic compared to the first wave. No significant changes were found in the general mental health status of the participants (p > 0.05). Regarding work well-being, a significantly higher level of exhaustion was found (p < 0.05), while no significant change was recorded in the level of alienation (p > 0.05), nor in the participants\u27 job satisfaction (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Although the second wave of the pandemic was associated with an increase in depression, anxiety, stress, and exhaustion among convenient sample of health care workers, there was no decrease in levels of mental health, job satisfaction, and alienation (burnout dimension)

The Relations between Investment in Employees\u27 Development and Organizational Productivity and Service Quality

Human resource management (HRM) is directed to managing human potentials of a company in order to achieve organizational goals, and at the same time, goals of employees. One of the very important part of this process is training and development, as a group of activities aimed at improving employees knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA), in order to be more successful in job, but also with the aim of creating a base for further development of an organization as a whole. The main aim of the research was to explore the effects of investment in employees\u27 development, measured by number of training days and percentage of operating costs invested in development and training, on the level of organizational productivity and service quality. The subject of the research is the relationship between two main indicators of employees\u27 development program, and organizational level productivity and service quality. The methodology used in the research obtained the application of two-way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) on the data from 160 companies from one Southeast European country, gathered during 2015 and 2016. The results indicated that there is an interaction effect between training costs and number of training days on the combined dependent variables, productivity and service quality in the observed organizations

Self-Government in Yugoslavia: The Path to Capitalism?

This chapter analyzes self-governing Yugoslavia in the context of capitalism. Regarding the problem of capitalism in socialist world, the practice of the former Yugoslavia cannot be ignored. The socialist Yugoslavia was predetermined to be qualified as capitalist. The Yugoslav leadership developed: (a) self-government, (b) elements of market-biased socialism, and (c) openness to the international economy or the integration in the world market. Its economy achieved remarkable results by the mid-1960s. Some notable economists compliment the results and suggest that the model is sustainable. However, since the mid-1960s, regressive tendencies have emerged that perpetuate significant social dissatisfaction. In 1968, students protested against the state of Yugoslav socialism, believing that it had absorbed capitalism. Others felt that Yugoslav socialism had not sufficiently developed market-based socialism. There were authors that argued that Yugoslav socialism had become capitalist but without capitalist rationality. In the 1970s, the de iure existing federation became a de facto confederation with closed national economies. The chapter discusses the presence of elements of capitalism in this form of socialism based on (a) dependence on the world market, (b) banks as the institutionalization of “financial mode of capital,” and (c) the existence of perpetuated unemployment

Job Satisfaction and Mental Health of Health Professionals in Croatia during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je ispitati odrednice zadovoljstva poslom i mentalnoga zdravlja zdravstvenih djelatnika za trajanja pandemije izazvane virusom COVID-19 među 498 zdravstvenih djelatnika. Istraživane su sociodemografske varijable, radne (npr. (ne)promjena radnoga mjesta u pandemiji, (ne)boravak u samoizolaciji, radni sati) i osobne karakteristike zaposlenika (otpornost, sagorijevanje na poslu, mentalno zdravlje, zadovoljstvo poslom, (ne)promjena zadovoljstva poslom u pandemiji). Rezultati pokazuju da se zadovoljstvo poslom i mentalno zdravlje ne mogu objasniti promijenjenim radnim okolnostima u pandemiji. Iscrpljenost je bila negativan prediktor zadovoljstva poslom i mentalnoga zdravlja, dimenzija otuđenosti negativan prediktor zadovoljstva poslom, a otpornost pozitivan prediktor mentalnoga zdravlja. Ispitanici kojima je zadovoljstvo poslom u pandemiji poraslo imali su dulje radno vrijeme, češće su bili uključeni u rad s pozitivnim i suspektnim pacijentima. Ispitanici čije je zadovoljstvo poslom u pandemiji opalo imali su niže razine otpornosti, mentalnoga zdravlja i više razine sagorijevanja na poslu u odnosu na one kojima je zadovoljstvo ostalo isto ili je poraslo.The aim of this study was to identify the determinants of job satisfaction and the mental health of health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 498 health professionals participated on a voluntary basis. The variables investigated were: socio-demographic variables, work characteristics ((non-)change of job during the pandemic, (non-)stay in self-isolation, and working hours), and personal characteristics of the employees (resilience, burnout, mental health, job satisfaction, and (non-)change of job satisfaction during the pandemic). The results indicate that job satisfaction and mental health cannot be explained by the change in working conditions during the pandemic. Exhaustion was a negative predictor of job satisfaction and mental health, while the dimension of disengagement was a negative predictor of job satisfaction, and resilience was a positive predictor of mental health. The respondents whose job satisfaction increased during the pandemic had the longest working hours and worked more often with COVID-positive and suspicious patients. Respondents whose job satisfaction decreased during the pandemic had lower resilience, mental health and higher levels of burnout compared with those whose job satisfaction remained the same or increased

The Impact of Climate Change on Sustainable Development: The Case of Vojvodina

Sustainability Development Goals require each country and region to adjust their environmental and social policies to ensure a timely global response, stabilization of climate, and social equality. Vojvodina's area has unique challenges due to its political status and significant dependence on environmental resources to ensure its economy, energy supply and food security. The researchers reviewed potential challenges to Vojvodina's sustainable development based on analysis of long-term trend changes of temperature and water flow. To support sustainable development, Vojvodina region needs to strive for the integral concept of flood protection, which includes harmonization of “human” demands component and “environmental” demands components

Učinak dnevne tjelesne aktivnosti na aktivnost upalnih bolesti crijeva kod bolesnika koji ne uzimaju terapiju

It has been suggested that various environmental factors play a very important role in the etiology of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) and that they have a significant effect on the course of these diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of daily physical activity on the activity of IBDs in therapy-free patients. This cross-sectional population based study was conducted in eastern Croatia from January to June 2016. e study included 312 patients, mean age 49.9±15.0 years, 53.2% of males and 46.8% of females; there were 63.4% of ulcerative colitis (UC) and 36.6% of Crohn’s disease (CD) patients. Sociodemographic characteristics of patients, data on their daily physical activity and type of therapy taken were collected through a specifically designed and validated questionnaire, while the activity of UC and CD was evaluated using the Mayo index and Harvey-Bradshaw index. The study showed that 24.0% of patients were not taking therapy. Daily physical activity was connected to IBD in study patients when taking both diseases collectively (Fisher exact test; p<0.001), as well as to the inactivity of CD (Fisher exact test; p=0.001) and UC (Fisher exact test; p=0.006), when observing each disease separately. Daily physical activity was connected to the inactivity of IBDs in patients not taking therapy. It is necessary to educate all IBD patients about the importance of physical activity in order to control their disease.Smatra se kako različiti okolišni čimbenici igraju vrlo važnu ulogu u etiologiji upalnih bolesti crijeva (UBC) te kako imaju značajan učinak na tijek ovih bolesti. Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je ispitati učinak dnevne tjelesne aktivnosti na aktivnost UBC kod bolesnika koji ne uzimaju terapiju. Ovo presječno populacijsko istraživanje provedeno je u istočnoj Hrvatskoj od siječnja do lipnja 2016. godine. Istraživanje je obuhvatilo 312 bolesnika srednje dobi 49,9±15,0 godina; 53,2% muškaraca i 46,8% žena; 63,4% oboljelih od ulcerativnog kolitisa (UC) i 36,6% oboljelih od Crohnove bolesti (CB). Sociodemografska obilježja bolesnika, podaci o njihovoj dnevnoj tjelesnoj aktivnosti i vrsti terapije koju uzimaju prikupljeni su pomoću posebno dizajniranog i validiranog upitnika, dok je aktivnost UC i CB ocijenjena primjenom indeksa Mayo i indeksa Harvey-Bradshaw. Istraživanje je pokazalo kako 24,0% bolesnika ne uzima terapiju. Dnevna tjelesna aktivnost bila je povezana s neaktivnom UBC kod bolesnika kada su zajednički promatrane obje bolesti (Fisherov egzaktni test; p<0,001) te je bila povezana s neaktivnošću CB (Fisherov egzaktni test; p=0,001) i UC (Fisherov egzaktni test, p=0,006) kad je svaka bolest promatrana zasebno. Dnevna tjelesna aktivnost povezana je s neaktivnošću UBC kod bolesnika koji ne uzimaju terapiju. Potrebno je sve bolesnike s UBC podučiti o važnosti tjelesne aktivnosti za kontrolu njihove bolesti

VALORIZACIJA NAJVAŽNIJIH UTJECAJA OKOLINE NA PROMJENE TROŠKOVNE STRUKTURE PODUZEĆA

Companies are operating as integral parts of their environment, and thus, they depend on it, as well as on the changes that occur in the environment. They are usually unable to control environmental impacts, so they need to develop a system which can partially reduce these impacts; they need to adjust and synchronize with changes. Due to the development of this mechanism, companies could adapt their business activities to the most of the impacts from the environment, providing thereby the highest profit at the end of the fiscal year. The purpose of this paper is to point out the principles of designing a model that could enable the enterprise to assess the most important impacts from the environment, quantifying their influence on its cost structure. Decisions about necessary changes in system operations should be based on the results of calculations in order to achieve the results as defined in the dynamic plan, or control them within satisfying limits.Poduzeće posluje kao sastavni dio okoline i nalazi se u zavisnom položaju, kako u odnosu prema sâmoj okolini, tako i u odnosu na promjene unutar nje. Poduzeće najčešće nije u mogućnosti djelovati na utjecaje iz okoline pa mora razviti sustav kojim će ih djelomično neutralizirati, prilagođavati im se i usklađivati se s promjenama i novonastalim uvjetima. Razvijanjem jednog ovakvog mehanizma poduzeće treba prilagoditi svoje poslovanje najvećem broju utjecaja iz okoline i tako na kraju poslovne godine osigurati najveću moguću dobit. Ovim radom želi se ukazati na načela projektiranja modela koji bi valorizirao najvažnije utjecaje okoline i kvalificirao njihov utjecaj na troškovnu strukturu poduzeća. Na osnovi rezultata proračuna donosile bi se odluke o potrebnim izmjenama u sustavu poslovanja kako bi se rezultati postigli u okvirima koji su definirani dinamičnim planom ili, ako to nije ostvarivo, održali u području zadovoljavajućih granica

Impact of RFID Technology on Logistic Process Efficiency in Retail Supply Chains

The challenges that logistics faces in the retail industry must be investigated in the context of the specific retail sector as well as the degree of development of the retail market. The research focus in this paper is on logistic processes in supermarket supply. The aim is to deepen the understanding of logistic processes and then to investigate the possibilities of their enhancement by applying radio frequency identification (RFID) as a higher level of information technology for product identification in retail supply chains. The research was conducted in one of the top ten trade companies in the emerging Serbian market. Simulation modelling was performed for one supply chain category, followed by quantification of time and cost performance of the current logistic processes (AS-IS model). Then, in accordance with the capabilities of RFID system, improvements are proposed and integrated into a new simulation model (TO-BE model). The obtained results can be utilised as part of a broader research when deciding on the implementation of modern information technologies in supply chains.</span

Attitudes of Croatian Citizens Towards Children with Disabilities

Cilj istraživanja bio je ispitati stavove prema djeci s teškoćama u razvoju te razlike u pojedinim aspektima stava (socijalna distanca, osjećanje i ponašanje u blizini djeteta s teškoćama u razvoju) s obzirom na sociodemografske karakteristike sudionika, iskustvo u kontaktu s djecom s teškoćama te razinu znanja o problematici. Istraživanje je provedeno na reprezentativnom uzorku punoljetnih građana RH (N=600) metodom telefonskog anketiranja. Građani RH imaju izrazito pozitivne stavove prema djeci s teškoćama: 86% sudionika se osjeća donekle ili potpuno ugodno u njihovoj blizini, 93% ostvaruje kontakt pri konkretnom susretu, a 70% ih izjavljuje da nema nikakvu socijalnu distancu prema djeci s teškoćama. Žene se, u odnosu na muškarce, osjećaju ugodnije u njihovoj blizini. Osobe nižeg obrazovanja i starije dobi izražavaju veću socijalnu distancu, ali stariji sudionici pri kontaktu otvorenije pristupaju djeci s teškoćama. Znanje se pokazalo važnom odrednicom stava prema djeci s teškoćama u razvoju, pri čemu sudionici s najmanje znanja imaju najizraženiju socijalnu distancu, doživljavaju najveću razinu neugode pri susretu s djecom s teškoćama te rjeđe ulaze u kontakt ili ga iniciraju. Poznavanje djeteta s teškoćom pozitivno se odrazilo na afektivnu i ponašajnu komponentu stava. Nalazi ovog istraživanja upućuju na prihvaćanje djece s teškoćama u razvoju u našem društvu te ističu ulogu znanja i kontakta u borbi protiv stigmatizacije ranjivih skupina.The study aimed to investigate attitudes towards children with disabilities and differences in attitudes depending on the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents, their previous experience in contact with children with disabilities and their level of knowledge on the subject. The research was conducted on a representative sample of adult citizens of the Republic of Croatia (N = 600) using the telephone interview method. The results show that adult citizens of Croatia have an extremely positive attitude towards children with disabilities: 86% of participants feel somewhat or completely comfortable in their proximity, 93% of participants make contact, and 70% of participants state that there is no social distance from children with disabilities. Women feel more comfortable around them compared to men. Individuals with lower education and older age express greater social distance, but older participants have a more open approach to children with disabilities. Higher levels of knowledge were associated with more positive attitudes toward all components. Knowing a child with disabilities positively affected the affective and behavioural components of the attitude, while (not) having a child with difficulties in the family was not related to any component of attitude. The results of this research show that children with disabilities are well accepted in our society and highlight the role of knowledge and contact in combating the stigmatisation of vulnerable groups

Öffentliche Meinung – was denken volljährige Bürger in der Republik Kroatien über die Ansätze in der Förderung entwicklungsgestörter Kinder

Istraživanja stajališta društvene zajednice prema pristupima djeci s teškoćama u razvoju preduvjet su društvenih promjena u smjeru ravnopravnosti. Stoga se ovim istraživanjem nastojala utvrditi razina slaganja građana Republike Hrvatske s tvrdnjama vezanim uz prevalentne modele pristupa djeci s teškoćama u razvoju i aktivnosti koje proizlaze iz određenih modela te moguće razlike s obzirom na sociodemografske karakteristike. Pritom su korištena tri modela pristupa djeci s teškoćama u razvoju: model samilosti, medicinski model i društveni model ljudskih prava (model koji integrira osnovne odrednice društvenog modela i modela ljudskih prava). Istraživanje je provedeno metodom telefonske ankete te je obuhvatilo reprezentativan uzorak punoljetnog stanovništva Hrvatske (N=600). Rezultati su ukazali na visoko slaganje sudionika sa svim tvrdnjama, što s obzirom na nizak odaziv sudionika (oko 20%) zasigurno dijelom proizlazi iz autoselekcije ispitanika i socijalne poželjnosti odgovora na postavljena pitanja. Unatoč ograničenjima, među kojima treba spomenuti i samu metodu telefonskog anketiranja koja ne dopušta obuhvatne operacionalizacije, rezultati provedenog istraživanja ukazuju da se građani Hrvatske najviše slažu s tvrdnjom koja podržava društveni model ljudskih prava, čemu u prilog ide i podatak da slaganje s ovom tvrdnjom ne varira s obzirom na sociodemografske karakteristike. Suprotno tome, rezultati ukazuju na značajnu ulogu roda, dobi, razine obrazovanja i roditeljstva u slaganju s tvrdnjama koje podržavaju model samilosti i medicinski model. Rad prikazuje i podatke o mnijenju građana Hrvatske prema aktivnostima usmjerenima na djecu s teškoćama u razvoju, koje također varira s obzirom na sociodemografske karakteristike te raspravu o teorijskim i praktičnim implikacijama dobivenih rezultata.Research into the perception of the social community towards approaches to children with developmental disabilities is a prerequisite for social changes in the direction of equality. Therefore, this research sought to determine the level of agreement of the citizens of the Republic of Croatia with the statements related to the prevalent approaches to children with developmental disabilities-models and the activities that result from certain models, and possible differences with regard to sociodemographic characteristics. In doing so, three conceptual approaches-models to children with developmental disabilities were used; the charity model, the medical model and the social model of human rights (a model that integrates the basic determinants of the social model and the human rights model). The research was conducted using the telephone survey method and included a representative sample of the adult population of Croatia (N=600). The results indicated a high level of agreement among the participants with all statements, which, given the low turnout of the participants (about 20%), certainly partly results from the self-selection of the respondents and the social desirability of the answers to the questions. Despite the limitations, including the telephone survey method, which does not allow comprehensive operationalization, the results of the conducted research indicate that citizens of Croatia mostly agree with the statement that supports the social model of human rights, further supported by the fact that agreement with this statement does not vary with regard to sociodemographic characteristics. On the contrary, the results indicate a significant role of gender, age, level of education and parentage in agreeing with the statements supporting the charity model and the medical model. The paper also presents data on the opinion of the citizens of Croatia towards activities aimed at children with developmental disabilities, which also varies with regard to socio-demographic characteristics, and a discussion of the theoretical and practical implications of the obtained results.Die Erforschung der Stellungnahmen der sozialen Gemeinschaften der Förderung von entwicklungsgestörten Kindern gegenüber sind eine Voraussetzung für die sozialen Veränderungen, die zu mehr Gleichberechtigung führen sollten. Deswegen haben wir in dieser Forschung versucht, den Grad der Übereinstimmung kroatischer Bürger mit Behauptungen zu den prävalenten Modellen der Ansätze in der Förderung entwicklungsgestörte Kinder, sowie mit den aus bestimmten Modellen folgenden Akltivitäten festzustellen, sowie mögliche Unterschiede hinsichtlich der soziodemographischen Merkmalen herauszufinden. Dabei wurden drei Modelle angewandt: Das Mitleid-Modell, das medizinische Modell und das soziale Modell der Menschenrechte (das Modell, das Hauptmerkmale des sozialen Modells und des Modells der Menschenrechte integriert). Die Forschung wurde mithilfe der telefonischen Umfrage durchgeführt und hat eine repräsentative Stichprobe der volljährigen Bevölkerung Kroatiens (N=600) umfasst. Die Resultate zeigen einen hohen Grad der Übereinstimmung der Befragten mit allen Behauptungen, was hinsichtlich der niedrigen Beteiligung (etwa 20%) sicherlich teils aus der Selbstwahl der Befragten und aus der sozialen Wünschenswertigkeit der Antworten erfolgt. Trotz Beschränkungen, darunter auch die Methode der telefonischen Befragung selbst, die keine umfassende Operationalisierung zulässt, weisen die Resultate der durchgeführten Forschung darauf hin, dass Bürger Kroatiens im höchsten Grad mit der Behauptung einverstanden sind, die das Modell der Menschenrechte unterstützt, dafür spricht auch die Tatsache dass es keine Abweichungen hinsichtlich der soziodemographischen Merkmalen gibt. Demgegenüber weisen die Resultate auf eine bedeutende Rolle des Geschlechts, des Alters, des Bildungsniveau hin, sowie der Tatsache, ob man selbst Kinder hat, mit dem Einverständnis mit den Behauptungen, die das Mitleid-Modell und das medizinische Modell unterstützen. Die Arbeit zeigt auch die Angaben über die Meinung der Bürger Kroatiens den Aktivitäten hinsichtlich der entwicklungsgestörten Kinder gegenüber, die auch abhängig von soziodemographischen Merkmalen variiert, sowie eine Diskussion zu den theoretischen und praktischen Implikationen der erhaltenen Ergebnisse