Tinnitus among Serbian secondary school students in relation to their behavior and habits

Although tinnitus is a very common symptom, risk factors related to behavior and habits have not been sufficiently investigated. As no investigation on this problem has been performed in Serbia, the aim of our study was to establish the prevalence of tinnitus among Serbian adolescents and to investigate the relationship between their behavior and habits and tinnitus. This investigation was designed as a cross-sectional interview study among secondary school students in Belgrade, Serbia (277 boys and 494 girls). An anonymous questionnaire was self-administered at classes. The investigated variables were: The presence of tinnitus, sources of noise, night outs at noisy places, use of personal music players, smoking, second hand smoke (SHS), substance abuse, coffee and alcohol consumption. Spearman′s rank-order correlations and multiple logistic regressions were performed with variables related to behavior and habits as independent ones and tinnitus as a dichotomized dependent variable. Tinnitus was reported by 99 students (12.8%), more frequently among girls compared with boys (P = 0.009). Multivariate logistic regression analysis in boys revealed a significant independent effect of a regular drug abuse on the onset of tinnitus. The chances of tinnitus were 13 times higher among drug addicts compared with non-drug users (odds ratio [OR] and 95% confidence interval [CI] for tinnitus = 13.072; 1.335-127.946). In girls, the significant independent effect on tinnitus was found for daily duration of exposure to SHS (OR and 95% CI for tinnitus = 1.328; 1.073-1.644 /per 2 hours of exposure/)

Psychosocial school factors and mental health of first grade secondary school students-Results of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children Survey in Serbia.

This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the association between psychosocial school factors and life satisfaction, symptoms of depression and psychosomatic health complaints among first grade secondary school students in Serbia. We analysed data from the 2018 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study in the Republic of Serbia. Analyzed psychosocial school factors included satisfaction with school, schoolwork pressure, teacher support, classmate support and being bullied at school. Life satisfaction was assessed by the 11-step Cantril's ladder (cutoff >5). Symptoms of depression were measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10) and psychosomatic health complaints by using the HBSC symptom checklist. Univariable and multivariable binary logistic regression was used to determine independent predictors of students' life satisfaction, symptoms of depression and psychosomatic health complaints in the school environment, while also considering their socio-demographic characteristics and perceived family and friend support. The study included 1605 students (average age 15.26 ±0.44 years), of whom 50.3% were females. Results from the binary logistic regression analyses showed that life satisfaction was positively related to school satisfaction and classmate support, and negatively to being bullied at school. Symptoms of depression were positively associated with schoolwork pressure and being bullied at school, and negatively with teacher and classmate support. All analyzed factors of the school environment were significantly related to psychosomatic health complaints, whereby schoolwork pressure and being bullied at school were positively associated, while teacher and classmate support and satisfaction with school were negatively associated. Given the established association of psychosocial school factors with mental health, there is a need for targeted measures both at school and community level with the aim of improving social support in the school environment, reducing schoolwork burden and preventing bullying at school, potentially resulting in the overall improvement of mental health of the first grade secondary school students

Life satisfaction in relation to psychosocial school and other factors.

Life satisfaction in relation to psychosocial school and other factors.</p

Logistic regression analysis of factors related to life satisfaction among students.

Logistic regression analysis of factors related to life satisfaction among students.</p

Psychosocial school and out-of-school factors among students by school type.

Psychosocial school and out-of-school factors among students by school type.</p

Psychosomatic health complaints in relation to psychosocial school and other factors.

Psychosomatic health complaints in relation to psychosocial school and other factors.</p

Logistic regression analysis of factors associated with depressive symptoms among students.

Logistic regression analysis of factors associated with depressive symptoms among students.</p

Psychosocial school and out-of-school environment and mental health of the study respondents.

Psychosocial school and out-of-school environment and mental health of the study respondents.</p