Anxiety and Defense Styles in Eating Disorders

This study investigates anxiety and defense styles in eating disorders. Seventy eating disorder (ED) patients and fifty-one female matched control subjects completed State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and 88-items Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ). ED patients were more anxious in actual situations and more anxiety prone in general. They relied on maladaptive action and Image distorting defense style. Bulimic anorexic (BAN) patients and bulimia nervosa (BN) patients differed in defense styles from restrictive anorexic (RAN) patients who displayed no significant difference in either state and trait anxiety or in defense styles when compared to healthy patients. Different levels of anxiety and ego defense maturity are present in ED patients. The almost normal ego functioning of RAN patients could be explained by pseudomaturity, tendency to control external and internal environment and the unconscious efforts to imitate normality to avoid conflicts

Zdravstvena zaštita školske djece i mladih - školska i sveučilišna medicina - prednosti i nedostaci pojedinih modela zdravstvene zaštite (Health Protection of School Children and Youth - School and High school Medicine - Advantages and Disadvantages of)

Š kolska medicina je 2006. godine obilježila pedesetu obljetnicu uvođenja specijalizacije iz školske medicine i poslijediplomskog studija školske medicine i školske higijene u Hrvatskoj. Obljetnice nas potiču da se osvrnemo unazad, pogledamo što smo učinili, jesmo li ostvarili željeno i usmjerimo svoja nastojanja k novim planovima i vizijama za budućnost.  Ovom zadatku moguće je pristupiti na različite načine. Umjesto pomalo «hladne » analize podataka, o morbiditetu i mortalitetu školske djece i mladih, odabrala sam osobni pristup temeljen na iskustvu dvadeset petogodišnjeg rada u zaštiti školske djece.Sedamdesete i osamdesete godine prošlog stoljeća bile su s aspekta organizacije školske medicine jedinstvene. U svim domovima zdravlja organizirani su Dispanzeri (službe) za školsku medicinu u kojima su radili školski timovi: u pravilu specijalisti školske medicine ili liječnici sa završenim poslijediplomskim studijem iz školske medicine, jedna viša medicinska sestra, jedna medicinska sestra srednje stručne spreme i u pojedinim službama psiholog i/ili defektolog. Model integrirane zdravstvene zaštite bio je temelj takve organizacije službe. Princip nadležnosti nad školom se provodio na način: jedan školski tim bio je odgovoran za preventivnu i kurativnu zdravstvenu zaštitu učenika pojedinih osnovnih i srednjih škola. U većim gradovima i mjestima ovakav oblik zaštite se gotovo dosljedno provodio. U manjim mjestima i seoskim područjima i drugi liječnici u primarnoj zdravstvenoj zaštiti, osobito obiteljski liječnici i pedijatri, pružali su kurativnu zdravstvenu zaštitu školskoj djeci i mladima te iznimno i preventivnu zdravstvenu zaštitu uz stručno-metodološku pomoć službi za školsku medicinu nadležnog doma zdravlja. Ovakav model zdravstvene zaštite omogućavao je kontinuirano praćenje učenika od početka školovanja, osiguravao je dobar i cjelovit uvid u zdravstveno stanje učenika, te integrirani pristup u zdravstvenoj zaštiti. Praćenje i intervencije u preventivnoj zdravstvenoj zaštiti su bile jednostavnije obzirom da su učenici bili dostupniji kroz kurativnu zdravstvenu zaštitu

Zdravstvena zaštita školske djece i mladih - školska i sveučilišna medicina - prednosti i nedostaci pojedinih modela zdravstvene zaštite (Health Protection of School Children and Youth - School and High school Medicine - Advantages and Disadvantages of)

Š kolska medicina je 2006. godine obilježila pedesetu obljetnicu uvođenja specijalizacije iz školske medicine i poslijediplomskog studija školske medicine i školske higijene u Hrvatskoj. Obljetnice nas potiču da se osvrnemo unazad, pogledamo što smo učinili, jesmo li ostvarili željeno i usmjerimo svoja nastojanja k novim planovima i vizijama za budućnost.  Ovom zadatku moguće je pristupiti na različite načine. Umjesto pomalo «hladne » analize podataka, o morbiditetu i mortalitetu školske djece i mladih, odabrala sam osobni pristup temeljen na iskustvu dvadeset petogodišnjeg rada u zaštiti školske djece.Sedamdesete i osamdesete godine prošlog stoljeća bile su s aspekta organizacije školske medicine jedinstvene. U svim domovima zdravlja organizirani su Dispanzeri (službe) za školsku medicinu u kojima su radili školski timovi: u pravilu specijalisti školske medicine ili liječnici sa završenim poslijediplomskim studijem iz školske medicine, jedna viša medicinska sestra, jedna medicinska sestra srednje stručne spreme i u pojedinim službama psiholog i/ili defektolog. Model integrirane zdravstvene zaštite bio je temelj takve organizacije službe. Princip nadležnosti nad školom se provodio na način: jedan školski tim bio je odgovoran za preventivnu i kurativnu zdravstvenu zaštitu učenika pojedinih osnovnih i srednjih škola. U većim gradovima i mjestima ovakav oblik zaštite se gotovo dosljedno provodio. U manjim mjestima i seoskim područjima i drugi liječnici u primarnoj zdravstvenoj zaštiti, osobito obiteljski liječnici i pedijatri, pružali su kurativnu zdravstvenu zaštitu školskoj djeci i mladima te iznimno i preventivnu zdravstvenu zaštitu uz stručno-metodološku pomoć službi za školsku medicinu nadležnog doma zdravlja. Ovakav model zdravstvene zaštite omogućavao je kontinuirano praćenje učenika od početka školovanja, osiguravao je dobar i cjelovit uvid u zdravstveno stanje učenika, te integrirani pristup u zdravstvenoj zaštiti. Praćenje i intervencije u preventivnoj zdravstvenoj zaštiti su bile jednostavnije obzirom da su učenici bili dostupniji kroz kurativnu zdravstvenu zaštitu

Elevated Blood Pressure in School Children and Adolescents – Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors

Elevated blood pressure (BP) in children and adolescents is determined on normative distribution of BP in healthy children. The aim of this study was to determine prevalence of high normal and elevated BP among school children and to assess associated risk factors. The study comprised 965 children (48.7% girls) in 8th grade of primary school. Data were obtained from questionnaire and anthropometric measurements. The prevalence of high normal BP was 28.5% in girls, 36.8% in boys, and elevated BP 7.9% in girls and 5.3% in boys. Overweight was present in 19.4% of girls and 9.3% boys with high normal, and 29.7% of girls and 30.8% boys with elevated BP. Hypertension in family history was the most common associated factor reported by boys and girls with high normal and elevated BP. Follow-up of children throughout school age makes possible taking of preventative measures and promotion of healthy life style

Elevated Blood Pressure in School Children and Adolescents – Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors

Elevated blood pressure (BP) in children and adolescents is determined on normative distribution of BP in healthy children. The aim of this study was to determine prevalence of high normal and elevated BP among school children and to assess associated risk factors. The study comprised 965 children (48.7% girls) in 8th grade of primary school. Data were obtained from questionnaire and anthropometric measurements. The prevalence of high normal BP was 28.5% in girls, 36.8% in boys, and elevated BP 7.9% in girls and 5.3% in boys. Overweight was present in 19.4% of girls and 9.3% boys with high normal, and 29.7% of girls and 30.8% boys with elevated BP. Hypertension in family history was the most common associated factor reported by boys and girls with high normal and elevated BP. Follow-up of children throughout school age makes possible taking of preventative measures and promotion of healthy life style

Elevated Blood Pressure in School Children and Adolescents – Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors

Elevated blood pressure (BP) in children and adolescents is determined on normative distribution of BP in healthy children. The aim of this study was to determine prevalence of high normal and elevated BP among school children and to assess associated risk factors. The study comprised 965 children (48.7% girls) in 8th grade of primary school. Data were obtained from questionnaire and anthropometric measurements. The prevalence of high normal BP was 28.5% in girls, 36.8% in boys, and elevated BP 7.9% in girls and 5.3% in boys. Overweight was present in 19.4% of girls and 9.3% boys with high normal, and 29.7% of girls and 30.8% boys with elevated BP. Hypertension in family history was the most common associated factor reported by boys and girls with high normal and elevated BP. Follow-up of children throughout school age makes possible taking of preventative measures and promotion of healthy life style

Growth Charts for Croatian School Children and Secular Trends in Past Twenty Years

The aim of this study was to construct new Croatian growth charts for body height and weight of boys and girls aged 6.5 to 18.5 years and to investigate differences between our and pre-existing studies. Analysis was based on a multistage stratified sample representative for school children aged 6.5 to 18.5, 6046 boys and 5656 girls. Growth reference was constructed using LMS method. Present results demonstrated an increment of body height and weight during the last two decades. Highest increase of body height is in boys aged 13–14 years 6.5 cm, in girls aged 12 years is 5.0 cm. Highest increase of body weight is in 16 year age group of boys 8.7 kg and in 11–12 year age group of girls 5.2 kg. In conclusion, regarding presence of secular trend because previously used growth charts in Croatia are obsolete

Aktivno sudjelovanje polaznika/ca škola i fakulteta zdravstvenog usmjerenja u provedbi javnozdravstvenih intervencija

Sažetak: U tekstu se iznosi ideja o aktivnom   sudjelovanju polaznika/ca škola i fakulteta zdravstvenog usmjerenja u provedbi javnozdravstvenih intervencija. U našoj županiji riječ je o suradnji voditeljstva kolegija „Zdravlje u zajednici“ Medicinskog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, odnosno studenata 6. godine i Zavoda za javno zdravstvo Požeško-slavonske županije. Intervencija koju trenutačno pilotiramo vezana je uz Nacionalne programe ranog otkrivanja raka

Fight against Ignorance and Prejudice about Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Knowledge and Attitudes about HIV/AIDS of High-School Teachers and Students

Pojava HIV-a/AIDS-a u dvadesetom stoljeću i razmjeri proširenosti ove infekcije i bolesti ponovo su pokazali kako bolest može stigmatizirati i kako se protiv predrasuda i neznanja možemo boriti samo trajnom, kontinuiranom i sveobuhvatnom edukacijom. Stoga je u okviru programa "Unapređenje borbe protiv HIV/AIDS-a u Hrvatskoj 2003.–2006." proveden i projekt "Trening profesionalaca za primjenu programa prevencije HIV-a/AIDS-a". Jedan od ciljeva projekta bilo je procijeniti znanje i stavove o HIV/AIDS-u profesora i učenika srednjih škola prije i nakon provedbe projekta. Na početku provedbe programa anketirano je 476 profesora i 1.026 učenika prvih i trećih razreda srednjih škola i na kraju programa 1.024 učenika istih škola i dobi. Očekivano, razina znanja profesora veća je od znanja učenika. Pozitivni trend usvojenog znanja pokazuju učenici anketirani nakon završetka programa. Unatoč provedenom programu, 10,8% učenika smatra da se osoba može zaraziti HIV-om ako dijeli obrok s osobom zaraženom HIV-om, a ubodom komarca 23,9% učenika. Svaki četvrti učenik ne bi dopustilo školovanje HIV-pozitivnom učeniku i 40% ne bi dozvolilo rad u školi HIV-pozitivnim učiteljima. Tek svaki peti učenik bi išao liječniku koji je HIV-pozitivan i svega 17% stomatologu. Rezultati istraživanja pokazuju da bolje znanje ne znači i pozitivniji stav prema osobama s HIV-om/AIDS-om. Stoga treba naglasiti potrebu sveobuhvatne, kontinuirane i sustavne edukacije mladih, ali i cjelokupnog stanovništva o HIV-u/AIDS-u.The occurrence of HIV/AIDS in the 20th century and its geographical spread have again shown how a disease can be stigmatized and how prejudice and ignorance can be fought only with permanent, continuous and comprehensive education. Therefore, the project "Training of Professionals in the Implementation of the HIV/AIDS Prevention Program" was implemented within the program "Improving Fight against HIV/AIDS in Croatia, 2003 – 2006". One of the goals of this project was to assess the knowledge and attitudes about HIV/AIDS of high-school teachers and students prior to and after the implementation of the project. At the beginning of the implementation, 476 high-school teachers and 1026 first-grade and third-grade students were surveyed. At the end of the program, 1024 students from the same schools and of the same grades were surveyed. As expected, teachers exhibited a higher level of knowledge than students. A positive trend was recorded in students surveyed after the program completion. However, despite the program, 10.8% of students believed that HIV could be contracted by sharing a meal with an HIV infected person, while 23.9% believed that it could be contracted by mosquito bites. Every fourth student would not allow HIV positive children to go to school and 40% would not allow HIV positive teachers to work in school. Every fi fth student would not have an HIV positive physician, and only 17% would visit an HIV positive dentist. Survey results show that better knowledge does not necessarily entail a more positive attitude towards people with HIV/ AIDS. Therefore, one should emphasize the necessity of comprehensive, continuous and systematic HIV/AIDS education of both young and all other citizens

Problematische Genüsse: sexuelles Risikoverhalten in der Spätadoleszenz

U radu se analiziraju rasprostranjenost i strukturalne osobitosti rizičnog seksualnog ponašanja (RSP) u studentskoj populaciji. Uvodni dio obuhvaća definiranje RSP, pregled čimbenika vezanih uz razdoblje adolescencije koji ga potiču te kratki prikaz dosadašnjih istraživanja RSP adolescenata, i u nas i u inozemstvu. Središnji dio, posvećen testiranju hipoteza o sveprisutnosti, spolnoj specifičnosti, sekvencijalnoj organiziranosti te kontekstualnoj racionalnosti RSP, temelji se na istraživanju provedenom krajem 1998. godine na većem uzorku (N=1355) novoupisane studentske populacije Sveučilišta u Zagrebu. Rezultati podupiru prve tri hipoteze, ali samo djelomično četvrtu – sugerirajući kako je psihička pozadina adolescentskoga RSP kombinacija racionalnih i iracionalnih (habitualnih) elemenata. U zaključku se autori dotiču i pragmatičnih aspekata analize RSP, to jest pitanja prevencije u sustavnoj seksualnoj edukaciji – kakvu u Hrvatskoj nikada nismo imali.The paper examines the extent and structural characteristics of sexual risk-taking (SRT) in student population. The introductory section offers a definition of SRT, the age specific contributing factors, and a brief overview of related bihevioral research – including all the studies carried out in Croatia (1973-1998). Four hypotheses regarding SRT in late adolescence are tested in the empirical part of the paper, which is based on data collected in the 1998 survey on sexual knowledge, attitudes and behavior carried out on 1355 freshmen at the University of Zagreb. The results confirm the first three hypotheses (regarding the normalcy or omnipresence of SRT, gender specific and sequentially organized structure of SRT), but offer only partial support for the contextual rationality thesis, suggesting instead a complex interplay of rational and irrational (habitual) elements as the psychological background of SRT. The concluding section discusses also more pragmatic, i. e. the applied aspects of the research on SRT, calling for SRT prevention in Croatia through comprehensive school-based sexual education.Die Arbeit analysiert Verbreitung und strukturelle Spezifika sexuellen Risikoverhaltens (kroat. Abkürzung: RSP) in der Bevölkerungsgruppe der kroatischen Studenten. Der einleitende Teil der Arbeit umfasst die Definition sexuellen Risikoverhaltens, ferner eine Übersicht adoleszenzbedingter Faktoren, die besagtes Risikoverhalten anregen, sowie eine kurze Darstellung bisheriger, sowohl in- als auch ausländischer Forschungsarbeiten über sexuelles Risikoverhaltens unter Adoleszenten. Im mittleren Teil der Studie soll die Hypothese von der allgemeinen Präsenz, geschlechtlichens Spezifizität, sequenzmäßigen Organisiertheit sowie der sog. kontextuellen Rationalität sexuellen Risikoverhalten überprüft werden; die Verfasser stützen sich dabei auf eine Meinungsumfrage, die Ende 1998 unter einer größeren Zahl (N=1355) neu eingeschriebener Studenten der Zagreber Universität durchgeführt wurde. Die Ergebnisse bestätigen drei von insgesamt vier aufgestellten Hypothesen, die vierte Hypothese konnte nur teilweise untermauert werden. Es wird suggeriert, dass der psychische Hintergrund sexuellen Risikoverhaltens unter Jugendlichen eine Kombination rationaler und irrationaler (habitueller) Elemente ist. Die Verfasser gehen abschließend auf pragmatische Aspekte in der Analyse sexuellen Risikoverhaltens ein, d.h. auf die Frage der Vorbeugung mittels geschlechtlicher Edukation, wie sie hierzulande noch nicht bekannt ist