COVID-19 vaccination intention at the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic in Slovenia

Background: With the successful development and introduction of vaccines to protect against COVID-19 disease, the pandemic is expected to end. The success of a vaccination programme depends on the uptake rates in the Slovenian population and especially among healthcare workers (HCWs), who are at higher risk of infection. Recently, several studies have examined the readiness of different population groups worldwide to be vaccinated. This study compares COVID-19 vaccination intentions between lay people and HCWs, and relationships between socio-demographic characteristics, attitudes and beliefs about COVID-19 vaccination, and vaccination intentions reported in the early stages of epidemics. Methods: A cross-sectional study based on an online survey was performed in Slovenia between 13 and 14 March 2020, when the epidemic was officially announced in the country. Data from 2,494 eligible respondents were analysed. Results: The study has shown that 33.2% of all respondents expressed the intention to get vaccinated against COVID-19 disease. This intention was expressed slightly more frequently among HCWs (38.9%) than among lay respondents (30.3%). Men compared to women, older and younger HCWs compared to middle-aged adults, and university graduates compared to HCWs with lower levels of education were more likely to get vaccinated against the disease. More HCWs than lay respondents believed that the COVID-19 vaccine would be safe and effective, and they were also more in favour to support vaccination of high-risk groups than mandatory vaccination of the general population. Conclusion: It is critical to communicate the importance of vaccination against COVID-19 appropriately and on a sound scientific basis through various health education programmes and the media, as only one-third of respondents and less than a half of HCWs indicated that they would be willing to get vaccinated once a vaccine is available

Depression and Anxiety in Women During Pregnancy in Slovenia / Depresija In Anksioznost Pri Ženskah Med Nosečnostjo V Sloveniji

Namen. Cilj raziskave je bil oceniti prevalenco povišane depresivne in anksiozne simptomatike pri ženskah med nosečnostjo ter preveriti njun odnos z zdravstvenimi zapleti in nekaterimi sociodemografskimi dejavniki

Influence of Psychological Factors on Vaccination Acceptance among Health Care Workers in Slovenia in Three Different Phases of the COVID-19 Pandemic

COVID-19 vaccination acceptance among healthcare workers (HCWs) is very important to control the pandemic and to ensure the safety of HCWs and patients. As psychological factors may affect the decision to be vaccinated, the aim of this study was to investigate the influence of psychological factors on vaccination acceptance in different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study using a web-based survey was conducted among HCWs in Slovenia at the beginning of the pandemic (N = 851), one month later (N = 86), and one year later (N = 145) when vaccines were already available. The results showed that the influence of psychological factors (anxiety, psychological burden, perceived infectability, and germ aversion) was specific for each survey period. At the beginning of the pandemic, vaccination intention was positively associated with anxiety. In the third survey period, anxiety was not exposed as a predictive factor for vaccination intention. However, comparison of vaccination status among groups with different levels of anxiety revealed an interesting distinction within those in favour of vaccination; in the group with minimal levels of anxiety, there was a relatively high share of respondents that were already vaccinated, whereas in the group with severe anxiety, most individuals intended to be vaccinated but hesitated to take action

Osebnostne lastnosti parov z zmanjšano plodnostjo

Z raziskavo smo želeli ugotoviti, ali se pari z zmanjšano plodnostjo razlikujejo med seboj glede na uspešnost zdravljenja neplodnosti in od običajno plodnih parov v osebni anamnezi, osebnostni strukturi, stališčih do spolnosti, nosečnosti in poroda ter doživljanju neplodnosti. Primerjali smo dve skupini parov z zmanjšano plodnostjo. V 1. skupini so bili pari, ki z metodo homologne inseminacije (AIH) niso uspeli zanositi, v 2. skupini pa pari, ki so zanosili v prvih štirih ciklusih homologne inseminacije (AIH). Kontrolna skupina so pari, ki niso imeli težav z zanositvijo. Podatke smo zbirali z anamnestičnim vprašalnikom, vprašalnikom do stališč do spolnosti, nosečnosti in poroda (S-S-G) in osebnostnim vprašalnikom (MMPI-2). Rezultati nakazujejo, da je pri shizoidno strukturirani osebnosti neplodnih parov, ki prevladujejo v 1. skupini, večja možnost neuspešnega zdravljenja z metodo homologne inseminacije (AIH). Za te pare spolnost, nosečnost, porod in otrok pomenijo tako čustveno vznemirjenje, da ga povsem izrinejo iz zavesti v podzavest in na telesni nivo delovanja, kar prispeva k ohranjanju psihogene neplodnosti. V 2. skupini so pari bolj depresivno oziroma anankastično atrukturirani, zato imajo več možnosti, da po zdravljenju zanosijo. Osebnostnastruktura ima pomembno vlogo pri uspešnosti zdravljenja neplodnosti, ki je tudi psihosomatska težava in zato zahteva celosten pristop pri obravnavi.The aim of the study was to find whether with regard to the efficient outcome of treatment infertile couples differ among themselves and from fertile couples by: personal history, personality structure, attitudes towardssexuality, pregnancy amd labour and by experiencing infertility. We compare two groups of infertile couples: in the first group there were the couples in whom artificial insemination - husband (AIH) failed and in the second the couples who achieved pregnancy in the first four AIH cycles. The control group consisted of fertile couples. We collected the data obtained from the medical history record, the questionnaire on the attitudes towards sexuality, pregnancy and labour (SSG), and the questionnaire on personality characteristics (MMPI-2). The obtained results showed that in schizoid personalities, prevailing in the first group, the unsuccessful outcome of treatment with AIH was more likely. To those couples sexuality, pregnancy, labour, and the child itself represented such an emotional excitement that they suppressed it to subconsciousness and to the somatic level of activity which contributed to infertility. In the second group the couples were more depressive and /or anancastic thus having a higher degree of possibility to conceive. Personality structure plays an important role in successful treatment of infertility which is also a psychosomatic problem and demands a holistic approach

The bond between a mother and her unborn child

The bond between a mother and a child starts to develop before birth, increases with the gestational age of the child and is related to the quality of postpartum mother–infant interaction. Even though the expression maternal-fetal or prenatal attachment is commonly used to describe the parent's emotions, behaviors and perceptions that are related to the fetus, its use seems to be unsuitable. Considering Bowlby's and Ainsworth's theory of attachment, the relationship between mother and her unborn child is guided by the caregiving system. The purpose of this article is to lay out the dilemmas about the terminology, to present different definitions, measurements and variables, related to the relationship between the mother and her fetus. This relationship is a predictor of various maternal and child outcomes postnatally, which is why the goals of future investigation should be directed towards greater clarity in conceptualization, definition and measurement of the concept, and in exploration of the risks and mediating factors

Personality characteristics of couples of which partners are present at labour

Raziskava je zajela 40 parov, katerih partnerji so prisostvovali porodu in 4o parov, kjer so ženske rojevale same. Izenačevalni faktor je bil izobrazba. Za ugotavljanje osebnostni karakteristik enih in drugih smo uporabili instrumente: EPQ, PIE, SSG, vprašalnik o psiholoških aspektih poroda ter intrevju. Ženske katerih partnerji prisostvujejo pri porodu, so v primerjavi s partnerji bolj čustvene, emocionalno labilne. Njihovi partnerji teže k večji socialni zaželjenosti in sprejetosti. Žene, ki rojevajo same imajo večji strah pred porodom in bolj negativno mnenje o spolnosti. So introvertirane, emocionalno bolj neuravnovešene, manj prilagodljive. Njihovi partnerji so bolj togi, nepopustljivi, ekstravertirani in impulzivni

Association between preventive behaviour and anxiety at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in Slovenia

The first large outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 in Europe occurred in Northern Italy in February 2020. The relatively fast spread of the infection to Slovenia was expected, and preventive measures for its suppression were widely discussed

Attitudes of Nursing Students towards Vaccination and Other Preventive Measures for Limitation of COVID-19 Pandemic: Cross-Sectional Study in Three European Countries

Several preventive measures have been applied to limit the COVID-19 pandemic, including successful the development and introduction of vaccines. The aim of this study was to investigate adherence to preventive measures and vaccination intentions among nursing students in three European countries and the factors associated with vaccination intention and advising vaccination. A cross-sectional study using convenience/snow-ball sampling strategy was performed in Slovenia, Poland, and Serbia between 12 February and 5 March 2021. Data from 872 eligible respondents were analyzed (mean age 23.5 ± 6.5 years, 89% female). Higher adherence to preventive behavior was declared by those working in healthcare (p < 0.001), engaged in COVID-19 departments (p < 0.001), had not had the disease yet (p < 0.001), and had children (p = 0.01). Those groups also expressed higher vaccination intention and advised vaccination to others. Higher vaccination intention and advising vaccination were mostly associated with belief in benefits of vaccine, trust in institutions, perceived effectiveness of vaccine, influence of social environment, protection of patients and perceived health care professionals’ duty. Fear of side effects and general refusal of vaccines are the main reasons for vaccination hesitancy. The results of the study indicate how higher education institutions can support the development of appropriate professional attitudes and behaviors among nursing students

The Quality of Life in Pregnant Women Conceiving Through In Vitro Fertilization

The aim was to determine whether pregnant women conceiving through in vitro fertilization (IVF) differ from those conceiving spontaneously in terms of psychological well-being and the quality of life

Vaccination intention among healthcare workers during the first wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in relation to knowledge: a crosssectional study in Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, and Poland

Aim To analyze SARS-CoV-2 vaccination intention and acceptance in relation to the knowledge about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among healthcare workers (HCWs) in Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, and Poland. Methods In spring 2020, an online survey was distributed among HCWs by using snowball sampling. The questionnaire was fully completed by 623 respondents: 304 from Croatia, 86 from Slovenia, 90 from Serbia, and 143 from Poland. The survey collected data on demographic characteristics (age, gender, education), vaccination acceptance, and knowledge about COVID-19. Results A total of 31% of respondents declared their intention to be vaccinated when a vaccine against COVID-19 is available, and 45% were undecided. Vaccination intention was associated with age, educational level, and knowledge about the pandemic, and differed significantly among the countries. Younger HCWs (18-25 years) and those with higher education more frequently expressed vaccination acceptance. Vaccination acceptance score was not associated with gender. Conclusions HCWs with higher knowledge were more likely to express vaccination intention. Improving the knowledge about COVID-19 and increasing HCWs’ education might also increase vaccination acceptance among HCWs, and consequently in the general population