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Objective. Mental disorders cause significant amount of health disabilities that often lead to premature deaths. Depression, anxiety and schizophrenia are the disorders causing the highest amount of health disability. Data on numbers of people treated in outpatient psychiatric care provide information of mental health services utilization. General practitioners‘ knowledge on sex and age-specific prevalence of mental disorders in a population is important for early diagnostics and effective treatment. Material and Methods. We studied five diagnostic groups of mental disorders that have the highest prevalence in the population of clients of psychiatric outpatient services. Results. The mental disorders that are the most frequently treated in psychiatric otupatient clinics in the Slovak Republic are anxiety, depressive and organic disorders, schizophrenia and disorders caused by psychoactive substances. We observed a dicrease in prevalence in 2020, caused by overall dicrease of health care delivery apart from Covid-19 treatment. In 2021 we observed an increase in three most frequent disorders. Conclusions. Prevalence of mental disorders treated in outpatient psychiatric care is an indicator that describes only a portion of population's mental health. It is important to conduct a comprehensive epidemiologic study on the true prevalence of mental disorders in the population of the Slovak Republic and on the use of mental health care services. Such a study will identify the population groups in the highest risk of mental disorder onset or progression as well as barriers for care use. The study outcomes will serve as a basis for the launched psychiatric care reform (Tab. 2, Fig. 3, Ref. 21). Text in PDF www.lekarsky.herba.sk. © 2023, Lekarsky Obzor. All Rights Reserved.
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The aim of the article is to compare the impact of selected business risks on the threat of bankruptcy of small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) before COVID-19 and during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. 688 SMEs from the business environment of the Slovak Republic participated in the research. Business risks, such as market, financial, personnel, operational and strategic risk were examined. Correlation and regression analysis were used to evaluate formulated hypotheses. The results yielded several significant findings. The three most important business risks before COVID-19 include market, financial and personnel risk according to entrepreneurs. Financial risk is the most significant business risk affecting the threat of bankruptcy in the SME segment in the Slovak Republic after the outbreak of COVID-19. The company's financial performance indicators and the ability of respondents to manage financial risk influence the threat of the company's bankruptcy more strongly during the pandemic. The findings are important for state organizations in mitigating the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the business environment of SMEs in the Slovak Republic, as well as for entrepreneurs themselves and organizations that help SMEs. © 2022, Academic Conferences and Publishing International Limited. All right reserved.
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In this paper, we have examined the impact of COVID-19 on labour force and recovery peculiarities in selected countries of Europe. Our goal has been to reach patients with post-COVID-19 or long-COVID-19 symptoms who were treated since 2020 and latest 2021 in different medical spas around Europe. Our research focused on whether work affects any aspect of life during illness and whether complaints experienced during post-COVID-19 treatments affect any aspect of life during illness. To achieve our results, we used quantitative research and tested two hypotheses. Our primary survey was conducted in May-June 2022. A total of 110 valid responses were received. The data collected through the questionnaire was examined using statistical analysis and calculations – descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, linear regression analysis. All the respondents had COVID-19 positive test results in their life and attended post-COVID treatments in different medical spas in Europe. The results showed that coronavirus symptoms (post- or long-COVID-19 syndrome) were most likely to interfere with social and leisure activities and work. Well-being and pain need improvement. Improvement is possible with spa rehabilitation packages offering complex interventions such as balneotherapy (which uses local natural resources such as natural healing water, peloids, mofette), climatotherapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and physiotherapy. Working during illness has a significant impact on quality of life. It also has an impact on daily activities, mobility, and pain. Working during illness (COVID-19 infection) affected all aspects of life, and patients perceived that illness-related disturbances mainly affected work performance.
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BACKGROUND: The SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19) and the ensuing global public health emergency situation have led to restrictions, changes, and measures in the daily life of society as a whole. The situation culminated in a global pandemic. A number of strict restrictions were adopted to curb the spread of COVID-19. These also affected athletes. After their return to regular strength and endurance training, there may be changes in preferences and behaviour regarding anabolic androgens and steroids (AAS) in this population segment. AIM: The aim of the study was to determine whether there is a relationship between the potential interest in information retrieval and a possible subsequent change in preferences and behaviour regarding banned AAS before and after COVID-19 and the country of the respondent. METHODS: The Web of Science and Scopus databases were used to work with the secondary data. The primary data was processed using the technique of quantitative research and selected mathematical-statistical methods. The total number of respondents was 220, with 127 from the Czech Republic and 93 from the Slovak Republic. The snowball method was used for data collection. RESULTS: The results showed that there could be a relationship between the change in respondents' preferences and behaviour in relation to banned AAS before and after COVID-19 and the country of the respondents. CONCLUSIONS: The most common motive for a change in behaviour and preferences regarding banned AAS was the same for both countries, the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic. The other motives differed for each country despite the fact that both countries share similar characteristics otherwise. © 2022, Sdruzeni SCAN. All rights reserved.
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In this article, we analysed the situation during the pandemics of COVID-19 virus in the Slovak Republic. We summarized measures within transport system, that Slovak Republic took in an attempt to soften the impact of the virus and to minimize its spread. We found out that these measures and the swiftness of their adoption had strong influence on flattening the curve of virus spreading. The main contribution of this article is in deeper look into possibilities of a smart transport system, aimed to identify, what more could the smart transport system offer to help in a fight of the country against spreading virus. For this purpose, we need to remind our previous work, where we described concept Smart City, concept Safe City, and their systems. One of these systems is system smart transport, and its description in previous work was the base ground for our design of additional solutions, improving safety in the time of pandemics. Therefore, this article will start with description of system Safe City and system smart transport, followed by examination of the case, evaluation of adopted measures, and proposal of additional measures. The focus of proposed measures will be given to the original design of mass transport system. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
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To explore a genomic pool of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) during the pandemic, the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic formed a genomics surveillance workgroup, and the Public Health Authority of the Slovak Republic launched a systematic national epidemiological surveillance using whole-genome sequencing (WGS). Six out of seven genomic centers implementing Illumina sequencing technology were involved in the national SARS-CoV-2 virus sequencing program. Here we analyze a total of 33,024 SARS-CoV-2 isolates collected from the Slovak population from 1 March 2021, to 31 March 2022, that were sequenced and analyzed in a consistent manner. Overall, 28,005 out of 30,793 successfully sequenced samples met the criteria to be deposited in the global GISAID database. During this period, we identified four variants of concern (VOC)-Alpha (B.1.1.7), Beta (B.1.351), Delta (B.1.617.2) and Omicron (B.1.1.529). In detail, we observed 165 lineages in our dataset, with dominating Alpha, Delta and Omicron in three major consecutive incidence waves. This study aims to describe the results of a routine but high-level SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance program. Our study of SARS-CoV-2 genomes in collaboration with the Public Health Authority of the Slovak Republic also helped to inform the public about the epidemiological situation during the pandemic.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , SARS-CoV-2 , Humans , SARS-CoV-2/genetics , Slovakia/epidemiology , COVID-19/epidemiology , Genome, Viral , High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing , GenomicsABSTRACT
The global COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-2021 resulted in the most significant disruption to school attendance in the history of humanity. Subsequent anti-pandemic caregivers demanded a shift to distance learning from kindergartens to higher education. Slovakia was one of the European Union countries with the most extended closed schools – 28 weeks. The main aim of the research was to analyze the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on education in the Slovak Republic by teaching civic and financial literacy in secondary schools in 2020-2021. In the form of in-depth interviews with selected teachers, the authors analyzed the actual state of education during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Among other things, the research showed that Slovakia was not prepared for the distance form of teaching. As a result, some children were educated in the form of self-study, some online, others combined, and some were not educated at all. Teachers used different didactic aids in online teaching;the competent state institutions published online textbooks only with hindsight. The global pandemic thus demonstrated shortcomings in the digitization of regional education. In the paper, the authors offer solutions for the future.
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BACKGROUND: Population's mental health surveillance is essential for knowing the distribution of mental well-being and mental disorders in the society. This allows for the establishment, evaluation, and revision of preventive measures and curative services. The results of such monitoring should serve as a database for evidence-based mental health policy. Mental disorders are among the top ten causes of burden globally and crisis situations such as the pandemic increase the risk of mental health problems, as they cause constant fear of contagion and the implementation of restrictive measures. The impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the general population of the Slovak Republic has not yet been studied. The hypothesis was that more than one fifth of the population (women to a greater extent) will have symptoms of anxiety and depression. AIM: To assess the mental health of the general Slovak population aged 15 years and older in the summer of 2021 by determining the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms. METHODS: An anonymous cross-sectional survey was implemented in a sample of 1501 respondents in the summer of 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The inclusion criteria were age of 15 years and older and ability to complete the survey questionnaire online or in a face-to-face interview. The survey assessed anxiety symptoms by the seven-item general anxiety disorder and depressive symptoms by the nine-item patient health questionnaire instruments. Recognized cut-off scores of 10 or greater were used for both. RESULTS: Anxiety symptoms were present in 19.32% and depression in 24.65% of the sample. Symptoms of both disorders were more common in females: 15.00% of males and 24.00% of females experienced anxiety symptoms, and 19.00% of males and 30.00% of females experienced symptoms of depression. Symptoms of both disorders were the most common in the youngest age group (15-25 years old): One fifth of males (20.29%) and one third of females (35.32%) had symptoms of anxiety, and 26.09% males and 43.79% females had symptoms of depression. Mean score for anxiety was 5.44 [standard deviations (SD) = 4.96] for the overall sample, 6.15 (SD = 5.14) for females, and 4.67 (SD = 4.63) for males. The youngest females of the 15-25 years age group had the highest score (7.55, SD = 5.27) among all age groups, for both sexes. Mean score for depression was 6.74 for the overall sample (SD = 5.75), 7.43 for females (SD = 5.87), and 5.99 (SD = 5.52) for males. The highest depression score was observed in the youngest females of the 15-25 years age group (9.34, SD = 6.07). We found a significant association between anxiety or depressive symptoms and younger age [odds ratio (OR): 1.69, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.16-2.45 and OR: 1.65, 95%CI: 1.17-2.34, respectively], being female (OR: 1.86, 95%CI: 1.42-2.42 and OR: 1.76, 95%CI: 0.20-0.29, respectively), and having primary education (OR: 1.66, 95%CI: 1.08-2.54 and OR: 1.65, 95%CI: 1.16-2.63, respectively). CONCLUSION: Results of our study indicate that anxiety and depression are frequent in the Slovak Republic during the COVID-19 pandemic. This important observation should serve as an information basis for the development of effective mental health policies, consisting of preventive programs, and early detection and effective treatment services. The study results provide strong argument for the necessity of mental health reform that is currently being shaped in the Slovak Republic.
ABSTRACT
In this article, we analysed the situation during the pandemics of COVID-19 virus in the Slovak Republic. We summarized measures within transport system, that Slovak Republic took in an attempt to soften the impact of the virus and to minimize its spread. We found out that these measures and the swiftness of their adoption had strong influence on flattening the curve of virus spreading. The main contribution of this article is in deeper look into possibilities of a smart transport system, aimed to identify, what more could the smart transport system offer to help in a fight of the country against spreading virus. For this purpose, we need to remind our previous work, where we described concept Smart City, concept Safe City, and their systems. One of these systems is system smart transport, and its description in previous work was the base ground for our design of additional solutions, improving safety in the time of pandemics. Therefore, this article will start with description of system Safe City and system smart transport, followed by examination of the case, evaluation of adopted measures, and proposal of additional measures. The focus of proposed measures will be given to the original design of mass transport system. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
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The aim of the Article is to clarify, if the Slovak constitutional system contains constitution based on material core. Were there any important changes dealing with this constitutional concept? The purpose of this paper is to offer an answer to the questions by outlining a short overview of constitutional development especially in the field of discovering the material core of the Constitution of the Slovak Republic and its turbulent development. One of the used perspectives is a COVID 19 crisis perspective and its influence upon material core of constitution. © 2022, Goce Delchev University of Shtip. All rights reserved.
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This article analyzes the impact of pandemic COVID-19 on statistics of traffic accidents in the Slovak republic in the time period from the 1st of Jan 2014 until the 31st of Dec of 2020. The article is the definition of differences between case fortuity and traffic accident according to valid legislation in Slovak republic, discripted pandemic situation in Slovak republic and intensity of traffic too. The next added value of the article is complete analyzes of all traffic accidents, traffic accidents with consequences for life or health and traffic accidents caused by drinking alcoholic beverages. © 2021 Kaunas University of Technology. All rights reserved.
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Nowadays the implementation of digital technologies has become a new trend at airports, but especially for Slovak airports. Airports are constantly adapting new technologies, various concepts and processes to ensure more efficient, safer, and faster operation focusing on overall passenger satisfaction. In the world is using of these new technologies at big airports quite often, but at the regional airports not so much. The criterion of the decision if implemented or not implemented these technologies depend on the strategy of the airport and on the economic and social environment of the states or region, where is the airport situated. At the Slovak airports isn't these technologies adopted and the management of the airport argues with economic inefficiency. The implementation of new digital technologies represents an investment challenge, but on the other side it brings several benefits as for example reduction of operating costs or even in connection with the Covid-19 pandemic, these technologies can prevent the spread of the virus from staff to passengers. Airports are opened to technological innovation, but digitization is different for regional airports. They are still in the process of adapting to a new trend. Most of them are undeveloped, and they do not have enough funds for digital transformation, therefore they often remain with the traditional airport concept. The performance and reliability of each deployed system need to be tested, and this takes time and finance. The main goal of our research is to find out how much the regional airport can save on costs if it decides to invest in digital technology within the passenger and baggage section. The results of the analysis show that digital transformation is possible in the case of regional airports. The implementation of 1-unit check-in kiosk can significantly affect the operational costs of the airport and the return of investments is more than certain. © 2021 Kaunas University of Technology. All rights reserved.
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Pandemic crisis COVID-19 has significantly changed consumer behaviour. Implications of this phenomenon are present in a wide managerial context. First, consumers are more willing to save. Thus, the perspectives of the automotive market are not very optimistic in the near future. More than ever before, car brands managers should be aware of behavioural specifics of their consumers. It is because not only valuable brand existence is enough. Managers should exactly know brand value sources and based on this knowledge adapt so far applied concepts of brand value building and management. So, the aim of this paper is to identify the shift in car brand value sources in three main time periods - before pandemic crisis, during pandemic crisis, after pandemic crisis. When applying this concept, years 2019-2021 are analysed. However, in socio-economic aspect it can not be stated clearly that year 2021 could be considered as etalon of post-pandemic period due to the fact that the pandemic is still present worldwide. On the other hand, the consumers are fully accommodated on new reality and they have passed the shock connected with lock-down practice in many countries. Primary data used in the presented study were obtained by our own survey carried out on the sample of 2000 respondents (citizens of the Slovak Republic older than 18 years) in years 2019-2021. The given data were statistically evaluated by the factor analysis supported by implementation of KMO Test, Barlett's test of sphericity and calculation of Cronbach's Alpha for relevant car brands value sources. The rankings of top ten car brands according to Slovak perceptions have been detected as well as the brand value sources in analysed years. Based on these findings, the platform for erudite managerial decision-making has been created to facilitate the economic survival of (post)pandemic era which is supposed to be challenging for car brands due to the already clearly stated willingness to savings. © 2021 Kaunas University of Technology. All rights reserved.
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The Covid-19 pandemic has affected socio-economic situation around the world. However, its impact on regions and sectors of the economy is different. Public passenger transport is one of the most affected segments in connection with the measures taken to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus. The number of transported people due to the pandemic has dropped significantly. The main purpose of this paper is to point out the decline in public transport performance (suburban bus transport) in the Prešov Region in Slovakia in 2020, using selected statistical apparatus to formulate appropriate conclusions and outline the concept of gradual renewal of transport services and restoration of public confidence in transport services. The article also addresses the issue of advance payment for public interest services providing transport services for the inhabitants of the region. Only through systematic and rational measures, it will be possible to revitalize public transport and ensure its competitiveness in relation to individual transport. © 2021 Kaunas University of Technology. All rights reserved.
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The rapid and unexpected arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a global health and economic crisis. However, although the crisis itself is a global phenomenon, there are significant differences between countries in the impact of the pandemic on the economic performance of each country. The aim of the paper was to analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the performance of the Slovak economy through the expenditure method of calculating the gross domestic product. In the analytical part, we used the annual data of the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic for the period 2000 to 2020. In the case of quarterly data, the period Q1/2018 to Q2/2021 entered to the analysis, i.e. the period of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, there was a year-on-year decline in gross domestic product at constant prices by 5.2%, but the Slovak economy managed to catch up with losses from the second wave of the pandemic in the second quarter of 2021. (English) [ FROM AUTHOR] Rýchly a neočakávaný príchod pandémie COVID-19 viedol ku celosvetovej globálnej zdravotnej a hospodárskej kríze. Avšak aj keď je táto samotná kríza celosvetovým fenoménom, medzi jednotlivými krajinami existujú značné rozdiely, pokiaľ ide o vplyv pandémie na ekonomickú výkonnosť jednotlivých krajín. Cieľom príspevku bolo analyzovať vplyv pandémie COVID-19 na výkonnosť ekonomiky SR prostredníctvom výdavkovej metódy výpočtu hrubého domáceho produktu. V analytickej časti sme použili ročné dáta Štatistického úradu SR za obdobie 2000 až 2020. V prípade kvartálnych dát do analýzy vstupovalo obdobie Q1/2018 až Q2/2021, teda obdobie vzniku a pôsobenia pandémie COVID-19. V roku 2020 došlo k medziročnému poklesu hrubého domáceho produktu v stálych cenách o 5,2 % avšak straty z druhej vlny pandémie sa slovenskej ekonomike podarilo dobehnúť hneď v druhom kvartáli roku 2021. (Slovak) [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Young Science / Mladá Veda is the property of Vydavatelstvo Universum and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)