Knowledge about HPV Infection and the HPV Vaccine among Parents in Southeastern Serbia.

Background and Objectives: The vaccine against human papilloma virus (HPV) infection is recommended, according to the Serbian National Immunization Program, for children and adolescents aged 9−19 years. Three doses are given keeping in mind the recommendation that the second dose should be administered at least one month after the first dose, and the third at least three months after the second dose. No children who participated in this first study received the third dose because they did not meet these criteria. The study explored parents' knowledge about HPV infection and their awareness of the HPV vaccine. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was carried out in the city of Nis, in southeastern Serbia. According to the 2011 population census, the sample of children aged 9 to 19 was 850, and during the observed period, 631 children received the vaccine. A total of 615 fully completed questionnaires filled out by parents were included in the study. The study was carried out from 6 June 2022 to 7 October 2022. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. The statistical significance was p < 0.05. Results: A total of 615 children were included in the study (499 were vaccinated with the first dose and 116 with the second). Out of 499 children vaccinated with the first dose, 398 (79.6%) were girls, which is significantly higher than the rate for boys (101). The independent variable sex was statistically significant at the level of p = 0.84, OR = 2.664 (95% CI from 0.879 to 7.954). Boys are 164% less likely to be vaccinated with the HPV vaccine than girls. We determined that the independent variable place of residence was significant at the level of p = 0.041, (OR = 3.809, 95% CI from 1.702 to 8.525). Based on these findings, we determined that parents who came from rural areas were 82% less likely to know about HPV infection and HPV vaccination. Children under 15 years of age were significantly more vaccinated than those ≥15 years (OR = 3.698, 95% CI from 1.354 to 12.598). The independent variable parental education was significant at the level of OR = 0.494, 95% CI from 0.301 to 0.791. Parents who had medical education showed significantly higher awareness about the infection caused by HPV and about the HPV vaccine (p = 0.004) than parents with no medical education. The possibility that a parent would decide to vaccinate a child significantly increased upon a pediatrician's recommendation, p = 0.000 with OR = 0.250 (95% CI from 0.127 to 0.707). Health insurance coverage of HPV vaccination for children aged 9−19 years significantly increased the probability of a positive parental decision to vaccinate a child, p = 0.001 with OR = 3.034 (95% CI from 1.063 to 8.662). Conclusion: We identified several significant factors that were important for HPV vaccination such as: children under 15 years, female sex, urban place of residence, medical education of parents, pediatrician's recommendation of the HPV vaccination, and HPV vaccination free of charge. Health education and the promotion of HPV vaccination as well as healthy sexual behavior are important factors in the preservation and improvement of the health of the whole population.

[Students' knowledge about AIDS and their attitudes and behaviours towards HIV-positive or diseased persons in Nis, Serbia]. / Conoscenza degli studenti sull'HIV e loro atteggiamenti e comportamenti verso le persone HIV positive o malate di AIDS nella città di Nis, Serbia.

OBJECTIVE: to assess the level of knowledge about HIV infection among students of the city of Nis, Serbia, through the evaluation of what was their attitude towards social contacts with HIV-positive/diseased subjects, their opinion about the treatment of HIV-positive/diseased subjects, and the sanctions for their inadequate behavior. DESIGN: the study was performed in December 2010 as cross-sectional epidemiological survey on a sample of 260 families chosen randomly from telephone book of the City of Nis, Serbia. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: the study population was composed from 143 university students and 64 high-school students. A questionnaire made up of 53 questions about HIV infection and about attitudes towards HIV-positive/diseased subjects was administered to the participants. RESULTS: right answers about the sources of HIV infection ranged from 53.1% to 100%; right answers about mode of transmission of HIV infection ranged from 46.4% to 100%. 79.2% students expressed the opinion that HIV positive/ diseased persons should be treated by the society in the same way as other patients, but only 3.7% of them expressed the wish to have social relations with them. Only 28% of the students agreed that HIV infected subjects should be cured in the same medical institutions with other patients. Concerning the responses about possible sanctions towards HIV-positive/diseased subjects who spread the infection deliberately, 28% of the students agreed that they should undergo administrative or penal sanctions. CONCLUSIONS: student's level of knowledge (both from high schools and universities) about HIV is generally satisfactory, with some exceptions that may be corrected with a better sanitary education. Theoretical attitude of students towards HIV positive/diseased subjects is generally positive, but these results are in clear contrast with answers about relations with these persons in everyday life.

[The influence of overweight on the quality of life of health workers].

INTRODUCTION: The number of people who are considered to be either overweight or obese continues to increase, worldwide. The aim of the paper was to determine the influence of overweight on the quality of life of health workers. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study of prevalence was used We observed 108 health workers both men and women from the Institute for Public Health in the City of Nis. The questionnaire Obesity Related Well-Being 97 (ORWELL97) was applied in all health workers. RESULTS: A hundred and five health workers filled in the ORWELL97 questionnaire. There were 40% of men and 60% of women; 72% of them were married and 28% of them were single; 68% were from the urban area and 32% were from the rural area. The average age was 29.5 (SD=3.2) and the average value of BMI was 25.4 (SD=4,0). There were 54 (48.6%) health workers having normal weight and there were 51 (5.4%) who were considered overweight. No one was obese among them. The difference between the average sum of scores in the group of health workers who had normal weight and the group of health workers who were overweight was not statistically significant (t=1.1 and p<0.05). Nor was the difference statistically significant for the average sum of scores of subquestion O (t=3.6 and p<0.05), and subquestion R (t=2.9 and p<0.05). BMI showed a weak positive correlation with both occurence and relevance of symptoms. A weak positive correlation of BMI was found with average sum of scores in the first, second and third groups of questions in ORWELL 97 questionnaire. CONCLUSION: According to the presented results, health workers who were overweight did not have lower quality of life than health workers who had normal weight.

[Association of stressful life events with acute myocardial infarction in population in the city of Nis within the period from 1998-2000].

BACKGROUND/AIM: Stressful life events present a very important category of psychosocial stress. A few studies have showed that a psychosocial stress represents a very important risk factor for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), but measures of stress may not be suitable for different countries, cultures and ethnic groups. The aim of this study was to investigate the relation of stressful life events with AMI in the period of 1998-2000 in the population of the city of Nis. METHODS: A case-control study included 100 patients with the first MI (in the period 1998-2000) and 100 healthy subjects, matched with respect to sex and age (+/- 2 years) from the city of Nis. The data of stressful life events were obtained by the Scaling of life events by Paykel ES, modified by the authors consistent with the examined population and the period of investigation. The Yates chi2 test, odds ratio - OR and their 99% interval of confidence were used as statistical procedures. RESULTS: The results showed that stressful life events in the period of investigation were very important risk factors for AMI with a statistically significant level (p = 0.000). Huge financial problems (OR = 202.36, Ci = 24.82-4387.58), violation of law (OR = 168.00, Ci = 10.66-6658.96) and serious illness of family members (OR = 159.60, Ci = 19.05- 3514.81) were the highest risk for AMI. The patients who reported that his/her son or other member of family had been gone to the army (or mobilization) before the illness onset, had 138 times higher risk of AMI (Ci = 14.98-3222.47, chi2 = 40.95, p = 0.000), while the patients who had mobilized themselves had 84 times higher risk (Ci = 7.00-2363.06, chi2= 23.87, p = 0.000). Effect of several stressful life events lead to significantly increased risk of AMI andthat significance is larger as the number of life events is more frequent (one life event: OR = 28.41, Ci = 3.73-593.52; chi2 = 17.40, p = 0.000; ? 4: OR = 336.00, Ci = 28.31-9760.28, chi2 = 50,43, p = 0,000). CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that stressful life events are associated with AMI and that they are very important for further epidemiological investigation of the triggering mechanisms and should improve preventive strategies of this serious disorder.