Social distance and stigma towards persons with serious mental illness among medical students in five European Central Asia countries.

The study investigated behavioral measures of social distance (i.e., desired proximity between self and others in social contexts) as an index of stigma against those with mental illness among medical students in the Republic of North Macedonia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Poland, using the Reported and Intended Behavior Scale (RIBS), a standardized, self-administered behavioral measure based on the Star Social Distance Scale. The students' responses to standardized clinical vignettes on schizophrenia, and depression with suicidal ideation, were also assessed. A total of 257 North Macedonian (females, 31.5%; 1-4 grades, 189; 5-6 grades, 68); 268 Turkish (females, 43.3%; 1-4 grades, 90; 5-6 grades, 178); 450 Kazakh (females, 28.4%, 71.6%; 1-4 grades, 312; 5-6 grades, 138); 512 Azerbaijani (females, 24%; 1-4 grades, 468; 5-6 grades, 44; females, 24%), and 317 Polish (females, 59.0%; 1-4 grades, 208; 5-6 grades, 109) students were surveyed. The responses on the RIBS social distance behavior measures did not improve with advancing medical school grade, but students across all sites viewed schizophrenia and depression as real medical illnesses. The results support the development of enhanced range of integrated training opportunities for medical student to socially interact with persons with mental illness sharing their experiences with them.

Anthropometric parameters in national footballers in the Republic of Macedonia.

OBJECTIVES: The focus of this study is on anthropometric characteristics of footballers in the Republic of Macedonia, and the aim is to provide normative data for selected anthropometric parameters for adult male footballers in our country. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The study included eight hundred (800) adult male footballers, aged 24.06 ± 4.8y (age range 18-35y), who have undertaken routine sport medical examinations over a ten-year period. The football players were divided into six age - specific subgroups ("up to 20"; "up to 22"; "up to 24"; "up to 26"; "up to 28" and "over 28" years). Anthropometric measurements were made by Matiegka's protocols and body composition components were determined. RESULTS: Average values of body height (178.8 ± 6.7 cm), body weight (77.72 ± 7.9 kg), lean body mass (66.21 ± 6.36 kg), body components ( MM% = 53.04; BM% = 17.15; FM% = 14.7%) and a large series of anthropometric measurements which define the footballers' anthropometric dimensions were obtained. The distribution of the adipose tissue regarding the body and limbs showed that the skinfolds were thickest on the lower limbs and thinnest on the arms. CONCLUSIONS: The adult football players in Republic of Macedonia were insignificantly variable in height and body mass from their counter parts from European and American teams. The football players up to 20 year, who played in the senior national football league were lighter and smaller than their older colleagues. The football players aged from 20 to 35 years were insignificantly variable in height, body mass, and anthropometric dimensions of limbs and trunk.

An assessment of career satisfaction among Macedonian dentists.

AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the level of overall career satisfaction in relation to various personal and work-related factors among the dentists in the Republic of Macedonia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The sample comprised 118 registered dentists, working in different conditions (34 public practice dentists, 32 completely private, 42 private dentists who work with a health insurance fund and 10 concessioners). All of them filled in a questionnaire which contained 16 items, divided into five groups. The different clusters of questions were related to various working conditions and personal factors. The first four groups of questions were answered with a--point Likert format with a score range from 1 (very dissatisfied) to 4 (very satisfied). In the fifth group, dentists chose one of four offered answers. The statistical analyses were made by one-way ANOVA and chi-square tests. RESULTS: Significant differences related to working conditions were found between public practitioners (moderately dissatisfied) and private practitioners (very satisfied) (F=41.41 (df=3); p<0.01). A high prevalence of dentists (89.83%) had felt stressed on their work place and 61.8% of public dental health practitioners had felt stressed at work "very often". The main sources of job-related stress for public dental practitioners were their supervisors (50%) and patients (26. 47%), while private practitioners were mostly stressed by inspectors (76.19%) and patients (21.87%) (χ2=44.5 (df=9); p<0.01). CONCLUSION: The findings in our study showed overall low levels of career satisfaction among the dentists (public and private) in the Republic of Macedonia. The finding that high percentages of dentists feel stress at their work place very often requires further exploration.