Severity of COVID-19 Symptoms among University of Belgrade Students during the July-September 2021 Pandemic Wave: Implications for Vaccination.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify the intensity of COVID-19 symptoms during the pandemic wave during July-September 2021 and to identify factors associated with having moderate and severe symptoms of COVID-19 among affected students in the University of Belgrade. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study was carried out at the Institute for Students' Health (ISH) in Belgrade, Serbia. The ISH is the referral institution for health care delivery at primary and secondary levels. This analysis includes students who presented from July 1 until September 30, 2021, when the latest pandemic wave of COVID-19 was observed among university students. Data were extracted from students' electronic medical records. Three levels of COVID-19 symptom intensity were defined: mild, moderate, and severe. RESULTS: Of students seeking medical care at the ISH who were diagnosed with COVID-19, 27.3% had mild disease and the majority, 59.3%, had moderate disease, and 13.4% had severe symptoms. Of all students, 124 (21.8%) were fully vaccinated with 2 doses of Sinopharm (81, 60.9%), Pfizer-BioNTech (38, 28.6%), Sputnik V (7, 5.3%), or the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine (7, 5.3%). The multiple multinomial regression model suggests that students who were vaccinated against COVID-19 were 78% less likely to develop moderate symptoms and 96% less likely to develop severe symptoms of COVID-19. CONCLUSION: Students who are vaccinated against COVID-19 are at lower risk of developing moderate and severe symptoms of the disease.

Risk behaviors for getting HIV infection among university students in Serbia.

The objective of this study was to determine risk-taking behaviors forgetting HIV infection among university students in Serbia. The study is based on a cross-sectional survey. Five hundred forty four undergraduate, first year students from two Belgrade universities were selected through random sampling, to answer a self-administrated anonymous questionnaire. Data were collected from 252 students from the Faculties of Medical Sciences, University of Belgrade (FMS) and 292 students from the Faculties of Arts, University of Arts Belgrade (FA). The differences between two groups of students and between students with risk and non-risk behavior were assessed by the chi2 and t-test. Besides that, multivariate techniques such as factor analysis and multivariate logistic regression were used in statistical analysis. Smoking (Odds Radio - OR = 5.05, 95% Confidence Interval - CI = 3.10-8.24), studying FA, (OR = 4.17, 95% CI = 2.69-6.46), male sex (OR = 3.85, 95% CI = 2.38-6.25), committing offences (OR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.09-2.08) and older age (OR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.10-1.55) were the most significant factors connected with the risk-taking behaviors for HIV transmission among the students. In conclusion, HIV prevention efforts must be sustained and designed to reach young people and to prevent patterns of risky behaviors before they start.

Factors associated with health-related quality of life among Belgrade University students.

PURPOSE: The aims of the study were to evaluate health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among students of University of Belgrade (Serbia) and to identify factors that might have associated with their HRQoL including relationship with depression. METHODS: Between April and June, 2009, 1624 students were enrolled in the cross-sectional study. HRQoL was assessed by using SF-36 questionnaire and general depressive status by Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). In statistical analysis, ANOVA (Bonferroni adjustment), χ(2) test, and correlation analysis were performed. RESULTS: In our study, the highest SF-36 scale score was obtained for Physical Functioning. All SF-36 domains significantly (P < 0.01) negatively correlated with BDI. Students of medical sciences had the lowest scores in almost all SF-36 domains. Students who lived with parents had statistically significantly higher scores of majority of SF-36 domains. The total SF-36 score significantly correlated with average monthly family income (P = 0.002). Smokers and non-smokers significantly differed in the total SF-36 score (P = 0.001). Based on the comparison across the physical activity categories, there is a clear pattern of differences in the total SF-36 scores (P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that multiple factors are adversely associated with students' HRQoL. Appropriate health education programs to target modifiable risk factors may improve students' HRQoL.