The burden of hospitalised carcinoma patients in Osijek-Baranja County, Croatia, 1998-2010.

The purpose of this paper was to determine the number and trend of hospitalisations caused by carcinoma in the Osijek-Baranja County, to to determine the proportion of these hospitalizations compared to all other hospitalization, as well as to determine the burden put on the hospitals by external patients (those not residing in the Osijek-Baranja County area). There has been an average of 10.1% of hospitalisations caused by carcinoma in the Osijek-Baranja County from 1998 to 2010. In the aforementioned period there have been an average 15.9% days of hospitalisation caused by carcinoma. Patients hospitalised due to carcinoma stay in hospital 5.3 days longer than other patients. The number of hospitalisations as a whole, as well as those due to carcinoma, is rising, while the number of days of hospitalisation per patient is decreasing. The number of hospitalisations which refer to men is slightly higher than for women (51.2%:48.8%). Almost one third of patients hospitalised are not residents of the Osijek-Baranja County due to a gravitational hospitalisation instance. Residents of northern Bosnia and Herzegovina are the most common patients being treated in our county. This burden has to be taken in to account when planning our health care due to the geographically, economically and politically specific situation of Osijek-Baranya County. This data has to be taken in to account when further planning our health care, as to relieve the acute medical situation hospitals of some of their burden, as well as to provide adequate care to patients suffering chronically from carcinoma. It is especially important to stress out that our county does not have a palliative care facility, nor a hospice for the terminally ill.

First six years of implementing colorectal cancer screening in the Osijek-Baranja County, Croatia--can we do better?

The primary goal of this paper is to evaluate the efficiency of the Colorectal Cancer Screening Program in the Osijek-Baranja County. The screening method for early detection of colorectal cancer was the guaiac Faecal Occult Blood Test (gFOBT) and colonoscopy for gFOBT positive finding. The target population were asymptomatic subjects at average risk, aged 50-74. The responding rate was 20.3% (14.9% of men and 19.3% of women). The percentage of gFOBT positive tests was 8.5% (11.2% of men and 6.6% of women). From the 1,657 individuals who were invited to further assessment (884 men and 773 women), 1,157 underwent a colonoscopy exam (649 men and 508 women). We can conclude that the response to FOBT in our county was extremely poor. 83 carcinomas were found, with almost double findings among men than among women. Our population has a significantly higher number of men with malignant and premalignant changes when compared with women. Considering the higher incidence among men, as well as an increase in incidence in the entire population, we have to take care that our public health programmes are being created with this taken into account, as to increase the response rate, especially among those with a higher risk of developing a disease.

Five-year cumulative incidence of smoking in adult Croatian population: the CroHort study.

The aim of this paper is to investigate the incidence of smoking and changes in smoking habits in Croatia during a 5-year period. Data from the Croatian Adult Health Study of 2003 and 2008 was used for the study (N = 3229). The results of this study suggest that the incidence of smoking is the highest in youngest men and decreases with age. In ages 35 to 64 and older than 65 the incidence was higher in women than men. The cumulative smoking incidence is low in Croatia, but particularly alarming is a higher incidence in women than in men.

Drinking in adolescents--qualitative analysis.

The aim of this paper was to explore alcohol consumption and the development of this habit in the adolescent population based on qualitative data from 59 anonymous essays written by high school students. We found that the most of adolescents had their first experiences with alcohol in the seventh or eighth grades. They reported that they usually drank alcohol to be happy, to relax, to be courageous in approaching the opposite sex, to fit into society, and to be popular. Factors affecting drinking are influence of peers, family and social attitude towards drinking, laws and enforcement of legislation. In further prevention programs, we must be able to demonstrate that "having a good time" does not mean drinking alcohol. Programs for the prevention of alcohol-related problems must begin by adolescence, including both sexes equally and can be achieved through a coordinated and intense public health effort.