[Frequency of verbs with psychiatric or psychological characteristics made by the Croatian prefixes po and pri in the speech of the eastern part of the Croatian Ravni Kotari region]. / Cestoca glagola sa psihijatrijskopsiholoskim obiljezjima izvedenih prefiksima po i pri u govoru istocnoga ravnokotarskoga kraja.

A prefix (a category of an affix) added in front of the radix or the base make together one unit, determining the significance or grammatical function of the word. Our intention is to research the verbs with psychiatric or psychological characteristics made with the Croatian prefixes po and pri in the determined linguistic types. One linguistic material (issue) of the speech of the eastern part of the Croatian Ravni Kotari region (one of the types of the Croatian stokavska ikavica dialect), which had before been collected by brothers Alojz and Eduard Pavlovic, was used for this research. The first verbs with the Croatian prefixes po and pri with psychiatric or psychological characteristics were separated and after that sorted in the determined groups. The results were shown in one table and one schedule, and were analysed using the descriptive method. The 107 verbs were recorded (50 with the Croatian prefix po and 57 with the Croatian prefix pri), which indicates a similar representation of the verbs of the state and the verbs of movement. At the end, we will discuss whether principles of thecognitive linguistic science should be more used in psychiatric or psychological researches, especially in the time while our standard language has been in the certain process of devastation, and our dialects or our regional and local speeches have been disappearing.

Satisfaction with life and coping skills in the acute and chronic urticaria.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in satisfaction with life and coping strategies between patients with acute and chronic urticaria. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Sixty patients with urticaria were divided into 2 groups after 6 weeks of standardized dermatology treatment (33 patients with acute and 27 patients with chronic urticaria). At baseline, all patients answered the following questionnaires: Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI-A), The Multidimensional Coping Inventory (COPE) and General questionnaire (age, gender, education, employment, marital status). After six weeks all the participants were re-tested with 2 questionnaires: SWLS and PWI-A. RESULTS: Six weeks after the initial testing there was a statistically significant difference in satisfaction with life between patients with acute and chronic urticaria. Patients with acute urticaria were more satisfied with their lives than patients with chronic urticaria. Also, there was a statistically significant difference in the use of emotion-focused coping, seeking social support for emotional reasons and seeking social support for instrumental reasons. Patients with acute urticaria used emotion-focused coping and sought social support for emotional and instrumental reasons to a greater degree than patients with chronic urticaria. CONCLUSION: Patients with acute urticaria were more satisfied with their lives than patients with chronic urticaria. Patients with acute urticaria used emotion-focused coping and sought social support for emotional and instrumental reasons to a greater degree than patients with chronic urticaria.

Virus etiology of schizophrenia: the characteristics of the "*Little Ice Age" and its consequences.

The data of the "Little Ice Age" (1500-1850) in Croatia and those which applied to human health were especially emphasized were analyzed. They are some which stand out like: importance of the sort of soil and relief, the influence of cutting down of woods and cattle-breeding and especially the war which lasted for 250 years in the territory of Croatia. The important interactions between those parameters were defined. The important correlations were also defined between freezing and long winters as well as wet springs and summers which caused starvation, malnutrition and the increase of infant mortality and also epidemics with enormous psychological stress among people in that period. The result was witch-hunting and burning (which was also advocated in the other parts of Europe) and they sometimes reached the levels of madness. Considering that such events were unknown in the earlier periods (in such proportions) and that (even today) the influence of the slow virus is emphasized in connection to the etiology of schizophrenia so why should't it be supposed that the "Litlle Ace Age" could be the cause of the larger prevalence of schizophrenia in the teritory of Croatia.

Sexual self-perception in schizophrenic and depressive patients.

BACKGROUND: Sexual self-perception is just one of the items of the complex system of self, which has rarely been researched in the population of mental health patients. OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to establish whether the differences in sexual self-perception exist between schizophrenic and depressive patients compared with the healthy control group. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: This research was performed on 100 schizophrenic patients, 100 depressive patients and 100 phenotypically healthy volunteers. In order to diagnose schizophrenia and depression, DSM-IV classification was used. Bezinovic's questionnaire for sexual self-perception was used in order to assess seven aspects of sexual self-perception. RESULTS: Results revealed that schizophrenic and depressive patients, compared with healthy individuals, scored significantly higher on the aspects of negative emotionality and sexual incompetence, and significantly lower on the aspect of sexual satisfaction. No statistically significant differences were established between schizophrenic and depressive patients. CONCLUSION: We can conclude that patients suffering from schizophrenia or depression differ from healthy individuals in all of the aspects of sexual self-perception.

Influence of personality traits on sexual functioning of patients suffering from schizophrenia or depression.

Aim of this research was to establish effects and influence of personality traits on sexual functioning of schizophrenic and depressive patients, compared to healthy individuals. 300 participants were included in this research. For patients suffering from schizophrenia it was established that the more they are open to experience and the less they are neurotic their sexual drive is stronger. For patients suffering from depression it was established that the more they are open to experience and conscientious and the less they are agreeable their sexual drive is stronger. Furthermore, higher openness is a significant predictor for easier sexual arousal and the more those patients are conscientious and the less they are agreeable easier is for them to achieve orgasms. Personality traits proved to be significant predictors of sexual functioning in schizophrenic and depressive patients, but not in healthy individuals.

Stigmatization of patients suffering from schizophrenia.

For the general public, but also for healthcare professionals, schizophrenia is still one of those areas of medicine connected with feelings of unease, fear and prejudice. These feelings lead to stigmatization and discrimination which are unjust processes which put patients suffering from mental illnesses into undesirable and unequal positions. Aim of this research was to establish the extent of stigmatization of mentally ill patients among the population of healthcare professionals and future healthcare professionals and if they differ from general population. Results show that stigmatization of schizophrenic patients is high among all included populations. Although there were no statistical differences between groups regarding the assessment of schizophrenic patients, nurses employed in psychiatric wards exhibited a tendency towards higher acceptance of schizophrenic patients, as well as better understanding of that illness. This data emphasizes a growing need for continuous education of general population but also of healthcare professionals.

Influence of religion on sexual self-perception and sexual satisfaction in patients suffering from schizophrenia and depression.

OBJECTIVE: It is well documented that religion has an impact on mental health of both healthy people and mental health patients. However, scientific research regarding the influence of religion on sexual experiences and sexual self-perception in mental health patients and healthy people is very scarce. GOAL: Therefore, our goal was to research how and in what measure religious and atheistic views of patients suffering from depression and schizophrenia and healthy people influence their sexual functions and sexual self-perception. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This research was conducted on 100 patients suffering from schizophrenia and 100 patients suffering from depression, while 100 healthy individuals served as a control group. DMS-IV criteria were used when diagnosing schizophrenia and depression. In order to research the aspects of sexual self-perception we used Bezinovic's questionnaire and Arizona sexual experience scale (ASEX) to research the aspects of sexual intercourse. RESULTS: Results show that Roman-Catholic patients suffering from schizophrenia experience greater sexual satisfaction than Eastern-Orthodox or atheist schizophrenic patients. Among patients suffering from depression in regard to their differing religious views there were no significant differences regarding sexual satisfaction or the aspects of sexual self-perception. Furthermore, there is a significant difference among healthy individuals when taking into consideration religious views. We established that Muslims have a significantly stronger sexual drive then atheists, Roman-Catholic or Eastern-Orthodox individuals. Compared to Roman-Catholic and Eastern-Orthodox individuals, atheists have better consciousness of their own sexuality. CONCLUSION: We can conclude that religious views have an influence on sexual functioning and sexual self-perception of patients suffering from depression and schizophrenia and also healthy individuals. Thus, further research on a bigger sample of participants--not only of those religious denominations covered in this research, but also of those that are less present in our society and of other mental health disorders and illnesses--is needed.

Aspects of sexual self-perception in schizophrenic patients

Objective: Self-perception is a complex, dynamic system and sexual self-perception’s only one of the items in that complex system. Our goal was to establish whether the differences in sexual self-perception between schizophrenic patients and healthy individuals exist, and to establish possible differences in sexual self-perception between acute and chronic schizophrenic patients. Method: Bezinovic’s test for sexual self-perception was used because it assesses multiple aspects of sexual self-perception and provides thorough insight of that part of self. Results: Results revealed that schizophrenic patients, compared to healthy individuals, scored significantly higher on the aspects of negative emotionality and sexual incompetence and significantly lower on the aspect of sexual satisfaction. No statistically significant differences were established between acute and chronic schizophrenic patients. Conclusions: It can be concluded that the conscious part of libido organization in schizophrenic patients exhibits proper consciousness of own sexuality, normal readiness for sexual activity, normal sexual adventurism, significantly higher negative emotionality and sexual incompetence and significantly lower sexual satisfaction (AU)

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[Croatian Catholic Movement and Vladimir Hudolin (1922-1996): formation of one world known alcohologist]. / Hrvatski katolocki pokret i Vladimir Hudolin (1922-1996): formiranje svjetski poznatog alkohologa.

Vladimir Hudolin was born in Ogulin in 1922 and died in Zagreb in 1996. He was one of the best students of the Susak grammar school and distinguished himself in a Catholic youth association Domagoj. In 1940, he moved to Zagreb to study medicine. In 1948 he graduated, and in 1951 specialised in psychiatry. His field of expertise was social psychiatry, alcohology in particular. In developing his own original preventive and remedial programmes, he much relied on the concepts of Community Psychiatry and alike, and managed to encourage their implementation on a variety of community levels, from local to national. His concept was recognised in a number of countries around the world; over 650 articles speak about how successful it was. This article focuses on Vladimir Hudolin's grammar school years in Susak, proposing that particular circumstances and figures from his formative years played a key role in his humanistic and scientific development. Early on it was his social activity in the Catholic youth association Domagoj and Bonifacije Perovic, a theologist-sociologist who was a member of the Croatian Catholic Movement. The key figures who made him aware of the alcoholism issue were Fran Gudrum, Mirko Cunko, Maksimilijan Benkovic, Andrija Stampar, Josip Silovic, and the Bishop of Senj Josip Marusic. Regardless of the controversies and controversial activities of some of the members of the Croatian Catholic Movement between the two world wars, there is no doubt that this movement has played a major role in the development of one of the most distinct figures in world alcohology, Vladimir Hudolin.

[Dr Srecko Marac (1921-1985): a physician, sychiatrist/phychotherapist, and a poet]. / Dr Srecko Marac (1921.1985.): lijecnik - psihijatar/psihoterapeut i pjesnik.

Srecko Marac was born in Susak in 1921 and died in Zagreb in 1990. Having completed the Susak grammar school, he moved to Padua and later to Zagreb to study medicine. During WW2 he dropped the studies and joined the antifascist resistance known as the People's Liberation War. After the war, he completed medical studies in Zagreb. He worked as army physician in Bjelovar and in the Military Hospital in Zagreb. He specialised in psychiatry and practiced psychotherapy in the former Zagreb Mental Health Centre. In 1973, he published his first selection of poems wrought over a long time, with a simple title Pjesme (Poems). The aim of this article was to take a better look at this 1973 collection, see its structure and composition, its content, moods, and ways it communicates to the reader. The collection consists of five parts: Ad tyrannos, Iz partizana (from Resistance), Lutanja/ traZenja/snovi...(Roamings, Quests, Dreams...), Satire i kusanja humora (Satire and Attempts at Humour), and More/brda i domovina (Sea, Hills, and Homeland). Instead of a conclusion, this article proposes to save this wonderful and compassionate poetphysician from oblivion.

[Zvonimir Susic--doyen of Croatian neuropsychiatry in the 20th century]. / Zvonimir Susic--velikan hrvatske neuropsihijatrije 20. stoljeca.

There are three distinct phases in the life of Zvonimir Susic--neurologist, psychiatrist, forensic expert, educator, teacher, translator, and erudite of general and professional knowledge--Zagreb, Rijeka and Zadar phase. In Zagreb (1926-1946) he was promoted to physician (1932), there he was a student tutor, then the assistant at the Physiology Institute of the Medical Faculty; volunteer, hospital doctor (he got the specialization in 1938), assistant and head doctor of the Hospital for Mental Diseases in Vrapce, and the assistant professor (1941) at the Neuropsychiatric Department of the Zagreb University. In Rijeka (1947-1959) he reorganized Psychiatric and established the Neurology Department of the General Hospital "Brothers Dr. Sobol" and, at first, he was the honorary professor, then assistant professor and associate professor of neurology and psychiatry at the Medical Faculty of Rijeka. In Zadar (1960-1968) he was the manager of the Ugljan Hospital. He published approximately 100 works in the field of clinical neurology, neuropathology, psychiatry, and forensic psychiatry, His works on cortical presentation of the body scheme, hallucinations, tuberous sclerosis, pregnancy and multiple sclerosis, pathohistology of demyelisation, toxic neuritis, epilepsies, nervous manifestations of Malta fever, herpetic infections, pathogenesis of convulsive syndromes, psychiatric terminology, therapies of Parkinson disease and schizophrenia, ability of making will, organization of the psychiatric service, were published in national and prestigious European journals, and often cited. He wrote chapters in psychiatric handbooks and special notes in encyclopedic editions. Together with Stanislav Zupic he was the author of the first and only psychodrama in Croatia. He was one of the pioneers of neuropathology in Croatia because he founded the Neuropathology Laboratory in Vrapce Hospital in 1936. He had a remarkable preciseness in examining the patient. He was frequent and imaginative lecturer in various sections in Croatian Medical Association and other public institutions. As a gifted polyglot he was occupied by the translation work when retired. In our, till then Middle-European culture-oriented medical area, he introduced values and patterns of French neurological and German neuropathological schools.

Dimensions of human spirituality, layman understandings of health and limits of medicine.

The essence of human uniqueness and what is special about humans is spirituality. What is unique to every human being is his: language, sociability, politic, science, art, technical and working attitudes, playing games, fun and laughter, as well as religiosity and ethical attitudes. All of these dimensions are based upon spirituality or even the human spirit. This paper aims to relate all these dimensions of human spirituality to the sick person and establish to what extent that person is imbued with them and whether he can rely on them. Furthermore, this paper attempts to shed some light on the limits of medicine, especially as seen by Ivan Illich. In the end we are left with a series of questions, and possibly with an indisputable fact that the person who is suffering physically or mentally is "saved" by his most amazing unique trait--his religiosity.

The quality of life during the treatment of long bone fractures in children and adolescents.

This paper evaluates and compares basic emotional reactions towards the illness, as well as the quality of life in relation to the various types of treatment of isolated long tubular bone fractures of extremities in children and adolescents. This prospective clinical research comprehends 135 patients (94 males and 41 females), aged 10 to 18, treated for the mentioned bone fractures in the period from October 2003 till March 2005 at The Departments for Pediatric Surgery of three hospitals: the Clinical Hospital Centre in Rijeka (88.8% of the patients), the Clinical Children's Hospital in Zagreb (9.7% of the patients) both in Croatia, and 1.5% of the patients in the Clinical Hospital in Mostar (Bosnia and Herzegovina). 53.3% of the patients were treated conservatively, 29.6% of them underwent the elastic stable intramedullary nailing (ESIN), while the remaining 17.1% of the patients were treated with other surgical techniques (AO-plates or Kirschner-wire ostheosyntheses). The basic methods were self-reported questionnaires: the Spielberg State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAIl) to establish momentary anxiety and the Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36) to evaluate quality of life, i.e. the perception of the illness during treatment. The STAI1 was administered twice to the patients: within 1 week of the experienced trauma (at baseline) and 6 months after the trauma, whereas the SF-36 was administered only once, i.e. a month after the experienced trauma. Our results point at an increased anxiety indicators in all the patients immediately after the experienced trauma, mostly in patients treated surgically, especially those who underwent the ESIN method; whereas after 6 months from the experienced trauma the anxiety indicators were greatly reduced. The quality of life was better in patients who underwent a conservative treatment, both physically and mentally, than in those surgically treated. This points to the fact that the surgical method itself despite its type, is an additional stressor which causes additional anxiety and depressive reaction. Our results suggest (from psychological point of view) that the conservative method of treating long bone fractures in children and adolescents should be used since it causes less emotional reactions on the illness ascertaining a better health experience during the treatment than the active surgical treatment (regardless of the type), which should be practised with criticism and according to strict surgical indications. If the surgical treatment should be necessarily adopted, we should take into consideration the possibility of psychologically preparing the patients in order to diminish the psychological reaction on the surgical treatment.

Salvator Karabaic (1884-1956): the profile of an eyceptional Psychiatrist/Neuropsychiatrist with outstanding managing capabilities.

Salvator Karabaic was born in Krk in 1884. In 1904, he finished a grammar school in Susak, and in 1910 graduated from the Vienna Medical School. From 1910 to 1919, he worked in Pula/Pola and Kovin. From 1919 to 1929 he worked at the Institute for Mental illnesses Stenjevec (today the Psychiatric Hospital Vrapce) where in 1921 he became the head physician (orig. primarius) at the age of 37 years only. Between 1929 and 1945, he worked in Sarajevo as a Head of the State Hospital's Neuropsychiatry Department. In 1948 he was appointed the director of the Hospital for Mental Illnesses in Sarajevo. The hospital was in fact a remodelled rope factory with a favourable position near a homestead. He managed this institution until 1956. He died on 24 September 1956 at a hospital surgery ward in Sarajevo. Judging by Dr Karabaic's ability to take care of 200 psychiatric patients alone, he was an outstanding figure with enormous experience. A lot of it he earned during the Vrapce hospital period between 1919 and 1929. He had the opportunity to work with the outstanding figures of Croatian psychiatry such as Dr Ivo Zirovcic, Dr Laza Stanojevic, Dr Ivan Barbot, and Dr Aleksej KuljZenko The author suggests that a more systematic research is needed to understand the work and the life of Dr Salvator Karabaic, who was a talented and hardworking psychiatrist/ neuropsychiatrist with outstanding managing capabilities, and a person who above all cared for his patients.

Self-esteem in children and adolescents differently treated for locomotory trauma.

Self-esteem involves the evaluative and affective dimensions of self-concept. It could be influenced by stress situations such as diseases or injuries, especially in the period of puberty and adolescence. The aim of this study was to establish the influence of isolated long tubular bone limbs' fractures in children and adolescents and type of its treatment (conservative or active surgical treatment-various techniques) on self-esteem of patients, as well as to establish relationships between self-esteem, depression, anxiety and perception of the social support in the mentioned patients. This prospective clinical trial comprehends 135 patients, 94 male and 41 female, aged 10 to 18, treated for the mentioned fractures in the period from October 2003 until March 2005 in Departments for Pediatric Surgery of three hospitals: the Clinical Hospital Center in Rijeka (88.8% patients), the Clinical Children's Hospital in Zagreb (9.7%), both in Croatia, and 1.5% of the patients in the Clinical Hospital in Mostar (Bosnia and Herzegovina). 53.3% of the patients were treated conservatively, 29.6% of them underwent the elastic stable intramedullary nailing (ESIN), while the remaining 17.1% of the patients were treated with other surgical techniques (AO-plates or Kirschner-wire ostheosyntheses). The basic methods of work were self-reported questionnaires: Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (RSS), to establish the degree of self-esteem; Children Depression Inventory (CDI), to establish existence and degree of depression; Spielberg State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI)-form STAI2, to establish general anxiety; and Test of Perception of Social Support (TPSS). RSS, CDI and STAI2 were administered twice to the patients: at baseline and after 6 months of the trauma, whereas TPSS once, after 1 month of the trauma. Our results point at an decreased self-esteem followed by increased depression and increased general anxiety indicators in all patients within 1 week of experienced trauma, especially in those who underwent the ESIN method, whereas after 6 months of the experienced trauma, self-esteem significantly increased and depression and general anxiety indicators were greatly reduced in all patients. The type of treatment of fractures has no influence on the perception of the social support. Our results suggest that the ESIN method (regardless of its good surgical results and advantages in relation to many other surgical techniques) reduces self-esteem more than conservatively treatment of fractures and AO-plates and K-wire ostheosyntheses. At the same time self-esteem has been recuperated faster in patients treated with ESIN method. Thus, there is no difference in the influence of the type of the treatment of fractures on self-esteem, but in the dynamics of its recuperation in patients according to type of treatment of fractures. Anyway, from a psychological point of view, any type of surgical treatment could be additional stressor, so it should be practiced with criticism and according to the strict surgical indications.

Hereditary predisposition and sexual self-concept in schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE: Aim of this research was to establish possible differences in sexual self-perception among acute and chronic schizophrenic patients, taking into consideration their hereditary predisposition. METHODS: Two groups of schizophrenic patients were analyzed, consisting of 100 acute and 100 chronic schizophrenic patients, treated at the Psychiatric clinic Rijeka, in the period 1998-1999, taking into consideration their hereditary predisposition and influence of that predisposition on seven aspects of sexual self-perception: sexual self-scheme, sexual consciousness, readiness for sexual action sexual adventurism, level of negative emotions towards one's sexuality, perception of one's sexual self-competence, sexual satisfaction. RESULTS: Results show that hereditary predisposition in chronic schizophrenic patients has a negative effect on some of the aspects of sexual self-perception: sexual self-scheme and sexual satisfaction. Therefore, patients with hereditary predisposition achieve lower results than those without hereditary predisposition. CONCLUSION: We can conclude that hereditary predisposition negatively influences certain aspects of sexual self-perception in chronic schizophrenic patients, and that it does not influence aspects of sexual self-perception in acute schizophrenic patients.

Acute brain syndrome as a consequence of the Cronkhite-Canada syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Cronkhite-Canada syndrome is a very rare illness and psychical disturbances developed as a consequence of this illness are very rarely described. That is the case because majority of the symptoms of this syndrome are associated with the polyposis of the gastrointestinal tract. AIM: The aim of this case report is to link the development of acute brain syndrome with this rare syndrome. PATIENT: The patient was two times treated under the diagnosis of Cronkhite-Canada syndrome in the clinics of internal medicine in Rijeka and Zagreb, and then in the Psychiatric Clinic in Rijeka under the diagnosis of acute brain syndrome (F05.0). RESULT: Therapy with a typical antipsychotic (haloperidol) and corresponding internistic treatment gave results very fast and calmed acute delirium. CONCLUSION: Typical antipsychotics are efficient in the treatment of the acute brain syndrome caused by Cronkhite-Canada syndrome. Acute brain syndrome is caused solely by the lack of electrolytes and other important nutrients because of a malabsorption syndrome, conditioned by a diffuse polyposis of intestines.

SUICIDE, INDUCED ABORTION AND STANDARDIZED DEATH RATE IN CROATIA In relation to neighbouring countries: Hungary, Slovenia and Italy.

OBJECTIVE: Suicides and induced abortions are primarily both premature deaths. Standardized death rates often show the certain level of medical standards in the different countries. The aim of this paper was to determine suicide rates in Croatia and its neighbouring countries (Hungary, Slovenia and Italy) associated with induced abortions and standardized death rates Method: It was a register linkage study. Information on suicides of women in Croatia, Hungary, Slovenia and Italy were linked with induced abortions and standardized death rates in these countries. Nationwide data in Croatia, Hungary, Slovenia and Italy in the period 1996-2002 i.e. the latest available data for each county was used. RESULTS: There were suicide rates in women: Croatia (2000)-10.3, Hungary (1999)-15.4, Slovenia (1999)-13.4 and Italy (1998)-3.6. There were induced abortions (% of live born children): Croatia (2002)-17.8, Hungary (2002)-69.7, Slovenia (2002)-49.6 and Italy (2002)-24.0. There were standardized death rates (1/10.000 population): Croatia (1998)-113.8, Hungary (1996)-109.3, Slovenia (1996)-109.3 and Italy (1996)-70.7. CONCLUSIONS: The Croatian suicide rate and induced abortions have been lower than in Hungary and Slovenia. Croatia has been at the last place according to induced abortions but Croatia has been at the first place due to standardized death rates.