Background and Objectives: Women with cervical cancer may experience depression or anxiety, influencing their quality of life and even their adherence to cancer treatments. This study aimed to explore and measure the levels of anxiety and depression in patients suffering from cervical cancer and to identify the possible predictors among known risk factors such as age, cancer stage, smoking status, number of partners, use of contraceptives, and annual gynecological visits. Materials and Methods: In total, 59 patients with cervical cancer were included. A consecutive sampling method was used to select participants in this research. Depression and anxiety were assessed using the Zung Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Zung Depression Scale (SDS). The subjects were divided into three groups, according to the stage of cancer. Results: Scores of depression and anxiety were increased in all recruited cervical cancer patients. A significant correlation was found between disease stage and the scores of depression (p = 0.002) and anxiety (p = 0.016). More severe depressive symptoms correlated to a more advanced stage of the disease. A multiple linear regression showed that disease stage and annual visits to the gynecologist are the risk factors associated with higher depression scores. Conclusions: Patients diagnosed with cervical cancer are a vulnerable group for the development of the psychiatric disorders and they require screening programs, which could potentially detect candidates for co-psychiatric and/or psychotherapeutic treatment. They demand particular attention because anxiety and depression are associated with the significant burden of the underlying disease and unfavorable survival rates.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought into focus the mental health of the student population. The study aimed to analyze the psychological response to the COVID-19 outbreak in terms of perceived stress and its related factors among university students in south-east Serbia. The study was conducted during the increased incidence of COVID-19 in Serbia. Method: A total of 434 students from the public university in south-east Serbia enrolled in the study and completed the measures of socio-demographic data, the perceived stress scale (PSS-10), the Coping Strategy Indicator (CSI) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). The data were analyzed through quantitative and qualitative methods. Results: Study findings suggest that the mean perceived stress score was placed to 20.43 (± 7.67). Our model showed that female gender, higher scores on anxiety/insomnia and depression subscale as well as the coping strategy avoidance predicted higher perceived stress, while higher scores on social dysfunction were related to the reduced perceived stress scores. Conclusion: Notwithstanding the study limitation, findings provided authentic data of stress reactions of the students in south-east Serbia during the COVID-19 outbreak. The findings confirm the need to examine students' experiences in emergencies and crises, as well as to make a plan for online stress management programs that would help alleviate stress during a global pandemic.

Background and Objectives: Catalase and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) are important antioxidant enzymes that break down hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) in order to control its intracellular concentration, thus enabling its physiological role and preventing toxic effects. A lack or disruption of their function leads to the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide and the occurrence of oxidative stress. Accumulating studies have shown that the activities of key antioxidant enzymes are impaired in patients with schizophrenia. Since the published results are contradictory, and our previous studies found significantly higher erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in patients with schizophrenia, the aim of this study was to determine the activity of enzymes that degrade hydrogen peroxide in the same group of patients, as well as to examine their dependence on clinical symptoms, therapy, and parameters associated with this disease. Materials and Methods: Catalase and GPx activities were determined in the erythrocytes of 68 inpatients with schizophrenia and 59 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. The clinical assessment of patients was performed by using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). The catalase activity was measured by the kinetic spectrophotometric method, while the GPx activity was determined by the commercially available Ransel test. Results: Erythrocyte catalase and GPx activities were significantly lower (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01, respectively) in subjects with schizophrenia than they were in healthy individuals. Lower catalase activity does not depend on heredity, disease onset, the number of episodes, or disease duration, while GPx activity showed significant changes in patients who had more than one episode and in those who had been suffering from the disease for over a year. Significantly lower catalase activity was noted in the PANSS(+/−) group in comparison with the PANSS(+) and PANSS(−) groups. The lowest catalase activity was found in subjects who were simultaneously treated with first- and second-generation antipsychotics; this was significantly lower than it was in those who received only one class of antipsychotics. Conclusion: These results indicate the presence of oxidative stress in the first years of clinically manifested schizophrenia and its dependence on the number of psychotic episodes, illness duration, predominant symptomatology, and antipsychotic medication.

Individuals with serious mental illness are more affected by emotional reactions, including suicidal behavior due to COVID‐19 and psychosocial consequences of pandemic. The current cross-sectional study aimed to explore the possible association of COVID-19 and suicidal behavior (suicide ideation and attempt) before and during pandemic-associated lockdown in Serbia. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of 104 adult psychiatric inpatients admitted at Psychiatric Clinic, University Clinic Center Niš, Serbia, after ending lockdown and compared the obtained results with 181 adult psychiatric inpatients admitted during the same period in 2019 and 2018. Suicide ideation were more frequent in 2020 comparing with 2019 and 2018 (25 vs 12.5%, vs 9.41%; p < 0.05). Around 28% of patients with suicide attempts were exposed daily to the information related to COVID-19 coming from social media, while this frequency was significantly lower, only 7.55% (p < 0.1), among patients with no suicide ideation or attempts. Adjustment disorder was more frequent among patients with suicide attempts in comparison to the patients with suicide ideation (32 vs 11%), especially in patients without suicide ideation and attempts (32 vs 0%, p < 0.001). Of all studied patients with suicide attempts during 2020, 60% were not in the previous psychiatric treatment before admission.

Background: Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) refers to the deliberate, self-inflicted destruction of body tissue without suicidal intent and for purposes not socially sanctioned. The aim of this study was to explore the variety of self-injury behaviors as well as the function of NSSI among adolescents in South-East Serbia. Methods: The study included 50 adolescents of both sexes, aged 13–18 years, who had deliberately engaged in self-injury at least once. A general socio-demographic questionnaire and the Inventory of Statements About Self-Injury (ISAS) were used in the study. Results: The average age of the respondents was 15 (1.17); the most common NSSI methods were cutting (60%), followed by biting and severe scratching (14%); the average age of onset was 14.12 (0.77); the majority confirmed experiencing pain during self-injury (42%); the respondents more commonly performed NSSI when they were alone (68,0%); in 90% of the cases, the time elapsed between sensing the urge to self-injury and acting on it was less than 1 h; the majority of the respondents stated that they did not want to stop self-injuring (56%). In terms of the NSSI function, the obtained scores were the highest for affect regulation 3.36 (1.47), self-punishment 1.90 (1.39) and marking distress 1.72 (1.26). In terms of gender, there was a statistically significant difference for the antidissociation (P = .043), interpersonal influence (P = .004) and revenge (P = .019). Conclusion: The results may have practical implications when it comes to taking preventive and therapeutic measures in the vulnerable adolescent population.

Background and Objectives: Although nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), by definition, excludes suicidal intent, numerous studies show associations between NSSI and suicidal phenomena in clinical and outpatient adolescent samples. Given the growing interest in the relationship between NSSI and suicidal phenomena, the present study aimed to investigate the relationship between NSSI and suicidal beliefs in adolescent psychiatric inpatients. Materials and Methods: The study sample included 50 adolescent inpatients at a specialized facility, with a mean age of 15.44 ± 1.39, who fulfilled DSM-5 criteria for NSSI. For study purposes, we use the Ottawa Self-Injury Inventory (OSI) and Brief Suicide Cognitions Scale (B-SCS). Statistical data processing was performed in the R software 4.3.0 (R Core Team, Vienna, Austria). Results: Of all NSSI functions, the Internal ER function score was the highest (18.72 ± 7.08), followed by External ER (8.10 ± 3.11), Social Influence (5.88 ± 5.37), and Sensation Seeking (3.44 ± 2.98). The mean Craving (C) score was 14.06 ± 7.51. The mean value of the B-SCS score was 19.54 ± 5.24. It was found that the B-SCS score is significantly related to Internal ER (r = 0.441, p < 0.001) and Craving (r = 0.297, p = 0.036). The multivariable model shows that internal ER function and participants’ age are significantly related to the B-SCS score. Conclusion: Despite the limitations of the study, it is emphasized that cognitions occurring across the fluid suicidal belief system alone do not fully capture the complexity of suicide, but assessing the suicidal belief system in NSSI inpatient adolescents could nevertheless provide helpful information for identifying individuals who may have an elevated vulnerability to experiencing suicidal ideas and behaviors over time.