Background and Objectives: We aimed to explore whether the COVID-19 pandemic influenced hospitalizations for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions (ACSCs) in Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia. Materials and Methods: We performed a cross-sectional comparative study using two different time periods, the pre-pandemic (from March 2019 to February 2020) and the pandemic period (from March 2020 to February 2021), to explore the possible influences that the COVID-19 pandemic had on hospitalizations for ACSCs. The ACSCs were classified into the categories of vaccine-preventable, chronic, and acute disease. The indicators were statistically analyzed. Results: During the pandemic, a decrease in the total number of hospitalizations and ACSC hospitalizations was recorded. The relative risk for having any ACSC hospitalization in the pandemic period compared to the pre-pandemic period was 0.67 (95% CI, 0.64–0.71; p = 0). The risk reduction was seen in all three categories of vaccine-preventable ACSCs, chronic disease, and acute disease. Large reductions were found in the relative risk of hospitalization for COPD and asthma. Considering the mode of discharge, there was a statistically significantly higher risk of ACSCs with fatal outcomes during the pandemic than in the pre-pandemic period (relative risk 1.31; 95% CI, 1.01–1.7; p = 0.0197). Conclusions: The results of this study show that the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the total number of hospitalizations as well as hospitalizations relating to ACSCs. Certainly, one of the reasons for these changes was due to organizational changes in the working of the entire health system due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: ChatGPT is a large language model based on artificial intelligence, which nowadays finds application in various fields, including medicine. Objectives: To investigate the usefulness of ChatGPT related to health literacy and to highlight its potential limitations. Methods: We searched PubMed/MEDLINE for published research and articles that reviewed ChatGPT in the context of health literacy, written in English over the past five years with free full text access. All original articles were screened. Results: A total of 53 publications were found. Twenty-five publications met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Most of the works presented a positive opinion towards the use of ChatGPT. The authors of six articles believe that ChatGPT generates more readable papers, while four of them believe the opposite. In four articles authors found out possibility to simplify text. The negative sides relate to the possibly insufficient education of users, the accuracy of the information, potential bias, dependence on the outdated data, and the ethical problem of the real authors not being cited, and therefore not recognized for their work. Conclusions: According to the conducted research, ChatGPT represents an opportunity to improve health literacy by generating accessible and comprehensible information about health. It has also been shown to improve the readability and accessibility of public education materials on selected health topics. Furthermore, while AI models like ChatGPT can serve as a reliable source of health information, they should be used as an addition to professional medical consultation, and not as a standalone advice service. Key messages: • ChatGPT represents an opportunity to improve health literacy. • AI models like ChatGPT can serve as a reliable source of health information, but they should be used as an addition to professional medical consultation, and not as a standalone advice service.

Background and Objectives: Although preventable, rabies represents a significant public health problem. An important part of prevention is the surveillance of people exposed to potentially rabid animals, carried out in the anti-rabies clinics of all public health institutes in Croatia. We aimed to analyze the burden of human animal-bite injuries, patient/biting animal characteristics, and the uptake of anti-rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). Material and Methods: This retrospective study used medical records data ranging from 2015 to 2024 for all patients in the anti-rabies clinics in Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia. Results: A total of 4105 patients reported contact with a potentially rabid animal. The majority of examined people (52.6%) were working-aged adults (20–60 years). The largest proportion of reported injuries were recorded on the lower limbs (34.9%) and hands/fingers (32.3%). No contact with a proven rabid animal was recorded. PEP was received by 37.7% of those examined. Although dog exposure (68.9%) most frequently led to post-exposure care-seeking, PEP was most common after rodent (91.2%) and bat (87.5%) exposures. Conclusions: Improving public health education is the most effective method of preventing dog bites and thus reducing bite injuries. Promoting responsible dog ownership and behavior around animals, as well as avoiding contact with unfamiliar animals, would likely reduce the need for PEP. The results of this study can also be used in planning health resources, primarily the availability of rabies vaccine and immunoglobulin. In addition, they emphasize the importance of rabies prevention and the continued implementation of all preventive measures in collaboration between the human and animal health sectors. This research may be useful to future public health policies for the control of zoonotic infectious diseases, especially from a “One Health” perspective.

Background and Objectives: Falls represent a major public health concern among older adults, contributing substantially to morbidity, mortality, and healthcare burden. This study aimed to analyze trends, demographic characteristics, hospitalization rates, injury patterns, and outcomes of fall-related hospitalizations among individuals aged ≥65 years in Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia, from 2020 to 2024. Materials and Methods: A retrospective epidemiological study was conducted using fall-related hospitalization data from the National Health Information System. Discharges for injury (S00-T98) caused by a fall (W00-W19) were selected using ICD-10. Analyses included individuals aged ≥65 years and were stratified by age group (65–74, 75–84, ≥85 years), sex, and year. Hospitalization rates per 100,000 population were calculated using official population data. Differences were assessed using chi-square and Kruskal–Wallis tests, while Poisson regression was used to estimate rate ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and assess temporal trends. Results: A total of 4737 fall-related hospitalizations were recorded among individuals aged ≥65 years (58.32% of all cases). Hospitalization rates increased markedly with age, with individuals aged ≥85 years having more than a fivefold higher rate compared to those aged 65–74 years (RR = 5.16, 95% CI 4.80–5.56). Women accounted for 69.83% of cases and had higher hospitalization rates than men (RR = 1.74, 95% CI 1.64–1.85). Hip and femur injuries were the most common (50.39%). In-hospital mortality was 3.02% and higher among men. No significant temporal trend was observed (AAPC = −2.18%, p = 0.392). Conclusions: Fall-related hospitalizations are strongly associated with advanced age and female sex, with hip fractures predominating. Although rates remained stable over time, ongoing population ageing is likely to increase the future burden. Targeted, age- and sex-specific prevention strategies should be prioritized.

Prema Svjetskoj zdravstvenoj organizaciji zdravlje je jedno od temeljnih prava svakog čovjeka, bez obzira na rasu, vjeru, politička uvjerenja, ekonomsko i socijalno stanje. Iako smo to skloni vjerovati, zdravlje se ipak ne podrazumijeva samo po sebi i uvjetovano je i čimbenicima koji ne ovise o nama samima. Danas globalno dijelimo mnoge vodeće javnozdravstvene probleme. U njihovom rješavanju i sprječavanju provode se razne intervencije, nerijetko uz izostanak ciljanih rezultata. Unaprijediti i očuvati zdravlje je veliki izazov te je odgovornost pojedinca, zdravstvenog sustava i drugih sudionika, a rezultat ovisi o uspješnosti njihovog međudjelovanja. No je li djelovanje tih sudionika koherentno? Je li njihovo međudjelovanje konstruktivno? Što učiniti kako bi spriječili destrukciju? Ovo su samo neka od pitanja na koja bi trebalo odgovoriti kako bi intervencije odgovorile postavljenim izazovima.

Rak vrata maternice je globalni javnozdravstveni problem. Rješenje ovog malignoma moguće je uspješno provedenim mjerama na trima razinama prevencije. Primarna prevencija uključuje cijepljenje protiv infekcije humanim papiloma virusom, glavnog etiološkog čimbenika zloćudne preobrazbe vrata maternice i sigurne spolne prakse. Usprkos postojanju vrlo učinkovitih cjepiva u sprječavanju infekcije najčešćim visokorizičnim genotipovima humanog papiloma virusa, procijepljenost protiv ovog virusa u mnogima je zemljama suboptimalna. Čimbenici koji pozitivno utječu na cijepljenje usko su povezani s razinom znanja i percepcijom rizika povezanog s infekcijom te bi dobro poznavanje virusa i njegovih komplikacija moglo omogućiti povećanje prihvatljivosti cjepiva protiv humanog papiloma virusa i time poboljšati pokrivenost cijepljenjem. Sekundarna prevencija obuhvaća rano otkrivanje i probir raka vrata maternice. Uspješnost provedbe probira je različita diljem svijeta i ovisi o nizu čimbenika povezanih s korisnicama, zdravstvenim sustavom i pružateljima usluga koji su u međusobnoj interakciji. Razumijevanje specifičnih prepreka koje ometaju rano otkrivanje i probiranje ključno je za razvoj ciljanih intervencija i politika za poboljšanje ishoda raka vrata maternice u različitim populacijama. Tercijarnom prevencijom ženama s novo dijagnosticiranim rakom vrata maternice treba omogućiti liječenje adekvatnim načinima jer dostupna pravovremena dijagnoza i visokokvalitetno liječenje osigurava i bolje ishode liječenja. Sveobuhvatno, na sve tri razine, potrebno je postići barem 90% procijepljenosti djevojčica cjepivom protiv humanog papiloma virusa, 70% žena obuhvatiti probirom i 90% žena adekvatno liječiti, kako bi dosegli rješenje ovog javnozdravstvenog problema.