Socioeconomic Factors Associated with Psychoactive Substance Abuse by Adolescents in Serbia

Background/Aim. Pseudoexfoliation syndrome (XPS) is an age-related systemic disorder characterized by increased production and accumulation of elastic microfibrillar material in different tissues of the body: skin, connective tissue portions of visceral organs, periphery blood vessels and the eye, as well. The aim of our study was to determine the significance of atherosclerotic changes in the carotid arteries in the development of XFS and pseudoexfoliation glaucoma (XFG). Methods. The study included 120 patients ? 40 patients per each of the three defined groups: XFS group, XFG group and age- and sex-matched control subjects (control group) without XFG. Blood samples were collected from the patients before cataract surgery. Serum levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein ? LDL, high density lipoprotein ? HDL and triglycerides were analyzed by standard laboratory techniques. Standard ultrasonography of the carotid blood vessels was performed in all the participants. Results. Lipid?s profile was disturbed in the patients with XFS and XFG with statistical significance p control group (p < 0.01). Systolic and diastolic pressure was elevated in the patients with XFS and XFG (p < 0.01). Resistance index was increased in the patients with XFG (p < 0.01). Intima-media thickness was prolonged in patients with XFG (p < 0.01). Conclusion. A disturbed lipid profile with elevated resistancy index and intima-media thickness and increased systolic and diastolic pressure were compulsory findings in patients with developed XFG. So, these factors could be considered as risk. It seems to be difficult to inhibit the process of pseudoexfolation production in the whole body, but it appears that with proper therapy (antihypertnesive, cardiotoncs, etc.) and adequate nourishing, the process of XFG development could be interrupted.

Galectin 3 plays a significant role in the development of chronic renal failure, particularly end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The aim of our study was to investigate the association between Gal-3 and biochemical parameters and primary disease in ESRD patients, by exploring the polymorphisms LGALS3 rs4644, rs4652, and rs11125. A total of 108 ESRD patients and 38 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Genotyping of LGALS3 gene rs4644, rs4652, and rs11125 polymorphisms was performed by polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR–RFLP). By multivariate logistic regression analysis, we found that LGALS3 rs4644 CC and rs4652 AA genotypes were significantly associated with a higher risk for lower hemoglobin, higher level of parathyroid hormone, and also occurrence of diabetes mellitus and arterial hypertension. The CAA haplotype was significantly more common in patients with diabetes, low hemoglobin level, and normal PTH level. It has been observed as well that the ACT haplotype was more common in patients with low glomerular filtration, low PTH, and normal hemoglobin level. We found that the LGALS3 rs4644 and rs4652 gene polymorphism may be involved in the pathogenesis and appearance of complications in ESRD patients and thus could be considered a new genetic risk factor in this population.

Background/Objectives: Health literacy represents the ability to access, understand, appraise, and apply health information for making appropriate health decisions. It is closely linked to education, income, employment, and overall health outcomes. Limited health literacy is associated with poor self-care, inadequate treatment adherence, and increased healthcare utilization. This study aimed to assess the level of health and medication adherence behaviors among primary health care users in Montenegro and examine its association with key demographic and socioeconomic factors. Methods: A cross-sectional, multicenter study was conducted among 202 primary health care users at the Primary Healthcare Center Danilovgrad, Plav and Ulcinj, Montenegro. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, the standardized European Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q-47), and the Attitudes towards Medication Adherence Self-Reported Questionnaire (ADHERE-7). Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, χ² tests, and univariate and multivariate regression. Results: The mean HLS-EU-Q Index was 33.55 ± 8.05. Significant differences in literacy levels were observed by age (p = 0.022), material status (p = 0.043), and self-rated health (p = 0.020). In multivariate ordinal regression analysis, lower income (<400 €) was associated with lower odds of belonging to a higher health literacy category (OR = 0.22, 95% CI: 0.02–0.92, p = 0.039), while no statistically significant associations were observed for gender, education level, or employment status after adjustment. The mean ADHERE-7 score of the study population was 21.78 ± 5.19. When analyzed in relation to the level of health literacy, the highest mean ADHERE-7 score was observed among participants with excellent health literacy (24.28 ± 4.90). Lower levels of health literacy were associated with lower odds of belonging to higher health literacy categories among participants reporting selected non-adherence behaviors, including missing therapy 3–4 times per week (OR = 0.30), frequently skipping prescribed medication when feeling well (OR = 0.03), and reducing or omitting therapy due to perceived lack of benefit or high costs (OR range: 0.10–0.31). Conclusions: Health literacy among primary care users in Montenegro is moderate, with a substantial proportion exhibiting limited literacy. Low income is a key determinant of limited literacy, and limited health literacy was associated with poorer medication adherence. Targeted educational and policy interventions are needed to improve health literacy and reduce health inequalities.

The COVID-19 pandemic has not only affected the physical but also the mental health and well-being, causing many mental problems in the population around the world. This paper is trying to offer answers to questions about the impact of the pandemic on the level of stress, anxiety, depression and life satisfaction of the student population. The survey was conducted as a cross-sectional study. The studied population comprised students of the Faculty of Mechanical and Civil Engineering in Kraljevo and the Kraljevo Medical College. The standardised depression, anxiety and stress self-assessment scale - DASS-21 was used as the survey instrument. The largest number of students felt the fear of one of their relatives getting infected (80.2%), that is of endangering their family (77.6%). Approximately one in three students felt the fear of death (34.4%), the fear of getting infected (29.7%) and of ending up in hospital (36.5%). One in six respondents felt vulnerable during the state of emergency (16.3%), and one in ten felt very vulnerable (9.8%). 14.6% of them stated that the epidemic had affected their student responsibilities a lot, and 22.3% of students expressed the negative impact of isolation on them. The results of our study indicate a high percentage of reported symptoms of stress (44.2%), anxiety (47.1%) and depression (34.9%) among the student population. Pandemic conditions have led to considerable changes in the daily life of all people, while the impact of the pandemic and the consequences that are yet to emerge still cannot be fully understood. That is why it is of utmost importance to take care of the mental health of those who are in a sensitive period of life.