Medical education marks a considerable stage in its development, significantly affected by the global Covid-19 pandemic. The introduction of e-learning added new dimensions to the traditional educational process. The aim of the study is to investigate the effectiveness of digital teacher-student interaction during e-learning. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 249 university lecturers from two medical universities. The obtained results outlined the shortcomings of online learning, such as the weakening of the teacher-student relationship, the presence of passive participation and weaker responsibility on the part of students in the conducted classes. Positive attitude towards e-learning was shared mainly by lecturers holding higher academic positions, such as 'associate professor' and 'professor', as well as those working in the theoretical educational units, compared to the pre-clinical and clinical departments. Effective interaction between teachers and students is an essential aspect of the quality of the educational process and remains a topical issue in the context of continuing distance learning in medical universities

Background and Objectives: The goal of this study is to assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL) using the EuroQoL (EQ-5D-5L) and identify factors that might contribute to it. Materials and Methods: This is a real-life, observational study involving 234 hypertensive patients from Sofia and Burgas, conducted between January 2024 and July 2024. Patients were interviewed during their regular outpatient examinations and completed the questionnaire independently. Results: In total, 141 out of 234 respondents reported a visual analog scale (VAS) score of 70, and 152 reported a utility score of 0.7. The average VAS scores for males and females were 77.5 and 77.0, respectively, and the utility scores were 0.848 and 0.768, respectively. With advancing age, patients’ quality of life (QoL) decreased from 0.879 to 0.652 utility. Respondents with higher levels of education had higher utility scores (0.848 for bachelor’s/master’s degrees vs. 0.542 for primary education). With an increase in the number of concomitant diseases and prescribed medications, the QoL decreased (0.848 vs. 0.623 and 0.848 vs. 0.736, respectively). Conclusions: This first study of HRQoL using EQ-5D-5L among Bulgarian hypertensive patients revealed relatively high average VAS and utility scores. These results suggest that the disease is under control and that patients are being successfully treated and monitored. Factors such as comorbidity, residence, education, disability, and disease duration significantly affected and worsened patients’ HRQoL.

Cutaneous larva migrans (CLM) is a zoonotic parasitic infection traditionally associated with tropical and subtropical regions. In recent years, autochthonous cases have been reported in various European countries, suggesting a possible change in the epidemiological profile of the disease. We present a case of a patient with no history of international travel who developed a typical serpiginous, migrating skin lesion after local exposure. The diagnosis was made clinically, and treatment with albendazole resulted in rapid clinical improvement. To our knowledge, this is the first published probable autochthonous case of CLM in Bulgaria. The case highlights the role of climate change in expanding the geographical scope of the parasitosis and the need for increased clinical vigilance at the primary care level.

This article presents a study on the level of anxiety regarding the spread of COVID-19 among social work professionals, their attitude towards vaccines, and the influence of certain demographic characteristics. Purpose: The main purpose of the study is to assess the levels of anxiety, attitudes toward vaccines, and trust in information sources among social work professionals in order to support the development of more effective strategies for enhancing support and protecting their mental health. Materials/Methods: An online survey was conducted with 316 social work professionals from several Bulgarian regions, and statistical analyses (SPSS) were applied to examine anxiety, vaccine attitudes, and demographic influences. Results: The analysis shows that most professionals experience high anxiety (61%) regarding COVID-19, exhibit mixed attitudes toward vaccines (41% positive, 46% hesitant), and demonstrate varying levels of trust in medical information, with demographic factors significantly affecting these variables. Conclusions: The obtained results provide grounds for recommendations that contribute to improving the public health of those working in helping professions.