Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the validity and reliability of the Serbian versions of the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) and the Study Burnout Inventory (SBI) among fifth-year medical students at 5 universities in Serbia. Material and Methods: The study included 573...

Background: Besides the well known good side of social media, it cannot be denied some of its negative effects. This two-phase study aimed to find out whether the usage of social media during the COVID-19 pandemic showed some significant association with depression and anxiety symptoms, and levels of stress.Methods: The study was based on the survey of 1,476 randomly selected students at the initial phase (December 2019 to February 2020), and 1,400 students of the same cohort at the follow up phase (December 2021–February 2022). The collected data included socio-demographics, social media usage aspects, and the ones concerning levels of depression, stress and anxiety symptoms. Standardized questionnaires – the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS) was applied to measure the levels of social media addiction, and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS 42) was administered to evaluate the symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress.Results: The comparison of responses regarding the six components of online social media addiction, which constitute the BSMAS, between the two phases of the study showed significant difference (p < 0.01) in favor of the follow up phase in the raised scores of all but one component. The probable severe or extremely severe symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress were notably enhanced during the peak of pandemic, and all three of them were positively correlated with all 6 BSMAS components (p < 0.01). The results also indicate that students, who consumed alcohol beverages and psychoactive substances more frequently in the pandemic, exhibited more noticeable symptoms of depression (p < 0.01, for both associations). Higher levels of anxiety symptoms in students were found to be associated with longer sleep during the night (p < 0.01), increased alcoholic beverages consumption (p < 0.01). Stress levels had the strongest correlations with consuming alcoholic beverages during the pandemic (r = 0.16, p < 0.01).Conclusion: The comparison between two phases of this follow-up study revealed significant changes in the Internet usage characteristics, which may have had an essential influence on the investigated symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. However, other factors that may have influenced student’s mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic should also be considered.

Problematic internet use (PIU) can be defined as internet use that is not well-controlled. The aim of this study was to examine the validity and reliability of the Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire Short Form (PIUQ-SF-6) among Serbian medical students and to examine the prevalence of students at risk of problematic internet use and social, lifestyle, and mental health characteristics associated with it. We conducted a cross-sectional study that included a total of 735 medical students (66.8% female and 33.2% male) attending classes in Social Medicine during the 2023/2024 school year. The instrument used was a questionnaire developed based on the questionnaires in similar studies. A total of 160 students (21.8%) were in the problematic internet use group, and 575 were in the non-problematic internet use group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis with PIU as the outcome variable showed an association between PIU and the Patient Health Questionnaire−9 score (OR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.03–1.16) and impulsivity (OR: 1.07, 95% CI: 1.05–1.10). The mental health of medical students, as future health professionals, should be promoted through tailored interventions that are widely accessible and long-lasting.

Like all other fields, quality - and recently, excellence - are goals that healthcare strives for. The World Health Organisation defines the concept of quality of care as the "the degree to which health services for individuals and populations increase the likelihood of desired health outcomes". Thus defined, healthcare quality means that the healthcare service provided should be effective and efficient, safe and patient-oriented, provided in a timely manner, just and integrated. Countries around the world have committed to achieving the goals of the "Health for All" strategy, thus accepting healthcare quality as both their obligation, and as their goal. The concept of healthcare quality in the Republic of Serbia was developed on the foundations of the previous system, characterised in a high level of socialized healthcare, available free of charge to all age and social groups, grounded in the principles that the World Health Organisation recognises as essential principles in its documents. Strong primary healthcare is the corner stone of this system. Years of war, accompanied by economic and political sanctions, have impacted all sectors in the Republic of Serbia, including the healthcare sector, which was quite shaken. In 2000, a new reform of the healthcare system was launched, and already in 2004 public health institutes began implementing activities aimed at improving the quality of healthcare and patient safety, as part of the program of the Ministry of Health entitled "Monitoring the quality of work in healthcare institutions in the Republic of Serbia" and in line with the "Instruction on monitoring the quality of work in healthcare institutions". Years of investments into healthcare capacities and human resources followed, together with the definition of a legislative framework for quality monitoring. The Ministry of Health and the Institute of Public Health of Serbia "Dr Milan Jovanović Batut", together with the network of public health institutes, have adopted a set of multisector, strategic and planning documents and coordinated program implementation at all levels of health care. Many activities were implemented, and according to the Euro Health Consumer Index (EHCI), from 2012 to 2018, the healthcare system in the Republic of Serbia has significantly improved its quality. In 2018, with regards to quality, Serbia was awarded the title of the climber of the year. COVID-19 pandemic put the Serbian healthcare system before new challenges, and requirements related to quality maintenance and improvement have become even more complex. In these circumstances, provision of high-quality healthcare on all levels remains a value we keep striving for, emphasizing the leverages of total healthcare quality management that will truly be oriented towards a satisfied patient.

To assess strengths and weaknesses of the methodology of health education programs, carried out in the period 2010-2020, in schools in Serbia. Qualitative study, a thematic analysis approach. SITE: Representatives of Public Health institutions, Serbian biggest nongovernmental organization, Youth organization, Ministry of education and municipality. Nine professionals working in the field of Public Health and Health education. Focus group gathered nine health and non-health professionals in 2022 year. Focus group was recorded, transcribed verbatim, coded and analyzed by three research team members. A coding template evolved through the analysis, providing the expansion of key concepts. Themes were, one by one, extracted, encoded, classified as the smallest units and interpretive, thematic analysis was applied. Although the Focus group in our study identified among other advantages, support of Health sector to Educational sector as crucial, it emphasized as well following weaknesses: Analyzed health education programs were implemented insufficiently as a separate process in schools, did not have the image of programs shared and integrated into community; Health education needs of schoolchildren, parents, and teachers should be examined prior the education implementation; Well-educated interdisciplinary educators have to be strengthened and supported; Parents participation is necessity; Standards and good practice guidelines are needed, and those developed through Health Promoting Schools program could be practiced. It is necessary to support cross-curricular competence, where health education should be integrated into all school subjects, and should go far beyond the school, grow into a culture of community life, which will interconnect all stakeholders in strong Public Health network.