[Informed consent with special emphasis on Croatia].

Respecting the informed consent and its implementation is one of the fundamental components of high-quality health care. This article discusses the informed consent with an overview of Croatian and international legal documents and scientific studies dealing with this issue. Based on the review of the literature it can be concluded that this is an important issue that contains several key components that should be observed and investigated.

[Ethics of scientific research using patients' archived biological material and their medical data].

Informed consent represents the standard for adequate protection of all participants in biomedical research. This standard is affirmed in international legal documents concerning biomedical research, as well as in Croatian legislation. However, some questions regarding informed consent remain open.

Association of social roles, health, and health behavior of elderly women in Croatia.

Aim: To explore the association between the social role and objective and subjective health measures and use of health care services in the population of women older than 65 years in Croatia.

Methods: We used the data from the 2003 Croatian Adult Health Survey (Short Form 36 Health Survey). Two sub-populations, retired women and housewives aged over 65 years, were analyzed and compared according to anthropometric measures, health self-assessment, utilization of health care services, and socioeconomic status.

Citizens' views on health insurance in Croatia.

Aim: To examine the citizens' attitudes toward health insurance and its reform in Croatia, and their views on private payments for health care services.

Method: In 1999 and 2000, we surveyed 500 randomly selected adults from all regions of Croatia, aged 40 years and over. The questionnaire included questions on social health insurance, private payments for health care, and background information.

Involuntary hospitalisation and the rights of mental patients in recent Croatian legislation.

This paper presents and critically analyses the provisions of the Croatian Act of 1998 on the Protection of Persons with a Mental Illness relating to involuntary hospitalisation and the rights of psychiatric patients. This analysis also encompasses the amendments and supplements of 1999. The paper identifies the problems that have arisen in the application of this Act and discusses the causes of these problems.