[Anxiety and depression in elderly - prevalence and association with health care].

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of anxiety and depression in the elderly inhabiting Koprivnica-Kri evci, Istria and Dubrovnik-Neretva Counties and their association with socio-demographic characteristics and healthcare utilisation.

Methods: A cross-sectional cluster survey carried out in 2006, encompassing a total of 1,469 examinees aged 70+. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) Scale was used to screen for self-reported symptoms of anxiety and depression, which were further associated with socio-demographic characteristics and healthcare utilisation.

Association of early menarche age and overweight/obesity.

Aim: The aim of the study is to assess the association of overweight/obesity and early menarcheal age.

Patients And Methods: The study comprised 2127 healthy girls aged 9 to 16 years. Menarcheal age was estimated by status quo method.

Assessing psychosocial factors in depressed patients--accordance of patient's and physician's assessment.

Aim of this study was to investigate the differences in the assessment of psychosocial factors by depressed and non depressed patients, and their congruence with physicians' assessment for both groups. The cross-sectional study was conducted in three family physicians' practices in Zagreb, Croatia, during 2007. Sample of depressed patients included 76 patients out of 85, and randomized comparison group of 189 out of 235.

Comparison of depression treatment among different age groups in primary care setting.

Background: The aim of this study was to explore the association between age and care of patients with depression in primary care setting. A comparison was made among the groups of elderly patients, middle aged patients and younger patients with diagnosis of depressive episode (F32).

Subjects And Methods: Patients (17.

Unaided general practitioners' clinical diagnosis in evaluation of depressive patients: a pilot study.

Background: In this study we wished to determine the diagnostic accuracy of unaided general practitioners' (GPs') clinical diagnosis in the evaluation of depression in depressed patients under their care compared with the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II).

Subjects And Methods: From 17,000 patients in 10 GPs' offices as representative sample in the city of Zagreb, 5100 patients from three GPs' offices were selected. The sample consisted of 53 out of 76 depressed patients with a diagnosis of Depressive episode (F32) or Recurrent depressive disorder (F33) classified according to ICD-10 and assessed by review of the GP's standardized medical records.

Late life depression: challenge or curse for the general practitioner (GP). A cohort study.

The aim of this study was to examine specificity of GP's care for elderly depressed patients. Among 17,000 examinees (10 GP-Offices) were extracted 231 patients with diagnosis of depressive episode (F32) and 152 with diagnosis of recurrent depressive disorder (F33) classified according to ICD-10. Older than 65 years were 134 depressed patients.

Depression prevalence and estimation of psychosocial parameters within adult population in city of Zagreb.

Background: There is no data on depression prevalence in Croatia. The aim of this study was to establish the prevalence and psychosocial risk factors of depression in the adult population of the Croatian capital Zagreb, particularly in patients suffering from Depressive episode (F32) and Recurrent depressive disorder (F33).

Subjects And Methods: A cross-sectional study was preformed on a representative sample for city of Zagreb drawn from 10 family physicians' offices with 17290 patients.

Treatment of hypertension by general practitioners and antihypertensive drugs expenditure in an urban environment.

Aim of our study was to determine the treatment habits of hypertension by general practitioners (GPs) as well as the monthly costs of prescribed antihypertensive drugs and their share in the total prescription drug expenditure approved by the Croatian Institute for Health Insurance (CIHI), the compulsory health insurance system. The study was performed in six GPs offices in Zagreb, serving 8,866 patients, in December 2005. The monthly costs of antihypertensive drugs prescribed by the GPs was obtained by summarizing the prices of all antihypertensive drugs prescribed in one month and then comparing the sum with total monthly prescription drug expenditure approved by the CIHI.

Prescribing antibiotics to preschool children in primary health care in Croatia.

The use of antibiotics depends on cultural and socioeconomic factors, physician's characteristics as well as on microbiological considerations. Aim of our study was to asses antibiotic prescription among preschool children in primary health care in Croatia in relation to socioeconomic factors, symptoms and diagnoses, and type of health care provider. Retrospective longitudinal survey was conducted in 7 teaching primary health care offices in the Croatian capital of Zagreb during 2004, among 1700 preschool children.

Preschool children as frequent attenders in primary health care in Croatia: retrospective study.

Aim: To define predictive factors for frequent attenders among preschool children in primary health care and investigate the association between socioeconomic factors and medical factors, as well as the reasons for child's appointment in the physician's office.

Methods: This retrospective study was conducted in 7 primary health care offices (6 family physician practices and 1 pediatric practice) in Zagreb, Croatia. The study included 964 preschool children from 1-6 years who visited these practices during 2005.

Information systems and the electronic health record in primary health care.

The implementation of information systems into primary health care opened the possibilities of providing integrated and co-ordinated health care, improved in quality and focused on the healthcare user. The healthcare system, researchers, physicians, and patients have recognised the benefits offered by informatics, but also raised questions that have yet to be answered.

[Metabolic syndrome in family medicine].

Aim: To investigate the possibilities of diagnosing metabolic syndrome (MS) based on the data collected from patient records at the level of family health care, and to assess possible sex differences in MS prevalence as well as differences between individuals with and without MS.

Subjects And Methods: Data on age, sex, body mass index (BMI), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and laboratory findings (blood sugar, triglycerides, total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol) were collected during a one-year period (June 2004 - June 2005) from standardized existing records of all patients covered by three general practitioners in Zagreb. MS was defined according to WHO criteria.

["Training cum research" an obligatory form of continuing medical education in Croatia].

Family medicine as a discipline is more than other specialties oriented to holistic approach to patient. The physician has to know and use the possibilities of clinical, first of all somatic but also psychosociological medicine, and to continuously evaluate and follow-up results of his/her own work. The aim of the article is to present differences in clinical judgment before and after postgraduate study in family medicine.

[Health care professionals--attitudes towards their own health].

Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate differences in health behavior and life habits between physicians and medical nurses as related to their own health.

Examinees And Methods: Study subjects were health professionals from various parts of Croatia attending a scientific meeting, who filled out a special questionnaire (36 males and 178 females). They were divided into two groups according to education and work performed: physicians (n = 125) and medical nurses (n = 89).

[Skin diseases as a reason for frequent preschool children, primary health care attendance].

Unlabelled: Childhood morbidity has changed. Western children more often present with skin problems than with respiratory problems. A significant percentage of the workload of a general practitioner is dermatologic.

[Ten years after "privatization" in primary health care].

Ten years after the privatization in primary health care its disadvantages have been noticed making it less quality and consequently increasing the costs of total health care of the patient. Current organization makes family practitioners inaccessible to the patient during a part of the day. Emergency health care and hospital emergency services are ever more burdened with the work that should be done by family practitioners, thus becoming hardly accessible in emergencies.

Family physicians' views on disclosure of a diagnosis of cancer and care of terminally ill patients in Croatia.

Introduction: Family physicians have a crucial role in communication and palliative care for terminally ill patients.

Aims: To examine family physicians' views about the disclosure of the diagnosis and information about cancer to their patients and to their families; to establish the most appropriate person to deliver the diagnosis of cancer to the patient; to examine whether family physicians cooperate with palliative care associations, and to assess their opinions about euthanasia and emotional support to dying patients.

Subjects And Methods: One hundred and thirty four family physicians participated in the study.

Sensibility to the unconscious (Balint approach).

The physician-patient relationship is recognized as having an essential role in the process of medical care, providing the context in which caring and healing can occur. Good patient-doctor relationship goes far deeper than the behaviour of physicians, particularly those behaviours recognized in popular culture as acting in a professional manner, being respectful of the patients' circumstances and bedside manner. The therapeutic relationship is a relationship between two persons--on one side is the patient who is psychologically modified in his illness, in regression, with resistance mechanisms, defences, fears and need for gratification, care and also for secondary profit.

[Balint group--aid to general practitioner].

Professional education of general practitioner is mainly focused on biomedical aspects of treating somatic diseases, while psychological components of somatic diseases, as well as doctor-patient relationship, are generally neglected. General practitioner is in healing process daily exposed to considerable frustrations in relationships with patients. Some frustrations stem from unrecognized and neglected psychological and emotional aspects of somatic diseases which manifest in the doctor-patient relationship.

Education about pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy of anxiety among primary care physicians in Croatia: Balint group approach.

Aim: Balint groups help general practitioners to be sensitive to the psychological needs of anxiety patients and cope with their stress and mental health. We evaluated knowledge about pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy of anxiety among Croatian primary care physicians before and after a course based on Balint group methodology.

Methods: There were 111 primary care physicians (general practitioners and specialists in general practice) who attended the Balint course as a part of their continuous education during 2003.

[Scientific and research projects of the Department of Family Medicine--contribution to the identity of general practice/family medicine as a scientific discipline].

The main task of an academic department of any medical discipline is an integrated development and improvement of professional, scientific and educational activities. The proces of formulation, establishment and recognition of general practice/family medicine as an academic discipline in Croatia started with postgraduate education and vocational training in 1960 at the Andrija Stampar School of Public Health. In 1980 Department of Family Medicine of the Medical School, University of Zagreb was officially established.