The Role of PTSD in Perception of Health-Related Quality of Life and Social Support among Croatian War Veterans.

Background: Different studies clearly show that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is important factor in a reduction of the overall quality of life. PTSD remains a substantial problem in Croatia, nearly three decades after the beginning of the Croatian Homeland war. In this paper, we present results of our original research about impact of PTSD on the self-perceived health-related quality of life and social support in Croatian Homeland war veterans.

Perception of communication between doctors and patients - On-line research among doctors in Croatia.

Background: Different studies clearly show that doctor-patient relationship and communication are extremely important. They have a big influence on the outcome of medical treatment, but also on the cooperability, quality of life, safety of patients, teamwork, cultural sensitivity and fewer complaints to the doctor+s work. In this paper, we present results of our original research about attitudes of doctors and their perception related to the importance of communication between doctors and patients and person-centered approach.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine Treatments for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Introduction: The objective was to evaluate efficacy/safety of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) methods for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) based on randomized controlled trials in adults.

Methods: Data sources. Six electronic databases ("generalized anxiety (disorder)" and "randomized trial") and reference lists of identified publications were searched to March 2017.

Psychosocial Determinants of Satisfaction with Hospital Care in Adult Patients Suffering from Advanced Cancer.

In this observational study, direct and indirect (moderator and mediator) relationships between sociodemographic (age, gender, life partner, education level, income and length of treatment) and psychological (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS) variables and satisfaction with hospital care (EORTC INPATSAT32) in adult (advanced cancer) patients were investigated. Study sample consisted of 75 hospitalized advanced cancer patients recruited at the Zagreb University Hospital Centre and Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Centre in 2015. Statistically significant negative correlations were found between HADS and elementary school education level, as well as with all satisfaction variables (satisfaction with physicians, nurses and organization).

Factor structure and cut-off scores of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HADS) in a Croatian sample of adult patients suffering from advanced cancer.

Background: Patients with cancer should be systematically screened for psychological problems at key points in their pathway. Usage of self-report scales for measuring anxiety and depression (such as Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HADS)) is a very practical methodfor detecting anxiety and depression. The aim of this research was to determine latent structure, reliability and cut-off scores of HADSin a Croatian sample of adult patients suffering from advanced metastatic cancer.

Is experimentally induced pain associated with socioeconomic status? Do poor people hurt more?

Background: The association of pain and socioeconomic status is widely reported, yet much less clearly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of experimentally induced pain threshold and tolerance with socioeconomic status.

Material/methods: The study sample consisted of 319 adult subjects from the population of the island of Vis, Croatia, which was previously shown to have a high level of social homogeneity.

Person-centered pain management - science and art.

We are witnessing an unprecedented development of the medical science, which promises to revolutionize health care and improve patients' health outcomes. However, the core of the medical profession has always been and will be the relationship between the doctor and the patient, and communication is the most widely used clinical skill in medical practice. When we talk about different forms of communication in medicine, we must never forget the importance of communication through art.

Psychiatrists' empathy, beliefs and attitudes towards veterans suffering from combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder.

Background: Empathy is a powerful and necessary skill for understanding another person's subjective experience. In this study we wanted to explore psychiatrists' attitudes towards PTSD, general empathy, possible differences related to age, sex and regional location in Croatia.

Subjects And Methods: 205 psychiatrists from different Croatian regions participated in this study.

Person-centered medical interview.

We are witnessing an unprecedented development of medical science and personalized medicine. However, technological superiority must not make us lose sight of the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual totality of the patient. The core of the medical profession has always been and will be the relationship between the health professional and the person seeking assistance.

Self-perceived social support in Croatian war veterans suffering from combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder -- what should not have happened.

The goal of this study was to evaluate the association between self-perceived social support and chronic combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The study included 262 male war veterans suffering from chronic PTSD. Their diagnosis was confirmed according to DSM-IV-TR.

Life satisfaction in persons of the third age after retirement.

The aim of this research was to determine the role of gender, type of residence, living arrangement, self-rated health status, loneliness, and sense of humor in self-reported life satisfaction in elderly retirees. The study included 300 elderly retirees from Zagreb, Croatia. Demographic data were collected with a structured questionnaire, whereas data on self-reported health status, loneliness, and sense of humor were collected with the UCLA Loneliness Scale, Life Satisfaction Index, HOPA-86, and SF-36 Health Survey.

Person-centered medicine versus personalized medicine: is it just a sophism? A view from chronic pain management.

The main aim of this brief overview is to explore the concepts of person-centered medicine and personalized medicine in the areas of chronic pain research and management. Through several definitions and paradigms of pain, the authors introduce the complexity of pain phenomenology in order to establish the challenge of person-centered and personalized medicine in everyday practice. By providing deeper insight into fibromyalgia, its presentation, biology and treatment, several questions are addressed, ranging from person-centered diagnosis to personalizing the various processes of the fibromyalgia spectrum complex.

Quality of life in Croatian Homeland war (1991-1995) veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and chronic pain.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the quality of life in Croatian homeland war veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and chronic low back pain (LBP).

Methods: A total of 369 participants were included, classified in four study groups: those with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD; N = 59), those with both PTSD and lower back pain (PTSD+LBP; N = 80), those with isolated LBP (N = 95) and controls (N = 135). WHOQOL-BREF survey was used in the estimation of quality of life.

Anxiety and depression in pregnant women with previous history of spontaneous abortion.

Spontaneous abortion is the most common adverse pregnancy outcome, and stress has been suggested to be important factor. We hypothesized that those female pregnant women with previous spontaneous abortion will have higher anxiety and depression than female pregnant women without previous spontaneous abortion and controls (healthy non-pregnant women). Age and socio-demographic parameters did not differ significantly between the three groups of participants.

Correlation of cognitive functions with some aspects of illness, treatment and social functioning in recurrently hospitalized schizophrenic patients.

Cognitive deficits are found to be contributors to poorer psychosocial functioning, rehabilitation outcome and lack of treatment success in schizophrenia. Aim of the study was to examine correlation of cognitive functions with some aspects of illness, treatment and social functioning in a group of recurrently hospitalized schizophrenic patients (N=60). Deficient results on psychomotor processing speed, verbal fluency and verbal learning correlated with the longer duration of illness, higher number of hospitalizations and shorter duration of regular antipsychotic treatment.