Beyond the Preventive Measures: A Delphi Method-Based Study of the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Mental Health of Different Age Groups.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) preventive measures affected various aspects of people's lives, while also representing an important risk factor for people's mental health. In the present study, we examined the negative psychological consequences of the preventive measures on people's mental health and the protective factors that strengthened their mental health and well-being during the pandemic. A study, using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods based on a Delphi protocol, was conducted with a sample of Slovenian professionals who worked with people from different demographic groups (i.

Roadmap to improve the organized cancer screening programs - The case of colorectal cancer screening in Montenegro.

Background: Implementation of organized cancer screening programs comes with many challenges and barriers, which may inhibit the achievement of the screening activities' desired benefits. In this paper we outline a plan for improving the colorectal cancer (CRC) screening system in Montenegro.

Methods: We formulated a roadmap, which was generally defined as a country-specific strategic plan to improve cancer screening programs.

Evaluation of an Early Individualized Integrated Rehabilitation Program versus Standard Rehabilitation Program for Smoking Cessation in 115 Smokers Among 467 Female Breast Cancer Patients 2019-2021 in Slovenia.

BACKGROUND Cigarette smoking affects cancer risk and cardiovascular risk. Smoking cessation is very beneficial for health. This study aimed to evaluate an early individualized integrated rehabilitation program and standard rehabilitation program for smoking cessation in breast cancer patients.

Engaging European society at the forefront of cancer research and care: How discussions at the 5 Gago Conference on European Science policy led to the Heidelberg Manifesto.

European cancer research stakeholders met in October 2022 in Heidelberg, Germany, at the 5 Gago conference on European Cancer Policy, to discuss the current cancer research and cancer care policy landscape in Europe. Meeting participants highlighted gaps in the existing European programmes focusing on cancer research, including Europe's Beating Cancer Plan (EBCP), the Mission on Cancer (MoC), Understanding Cancer (UNCAN.eu), and the joint action CRANE, and put forward the next priorities, in the form of the Heidelberg Manifesto for cancer research.

Work like a Doc: A comparison of regulations on residents' working hours in 14 high-income countries.

Background: Medical residents work long, continuous hours. Working in conditions of extreme fatigue has adverse effects on the quality and safety of care, and on residents' quality of life. Many countries have attempted to regulate residents' work hours.

Priority setting and cross-country learning: the relevance of TO-REACH for primary care.

Aim: To inform the primary care community about priorities for research in primary care as came up from the European project TO-REACH and to discuss transferability of service and policy innovations between countries.

Background: TO-REACH stands for ransfer of rganizational innovations for esilient, ffective, equitable, ccessible, sustainable and omprehensive ealth services and systems. This EU-funded project has put health systems and services research higher on the European agenda and has led to the current development of a European 'Partnership Transforming Health and Care Systems'.

Slovenia: Health System Review.

This analysis of the Slovene health system reviews recent developments in organization and governance, health financing, health care provision, health reforms and health system performance. Slovenia has a statutory health insurance system with a single public insurer, providing almost universal coverage for a broad benefits package, though some services require relatively high levels of co-insurance (called co-payments in Slovenia). To cover these costs, about 95% of the population liable for cost-sharing purchases complementary, voluntary health insurance.

Quality management in (prostate) cancer care: what do European cancer control plans tell us?

Introduction And Purpose: National cancer control plans cf. programmes (NCCPs) are policy instruments to structure, map and organise comprehensive cancer policies in a country or its region. One of their important objectives is improvement of quality in cancer care and control.

Slovenia: Health System Review.

This analysis of the Slovene health system reviews recent developments in organization and governance, health financing, health care provision, health reforms and health system performance. The health of the population has improved over the last few decades. While life expectancy for both men and women is similar to EU averages, morbidity and mortality data show persistent disparities between regions, and mortality from external causes is particularly high.

The long-term effects of restrictive interventions on consumption and costs of antibiotics.

In the last decade, Slovenia introduced restrictive measures for some antibiotic classes in ambulatory care as well as regulatory interventions to reduce costs. The aim of this study was to analyse the effects of these interventions on consumption and costs of antibiotics in ambulatory care. Consumption data were expressed in defined daily doses/1000 inhabitants per day (DID), number of packages/1000 inhabitants per day and number of prescriptions/1000 inhabitants per year.

Policy statement on multidisciplinary cancer care.

Background: Cancer care is undergoing an important paradigm shift from a disease-focused management to a patient-centred approach, in which increasingly more attention is paid to psychosocial aspects, quality of life, patients' rights and empowerment and survivorship. In this context, multidisciplinary teams emerge as a practical necessity for optimal coordination among health professionals and clear communication with patients. The European Partnership for Action Against Cancer (EPAAC), an initiative launched by the European Commission in 2009, addressed the multidisciplinary care from a policy perspective in order to define the core elements that all tumour-based multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) should include.

Time trends in prescribing habits of anxiolytics and antidepressants in Slovenian family practices (with emphasis on elderly patients).

The aim of the study was to investigate prescription of anxiolytics and antidepressants among Slovenian family physicians regarding drug class with an emphasis on the elderly population and possible time-trends. Exploratory survey and register-based analysis of anxiolytic and antidepressant prescriptions of one hundred family physicians in Slovenia was performed in 2005 and 2008. Drugs included in the study were classified according to the Anatomical-Therapeutic-Chemical (ATC) drug classification system, and ATC data were used to calculate defined daily doses (DDD) per 1,000 practice population per day.

Low coverage and predictors of vaccination uptake against tick-borne encephalitis in Slovenia.

Background: Although vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) was introduced in 1986, Slovenia remains one of the countries with the highest reported incidence rates. For exposed occupationally or during education/training, vaccination is reimbursed by employer or within mandatory health insurance, while others have to pay. Our aim was to obtain the first national estimate of self-reported uptake of vaccination against TBE in a probability sample of the general population aged ≥15 years and identify predictors of self-paid vaccination uptake.

Tick-borne encephalitis after vaccination: vaccine failure or misdiagnosis.

The aim of the paper is to present the results of the investigation of a series of four cases of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) reported from Gorenjska region in Slovenia in 2008 despite vaccination against TBE, propose surveillance case definition for TBE and classification criteria for TBE vaccine failure cases, to discuss challenges in the interpretation of TBE serology results in previously vaccinated patients and propose ascertainment procedures for vaccine failure cases. Establishing surveillance of vaccine failure cases on national and European level is essential for monitoring and evaluating the impact of immunization, evaluation of vaccine effectiveness and early warning for the need to change the vaccination schedule recommendations.

Spotlight on measles 2010: a cluster of measles in a hospital setting in Slovenia, March 2010.

After ten years of being measles free, Slovenia experienced a cluster with secondary transmission in a hospital setting in March 2010. The index case, a resident of Ireland, was hospitalised on the day after his arrival to Slovenia and diagnosed with measles two days later. After his discharge, two cases of measles were notified, a hospital staff member and a visitor to the clinic, suggesting transmission in a hospital setting.