Objective. The aim of this study was to determine whether resilience among healthcare workers can be predicted based on perceived social and organizational support. Methods. The study was designed as a non-experimental, observational cross-sectional study and was conducted in 2025, with participants recruited online. The sample was convenient and consisted of a total of 162 healthcare workers employed in the public healthcare sector of the Republic of Serbia, including 45 physicians (27.8%) and 117 nurses/technicians (72.2%). Participants' ages ranged from 21 to 59 years, with a mean age of 40.69 (SD = 9.53). The instruments used were the Brief Resilience Scale, the Perceived Organizational Support Scale, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Results. The results of resilience prediction showed that the first model, which included sociodemographic variables as predictors, was not statistically significant (R = 0.231; R² = 0.053; F(6, 155) = 1.45; p = 0.199). However, the second model, which included perceived organizational and social support as predictors, was statistically significant (R = 0.478; R² = 0.228; F(10, 151) = 4.46; p < 0.001). Within the second model, gender (β = -0.17), organizational support (β = 0.21), and support from friends (β = 0.35) made significant partial contributions to the prediction. Conclusion. The findings have important practical implications for improving mental health and professional functioning of healthcare workers. The results highlight the need for healthcare institutions to systematically recognize and foster the development of social support networks among employees, as well as the importance of enhancing organizational support, both through material and non-material resources.
Objective. In recent years, interest in the collection and preservation of umbilical cord blood stem cells has increased substantially, owing to their therapeutic potential in a range of medical conditions. As highly accessible healthcare professionals, primary care pharmacists are frequently consulted on diverse medical issues. Consequently, it is imperative that they possess comprehensive knowledge, including a thorough understanding of stem cell applications and engage in ongoing professional development. This study aimed to assess the awareness, attitudes, and opinions of licensed pharmacists working in primary healthcare regarding the medical use of stem cells. Methods. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using anonymous questionnaires (Stem-KAAQ instrument) and was distributed to pharmacists (n=248) in primary healthcare settings across the Central part of Serbia. Data were collected from July 1 to August 1, 2022, and analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics and MS Excel. Inclusion criteria encompassed current employment as a primary healthcare pharmacist in Serbia and voluntary informed consent to participate in the study. Results. The study involved 248 participants employed at the primary healthcare level with the mean age of 29.61±2.23 and most of them were women (82.3%). The most of them, 154 (62.1%) had never heard of the stem cell donor registry, while 94 (37.9%) were informed about its existence, which indicates poor awareness of healthcare professionals in general about stem cell donor registries; 216 (87.1%) of the respondents claimed that embryonic stem cells are capable of differentiating into any type of cell in the body, including the placenta. 86.3% of the respondents considered that cord blood stem cells are the same as embryonic stem cells, while 13.7% of them considered this statement to be incorrect. Also, 89.1% of the respondents believed that the collection of cord blood stem cells could not cause pain and possible harmful risks for the newborn and the mother. Interestingly, the knowledge related to the stem cell donor registry was significantly higher in employees from private sector. Conclusion. The analysis revealed no statistically significant differences in awareness, attitudes, or opinions between pharmacists working in public and private sectors, except for a significant difference regarding knowledge of the existence of a stem cell donor registry (p<0.05). The findings indicate that pharmacists in both the public and private primary care sectors possess different levels of knowledge and share similar attitudes toward stem cell applications, with the promiment awereness of the pharmacists employed in the private sector. The study highlights the critical importance of continuous education and training for pharmacists in the evolving field of regenerative medicine.
Objective. Hyperthyroidism represents a significant endocrine disorder, with the most common causes being Graves' disease (GD), toxic multinodular goiter (TMNG), and toxic adenoma (TA). Surgical treatment has an important place in the therapeutic algorithm, particularly in situations where medical therapy or radioactive iodine treatment is contraindicated or ineffective. To present the experience of the Department of Endocrine Surgery of the University Clinical Center Kragujevac in the surgical treatment of hyperthyroidism during the period 2018-2024. Methods. A retrospective analysis was conducted of 188 patients operated on for hyperthyroidism, out of a total of 480 patients who underwent surgery for thyroid diseases over a six-year period. The analyzed parameters included diagnosis type, type of surgical procedure, demographic data, incidence of carcinoma on definitive histopathological findings, and postoperative complications. Results. Among the 188 operated patients, 62 had GD, 65 had TMNG, and 61 had TA. In patients with GD, total thyroidectomy was performed in 55 cases and near-total thyroidectomy in 7 cases. In the TMNG group, total thyroidectomy was performed in 60 patients and near-total thyroidectomy in 5 patients. In all 61 patients with TA, lobectomy was performed. The mean age was 48.6 years for GD, 58.3 years for TMNG, and 46.5 years for TA. The female-to-male ratio was 5:1 in GD, 4:1 in TMNG, and 4:1 in TA. Thyroid micropapillary carcinoma was detected in 1 patient with GD, 5 patients with TMNG, and 2 patients with TA. Complications included seroma in 8 patients, hematoma in 4 patients, permanent recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis in 2 patients, transient recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis in 5 patients, and transient hypocalcemia in 14 patients. Conclusion. Surgical treatment of hyperthyroidism in our center has demonstrated favorable outcomes with a low rate of serious complications. The results are consistent with contemporary literature and confirm that surgery remains an important therapeutic option in appropriately selected indications.
Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by an ineffective host response to infection. Some of the most prevalent disorders in sepsis are hemostatic disorders. Sepsis often develops a state of impaired anticoagulant activity and fibrinolysis suppression, called sepsis-induced coagulopathy. Damage to the fibrinolytic system has increasingly been considered a key factor in sepsis-induced coagulopathy. Impaired fibrinolysis in sepsis can contribute to undesirable outcomes such as microvascular thrombosis, organ dysfunction, and increased mortality. Given that one of the postulates related to sepsis is that prompt diagnosis and quick care are necessary, it would be of great importance to diagnose various forms of coagulopathies in sepsis at the beginning of their occurrence, for an adequate therapeutic approach. In this sense, easily accessible, routine diagnostic tests are necessary. Conventional laboratory tests for coagulopathies so far fail to fully define sepsis-induced coagulopathy. Particularly challenging is the testing of hypofibrinolysis in routine practice. The objectives of our study were to review the available scientific literature to investigate the relationship between inflammation and coagulation in sepsis, fibrinolysis disorders in sepsis-induced coagulopathy, to determine the importance of early recognition of these disorders in sepsis, and to investigate the available laboratory markers of fibrinolysis and coagulopathies.
Objective. The aim of this study was to assess oral hygiene habits, as well as awareness and knowledge among undergraduate students at a Faculty of Medicine in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Methods. This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Faculty of Medicine in Foča and included 333 students across three study programs: Medicine (M), Nursing (N), and Special Education and Rehabilitation (SER). The questionnaire was used to obtain demographic information, as well as data on oral hygiene habits and knowledge of oral health. Results. The largest proportion of students (56.2%) brush their teeth twice daily. A higher percentage of N and SER students brush their teeth longer than M students (p=0.004). Students most often replace their toothbrushes every 3 months or sooner (76.3%); 58.9% regularly visit a dentist; and 61% report no oral health problems. Only 14.4% of students believe that dental plaque dysbiosis is the cause of caries, while more than half of the students (53.5%) do not know the impact of dental plaque. Additionally, more than one-third of students (35.7%) are unaware of preventive measures for oral disease. A greater number of M and N students than SER students reported that oral health is related to cardiovascular disease (p=0.002), and more M students reported that it is related to cancer compared to SER students (p=0.032). Conclusion. The results of this study indicate limited knowledge of oral health among students across all three study programs, underscoring the need to improve oral health education for health sciences students.
