Acta clinica Croatica, Vol. 55. No. 2., 2016.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.20471/acc.2016.55.02.02
Socio-cultural effects on mental health and common chronic diseases in primary care patients in East and West Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina: preliminary results
Ivan Vasilj
; School of Medicine, University of Mostar, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Marina Vasilj
; Mostar University Hospital, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Branka Aukst Margetić
orcid.org/0000-0002-7830-224X
; Department of Psychiatry, Zagreb University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia
Ivo Curić
; School of Medicine, University of Mostar, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Belma Sarić
; Mostar University Hospital, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bajro Sarić
; Safet Mujić Regional Medical Center, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Marko Martinac
; Mostar Primary Care Center, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Dragan Babić
; School of Medicine, University of Mostar, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Milenko Bevanda
; School of Medicine, University of Mostar, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Abstract
Since war activities, the previously mixed population of Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, live in segregated parts of the town based on ethnicity. The aim of this study was to examine differences in health risks and health status between populations of the two parts of the town. Health status of 300 randomly selected primary care patients was evaluated by practicing family physicians in two main primary care centers in West and East Mostar. Each group consisted of 150 patients. Data were collected between December 2013 and May 2014. Patients were evaluated for smoking habit, alcohol consumption, body mass index, blood pressure and laboratory measurement of fasting glycemia. Family physicians provided diagnosis of chronic noninfectious diseases (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, malignant disease, depression, and alcoholism). The two groups differed according to age, income, employment status, and rate of alcoholism and hypertension. Alcoholism (OR= 4.105; 95% CI 2.012-8.374) and hypertension (OR=1.972; 95% CI 1.253-3.976) were associated with inhabitants of West Mostar, adjusted for age, employment and income status on
logistic regression. In conclusion, ethnic differences between inhabitants of the two parts of the town might influence health outcomes. These are preliminary data and additional studies with larger samples and more specific questions considering nutrition and cultural issues are needed to detect the potential differences between the groups.
Keywords
Health; Social determinants of health; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Cultural diversity; Alcoholism; Hypertension
Hrčak ID:
164767
URI
Publication date:
1.6.2016.
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