Gordana Pavleković

The use and exchange of teaching modules published in the series of handbooks prepared within the frame of the „forum for public health in south-eastern Europe“ network

Abstract Aim: Throughout 2004-2010, the series of 6 books entitled “Handbooks for Teachers, Researchers and Health Professionals” were published within the frame of the public health network established in South Eastern Europe (SEE), covering the total of 249 teaching modules. The aim of the study was to assess the use and exchange of these modules between the authors. Methods: Out of 148 identified authors, 106 took part in the cross-sectional study carried out from July to November 2011 (response rate: 71.6%). The primary endpoints were the utilization (use and/or exchange) of the modules in general, the percentage of utilized modules from all volumes, the percentages of utilized modules of each volume separately, and the percentage of utilized modules from all the volumes at different levels of the educational process. Non-parametric statistical methods were used for analysis (e.g. Mann-Whitney and Friedman tests). Results: Module utilization was reported by 80/106 participants (75.5%). The median value of the percentage of utilized modules from all the volumes was 4.8, being much higher among full-time university staff (9.2; p=0.008) and authors/editors (14.7; p=0.010). The respondents most frequently utilized Volume 1 (median value: 7.7) and Volume 6 (median value: 4.2) modules (p=0.002) as part of undergraduate (median value: 1.4) and postgraduate vocational (median value: 1.4) study programmes (p<0.001). Conclusion: The level of module utilization within the group of their authors is good. However, this is only partial information and not representative of the entire target population of SEE public health teachers. Izvleček Namen: V okviru javnozdravstvene mreže za jugovzhodno Evropo (JVE) je bila v obdobju 2004-2010 objavljena serija šestih knjig z naslovom Priročniki za učitelje, raziskovalce in zdravstvene delavce. Skupno je bilo objavljenih 249 učnih modulov. Namen študije je bil oceniti uporabo in izmenjavo modulov med avtorji. Metode: V presečni raziskavi, ki je bila izvedena v obdobju julij-november 2011, je sodelovalo 106 od 148 vabljenih avtorjev (71,6-odstotna odzivnost). Glavni opazovani pojavi so bili: uporaba/izmenjava modulov na splošno, odstotek uporabljanih/izmenjanih modulov iz vseh knjig, odstotek uporabljanih/izmenjanih modulov za vsako knjigo posebej in odstotek uporabljanih/izmenjanih modulov iz vseh knjig na različnih stopnjah izobraževalnega procesa. Za analizo smo uporabili neparametrične statistične metode (Mann Whitney in Friedmanov test). Rezultati: 80/106 udeležencev (75,5 %) je poročalo, da uporabljajo/izmenjujejo module. Med njimi je bila mediana odstotka uporabljanih/izmenjanih modulov iz vseh knjig 4,8. Le-ta je bila precej višja med polno zaposlenim univerzitetnim osebjem (9,2: p = 0,008) in avtorji/uredniki (14,7; p = 0,010). Ti anketiranci najpogosteje uporabljajo/izmenjujejo module prve (mediana: 7,7) in šeste knjige (mediana: 4,2) (p = 0,002). Najpogosteje jih uporabljajo na dodiplomskih (mediana: 1,4) in podiplomskih strokovnih študijskih programih (mediana: 1,4) (p < 0,001). Zaključki: Uporaba modulov v skupini njihovih avtorjev je dobra, vendar pa je to le delna informacija o uporabi modulov v ciljni populaciji učiteljev javnega zdravja v JVE.

A time-trend analysis of intended career choice for family medicine among croatian medical students

Abstract Aim: To gain insight into the trend of career choice for family medicine in Croatia in recent years. Methods: Six surveys were performed in the academic years 2006/07-2011/12 at the University of Zagreb, School of Medicine. Altogether, 1140 6th year students participated. They anonymously completed a questionnaire containing questions on desired future specialisation as well as other selected characteristics (e.g. gender, desired area and place of work, motivation to study medicine, etc.). Binary logistic regression was used to determine unadjusted and adjusted trends. Results: After adjustment for selected factors, the relationship between observed outcome and the year of observation showed an evident decreasing trend. The odds for intention to specialise in family medicine were in the academic year 2006/2007 1.43-times higher than in the year 2007/2008 (p=0.412), 1.85-times higher than in the year 2008/2009 (p=0.168), 2.38-times higher than in the year 2009/2010 (p=0.051), 2.63-times higher than in the year 2010/2011 (p=0.027) and 3.85-times higher than in the year 2011/2012 (p=0.003). Conclusions: The results of the present study offer evidence that Croatia is experiencing a constantly decreasing trend of career choice for family medicine in recent years. It is obvious that final year medical students are not very much interested in working as family practitioners. At the same time, demand for family practitioners in Croatia is increasing. Both academic and professional societies have a social responsibility to reorient the health care system and medical curricula towards comprehensive primary health care in which family medicine has a key role. Izvleček Izhodišče: Pridobitev vpogleda v trend izbire poklica zdravnik specialist družinske medicine na Hrvaškem v zadnjih letih. Metode: V študijskih letih 2006/7-2011/12 je bilo na Medicinski fakulteti Univerze v Zagrebu opravljenih šest raziskav, v katerih je skupaj sodelovalo 1.140 študentov 6. letnika. Ti so anonimno izpolnili vprašalnik z vprašanji o želeni prihodnji specializaciji in drugih izbranih karakteristikah (npr. spol, želeno področje in kraj dela, motivi za študij medicine itn.). Za določitev neprilagojenih in prilagojenih trendov je bila uporabljena binarna logistična regresija. Rezultati: Po prilagoditvi izbranih dejavnikov je bil pri povezavi med opazovanim rezultatom in letom opazovanja ugotovljen jasen padajoči trend. Verjetnost izbire specializacije iz družinske medicine je bila v študijskem letu 2006/2007 1,43-krat večja kot v letu 2007/2008 (p = 0,412), 1,85-krat večja kot v letu 2008/2009 (p = 0,168), 2,38- krat večja kot v letu 2009/2010 (p = 0,051), 2,63-krat večja kot v letu 2010/2011 (p = 0,027) in 3,85-krat večja kot v letu 2011/2012 (p = 0,003). Zaključki: Rezultati te raziskave dokazujejo, da je v zadnjih letih na Hrvaškem prisoten stalno padajoči trend pri izbiri poklica zdravnik specialist družinske medicine. Očitno je, da študenti zadnjega letnika medicine niso preveč zainteresirani za delo zdravnika družinske medicine. Hkrati pa se na Hrvaškem povečuje potreba po tovrstnih zdravnikih. Tako akademska kot strokovna združenja so družbeno odgovorna za preoblikovanje sistema zdravstvenega varstva in študijskih programov medicine v celovito primarno zdravstveno varstvo, v katerem ima družinska medicina ključno vlogo.