Snezana Simic

Utility of data from a national health survey: do socioeconomic inequalities in morbidity exist in Serbia?

Aims: The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of demographic and socioeconomic factors on morbidity in Serbia. Additionally, knowing that there is no a gold standard for measuring morbidity we were concerned whether the results of this study depend on the choice of morbidity indicator. Methods: Data from the 2006 National Health Survey for Serbia were used. A representative sample of 14,522 persons aged ≥20 years were interviewed. The associations between demographic factors (age, gender, marital status, and type of settlement), socioeconomic indicators (education and wealth index), and health status (morbidity index derived from self-reported data) were examined using linear and logistic regression analyses. Results: Women, elderly people, those who live in urban settings, and those with lower education had higher morbidity regardless of using a morbidity index as a continuous variable (composite index ranging from 0 to 20) or a categorical variable (morbidity status tertiles). Respondents who belong to the most deprived group had higher scores of morbidity index in comparison with the respondents from the most affluent group, but no significant association was found when morbidity status was examined as the outcome. In addition, when those who belong to the middle class group were compared to the most affluent group, they had good more frequently than average morbidity status. Conclusions: This study suggests that demographic and socioeconomic inequalities in morbidity exist in Serbia. Wise and comprehensive health policies and interventions for reducing these inequalities are urgently needed which primarily focus on the most disadvantaged socioeconomic groups.

Infant mortality and economic instability in Yugoslavia

Efforts to manage Yugoslavias debt crisis beginning in 1979 led to economic policies which resulted in declining real income in subsequent years. This has been associated with a slowing of the rate at which infant mortality has declined. There is no evidence, however, that populations in poor parts of the country experienced a more dramatic impact on infant mortality than did populations in more favored regions. The lack of difference is attributed to redistributive social policies among and within republics.

[The association of demographic and socioeconomic determinants and self-perceived health].

INTRODUCTION Inequalities in health are evident in the whole world and present an important and consistent public health issue. The highest contribution to the inequality in heath is attributable to the demographic and socioeconomic determinants of health. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to analyse the association between the demographic (gender, age, marital status and type of settlement) and socioeconomic determinants of health (education and Wealth Index), and self-perceived health. METHODS In the study the data from 2006 National Health Survey of the population of Serbia were used. The interview involved 14,522 adults aged >20 years. The association between the demographic and socioeconomic determinants of health as independent variables, and self-perceived health as dependent variable were examined using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. The minimum level of significance was p < 0.05. RESULTS According to our study, the elderly and females significantly more often perceived their health as poor. Respondents living in rural settings were less likely to perceive their health as poor compared to those living in urban settings (odds ratio was 0.82 in males and 0.75 in females). Males with low education were three times more likely to perceive their health as poor (odds ratio was 3.46) in relation to males with high education. This association was more pronounced in females (odds ratio was 5.37). The same pattern was observed for Wealth Index. CONCLUSION This study showed that demographic and socioeconomic inequalities in self-perceived health are present in Serbia. Comprehensive public health policies and interventions for reducing these inequalities are urgently needed with the primarily focus on the most disadvantaged socioeconomic groups.