Vesna Antičević

Comorbidities with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among combat veterans: 15 years postwar analysis

The aim of this study was to investigate the differences in the prevalence of somatic diseases among combat veterans and their contemporaries who were not exposed to the traumatic experience at the battlefield, and to determine whether socio-demographic factors, exposure to war-time trauma and/or injury might predict individual somatic diseases. The study included 1,558 subjects living in south Croatia: 501 male combat veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and the corresponding control group of 825 men who were not exposed to combat experience. Veterans with PTSD, regardless of the length of time spent in war, suffered more often from cardiovascular, dermatological, musculoskeletal, pulmonary and metabolic diseases than corresponding control subjects who were not exposed to combat experience. The predictors of cardiovascular, musculoskeletal and malignant diseases in veterans were age, length of time spent in combat, having been wounded. A longer period in the combat zone was associated with arrhythmias in veterans with PTSD complicated with other psychiatric comorbidities. PTSD as a result of exposure to war trauma increases the possibility of developing somatic diseases.

Psychotherapeutic Treatment Program for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: Prospective Study of 70 War Veterans

The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the psychotherapeutic model of treatment of war veterans in Croatia with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The symptoms of PTSD are analysed and evaluated, together with associated neurotic symptoms, ways of coping with stress, and indicators of quality of life and depression.

Croatia Needs a Gender Incongruence Diagnosis for Prepubertal Children

First of all, we want to emphasize that we completely understand arguments given against the diagnosis, especially clinical ones (prepubertal individuals need psychological space, support, and information, not medical treatment and diagnosis). We also agree and support all efforts against the pathologization and stigmatization of gender variant persons. The shift in expert opinion, in which mere gender non-conformity is seen as a variation rather than a disorder, as can be seen in the Standards of Care for transgender persons of the WPATH 2011 and in the DSM-5, no doubt contributes to the psychological welfare of gender variant people. However, even in the countries representing benchmarks of good practice in the care of individuals with GI, not all health experts adopt the same approach toward supporting transgender people, and trans-healthcare providers have differing attitudes according to Gender Incongruence of Adolescence and Adulthood (GIAA) and Gender Incongruence in Childhood (GIC) diagnosis (Winter, De Cuypere, Green, Kane, & Knudson, 2016).

Long-Term Improvement in Coping Skills Following Multimodal Treatment in War Veterans with Chronic PTSD

Abstract Due to the long-lasting and resistant symptoms characteristic of chronic combat posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), its treatment is complex and often requires a tailored therapeutic approach incorporating both psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy. A multimodal approach of psychoeducative, sociotherapeutic, and dynamically oriented trauma-focused groups is described. We assessed the short- and long-term effectiveness of this therapeutic program by monitoring its impact on PTSD symptoms, depression, neurotic symptoms, coping skills, and quality of life for three years. The findings revealed short-term reduction in the symptoms of PTSD and depression, while the long-term results were manifested as the increased use of all coping mechanisms and a greater level of obsession.

Sexual self-concept, sexual satisfaction, and attachment among single and coupled individuals

The aim of this study was to examine the moderating role of attachment styles among single and coupled participants (N = 632) in the associations between sexual self-concept (sexual self-esteem, sexual depression, and sexual preoccupation) and sexual satisfaction. The results indicated lower sexual self-esteem and sexual satisfaction and higher sexual depression and avoidant attachment among singles, as compared to coupled participants. Furthermore, in coupled participants (securely, anxiously, and avoidantly attached), sexual self-esteem and sexual depression were predictors of sexual satisfaction. Among securely, fearfully, and avoidantly attached singles, sexual self-esteem was a predictor of sexual satisfaction. Sexual satisfaction was also predicted by sexual preoccupation among avoidantly attached singles. Finally, the only predictor of sexual satisfaction among anxiously attached singles was sexual depression.

Zadovoljstvo studijem i percepcija profesionalnih perspektiva studenata zdravstvenih studija

Cilj: Ispitati stupanj zadovoljstva studenata s pet studijskih programa preddiplomskih zdravstvenih studija Sveucilisnog odjela zdravstvenih studija u Splitu. Nadalje, istražuje se stupanj motivacije za nastavak studija te percepcija profesionalnih perspektiva nakon zavrsetka studijskih programa, stupanj obrazovanja roditelja, i stupanj obrazovanja studenata prije upisa studijskih programa. Metoda: Ispitivanje je provedeno u mjesecu lipnju i srpnju 2014. godine. U istraživanje je ukljuceno 80 ispitanika. Svi ukljuceni ispitanici bili su studenti 2. godine Sveucilisnog odjela zdravstvenih studija (sestrinstvo, primaljstvo, fizioterapija (FT), radioloska tehnologija (RT), medicinsko- laboratorijska dijagnostika (MLD). Za svrhe istraživanja koristena su dva upitnika, i to: originalni upitnik za prikupljanje demografskih podataka, stupanj obrazovanja roditelja ispitanika, te motivi za nastavak studija i percepcija zaposljavanja u zdravstvenoj djelatnosti. Radi ispitivanja zadovoljstva studijskim programom u uporabi je bio modificirani upitnik izrađen prema izvornoj verziji Nursing student satisfaction Scale (NSSS) [9], uz stupanj pouzdanosti dvosmjernog prijevoda CronbachAlpha 0.96 [10]. Rezultati: Rezultati upucuju na vecu zastupljenost studentica na svim studijskim programima [78.8%]. Najveci broj roditelja studenata ima srednjoskolsko obrazovanje [77.5% majki ; 72.2% oceva]. Visu ili visoku skolsku spremu ima oko 13% majki i 14% oceva. Osnovnoskolsko i poslijediplomsko obrazovanje ima najmanji broj roditelja [OS majke i ocevi 5% ; PD majke 1.2% ; ocevi 5.1%]. Među studentima sestrinstva i primaljstva je najveci broj studenata sa zavrsenim strukovnim srednjoskolskim obrazovanjem [sestrinstvo 66.7%, primaljstvo 84.6%], dok su studenti fizioterapije i MLD-a [FT 69.2%, MLD 78.6%] najcesce nastavili studij nakon zavrsenog gimnazijskog programa. Motivacija za nastavkom studija svih studenata razmjerno je visoka i iznosi [M=3.85], kao i percepcija lakseg pronalaženja zaposlenja nakon zavrsenog studija [M=3.84]. Stupanj zadovoljstva studijem nesto je niži i iznosi M=3.35. Samo na dvjema cesticama Upitnika zadovoljstva zdravstvenim studijima [27. i 28.] razlike između stupnja zadovoljstva studenata razlicitih studijskih usmjerenja statisticki su znacajne. Zakljucak: Može se zakljuciti da rezultati upucuju na zadovoljavajuci stupanj zadovoljstva studenata studijskim programima na Sveucilisnom odjelu zdravstvenih studija u Splitu, kao i percepcijom daljnjeg apredovanja poslije zavrsetka studija.

Health studies student's study satisfaction and perception of professional perspective

Cilj: Ispitati stupanj zadovoljstva studenata s pet studijskih programa preddiplomskih zdravstvenih studija Sveucilisnog odjela zdravstvenih studija u Splitu. Nadalje, istražuje se stupanj motivacije za nastavak studija te percepcija profesionalnih perspektiva nakon zavrsetka studijskih programa, stupanj obrazovanja roditelja, i stupanj obrazovanja studenata prije upisa studijskih programa. Metoda: Ispitivanje je provedeno u mjesecu lipnju i srpnju 2014. godine. U istraživanje je ukljuceno 80 ispitanika. Svi ukljuceni ispitanici bili su studenti 2. godine Sveucilisnog odjela zdravstvenih studija (sestrinstvo, primaljstvo, fizioterapija (FT), radioloska tehnologija (RT), medicinsko- laboratorijska dijagnostika (MLD). Za svrhe istraživanja koristena su dva upitnika, i to: originalni upitnik za prikupljanje demografskih podataka, stupanj obrazovanja roditelja ispitanika, te motivi za nastavak studija i percepcija zaposljavanja u zdravstvenoj djelatnosti. Radi ispitivanja zadovoljstva studijskim programom u uporabi je bio modificirani upitnik izrađen prema izvornoj verziji Nursing student satisfaction Scale (NSSS) [9], uz stupanj pouzdanosti dvosmjernog prijevoda CronbachAlpha 0.96 [10]. Rezultati: Rezultati upucuju na vecu zastupljenost studentica na svim studijskim programima [78.8%]. Najveci broj roditelja studenata ima srednjoskolsko obrazovanje [77.5% majki ; 72.2% oceva]. Visu ili visoku skolsku spremu ima oko 13% majki i 14% oceva. Osnovnoskolsko i poslijediplomsko obrazovanje ima najmanji broj roditelja [OS majke i ocevi 5% ; PD majke 1.2% ; ocevi 5.1%]. Među studentima sestrinstva i primaljstva je najveci broj studenata sa zavrsenim strukovnim srednjoskolskim obrazovanjem [sestrinstvo 66.7%, primaljstvo 84.6%], dok su studenti fizioterapije i MLD-a [FT 69.2%, MLD 78.6%] najcesce nastavili studij nakon zavrsenog gimnazijskog programa. Motivacija za nastavkom studija svih studenata razmjerno je visoka i iznosi [M=3.85], kao i percepcija lakseg pronalaženja zaposlenja nakon zavrsenog studija [M=3.84]. Stupanj zadovoljstva studijem nesto je niži i iznosi M=3.35. Samo na dvjema cesticama Upitnika zadovoljstva zdravstvenim studijima [27. i 28.] razlike između stupnja zadovoljstva studenata razlicitih studijskih usmjerenja statisticki su znacajne. Zakljucak: Može se zakljuciti da rezultati upucuju na zadovoljavajuci stupanj zadovoljstva studenata studijskim programima na Sveucilisnom odjelu zdravstvenih studija u Splitu, kao i percepcijom daljnjeg apredovanja poslije zavrsetka studija.