title: Socio-Cultural Effects on Mental Health and Common Chronic Diseases in Primary Care Patients in East and West Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina: Preliminary Results.
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.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Mostar, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vasilj
authors.affiliation: Mostar University Hospital, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vasilj
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Zagreb University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia
authors.forename: Branka
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Aukst Margetić
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Mostar, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
authors.forename: Ivo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Curić
authors.affiliation: Mostar University Hospital, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
authors.forename: Belma
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sarić
authors.affiliation: Safet Mujić Regional Medical Center, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
authors.forename: Bajro
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sarić
authors.affiliation: Mostar Primary Care Center, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
authors.forename: Marko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martinac
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Mostar, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
authors.forename: Dragan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Babić
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Mostar, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
authors.forename: Milenko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bevanda
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017522:Bosnia and Herzegovina / Q000453:epidemiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Health; Social determinants of health; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Ethnic groups; Religion; Cultural diversity; Alcoholism; Hypertension