Introduction: Most foodborne illnesses can be prevented by proper food preparation. The estimated prevalence of these diseases is 300-350 times higher than the data available today, which represents only the “tip of the iceberg.” Although restaurants are cited as the most common sites for food poisoning, these cases are three times more likely to occur in households. Therefore, assessing food consumer knowledge and practices provides a basis for formulating and designing programs to promote food safety in households. Methods: Representatives of 384 households in six urban and rural municipalities in Sarajevo Canton participated in the survey. A previously designed and validated household food safety questionnaire was used to explore the knowledge and practices of the population regarding household food safety. Respondents’ knowledge and practices were assessed by the score they achieved, with one point awarded for each correct answer. The range of scores for knowledge and practices was divided into quartiles. The Chi-square test was used to examine whether there was a difference between expected and observed scores in one or more categories in contingency tables. Results: In the assessment of food safety knowledge, 62% of the respondents had good knowledge, 33.1% had average knowledge, and 4.9% had poor knowledge. The results showed that 59.4% of the respondents had average practices and 22.4% had poor practices regarding food safety in their households. It was confirmed that various socioeconomic factors had a significant influence on consumers’ knowledge and practice regarding food safety in their households (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Nowadays, the topic of food safety is rarely discussed in households, and the public is not aware of the risks they face. Urgent action should be taken to raise collective awareness of the importance of household food safety to public health.

Introduction: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) are the most common work-related disorders and describe a wide range of degenerative and inflammatory states that affect blood vessels, peripheral nerves, bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, and muscles. Healthcare as a special sector has almost the highest prevalence of WRMSDs in the world, far ahead of construction, mining, and manufacturing. Studies conducted in the EU and the USA indicate that health-care professionals most often have a problem with the lower back between 50% and 57% of cases, resulting in an average loss of more than 7 working days during 1 year. Methods: This study included 177 health professionals of both genders who are actively involved in the provision of health-care services. The study was conducted in the Public Health Center of Sarajevo Canton, which provides primary and specialist consultative healthcare services. The study was designed as a prospective, longitudinal, interventional, and descriptive-analytical that included all respondents who met the inclusion criteria. The instruments used in the study are the standardized Dutch Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire, modified according to our study, the standardized work ability index, and the ergonomic intervention program (EIP). Results: The highest frequency of work-related MKDs in health-care professionals before and after implementation of the EIP was in the neck area (83.1% before, 64.9% after), in the upper back region (71.8% before, 56.5 % after) and in the lower back region (68.4% before, 55.9% after). The average score of the working ability index before the introduction of the EIP was 35.44 ± 8.59, while after the implementation of the EIP it increased statistically significantly and amounted to 38.40 ± 7.30. Conclusion: The EIP influenced the reduction of the MKDs frequency caused by work, and increased the working capacity of health-care professionals.

Communication is the foundation of every interpersonal relationship. Good communication leads to better relationships and trust, fosters improved interactions with colleagues, and has a positive impact on the workplace atmosphere. The aim of this study is to determine how the communication skills of management staff influence work processes. The primary task of this study is to examine the communication styles of responsible individuals in the healthcare process and their relationships with subordinates or executors in the healthcare process. The study is descriptive and comparative. An author-designed questionnaire, created based on a review of professional and scientific literature and experiences from everyday clinical practice, was used as the research instrument.The results showed that out of the total number of respondents, 33.3% reported being completely satisfied with interpersonal communication, 57.0% partially satisfied, and only 24 or 9.6% were not satisfied. It can be concluded that the good communication skills of managers positively impact staff productivity.

Uvod: Mišićno-koštani poremećaji uzrokovani radom (engl. Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders – WRMSDs) najčešća su oboljenja povezana s radom, a opisuju širok dijapazon degenerativnih i upalnih stanja. WRMSDs pogađaju milione radnika na području cijele Evrope i svijeta, a sami poslodavci zbog njihovih posljedica troše milijarde eura. Zdravstvo kao poseban sektor ima jednu od najvećih prevalenci radom uzrokovanih mišićno-koštanih poremećaja (MKP) u svijetu daleko ispred građevinarstva, rudarstva i proizvodnje. Ispitanici i metode: U istraživanje bilo je uključeno 177 zdravstvenih profesionalca oba spola koji su svojim radom aktivno uključeni u pružanje zdravstvenih usluga, kategorizirani prema životnoj dobi i vrsti radnih zadataka koje obavljaju u različitim položajima tijela u okviru svojih stručnih službi. Instrumenti koji su se koristili u istraživanju su standardizirani holandski upitnik za MKP (Dutch Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire – DMQ), standardizirani upitnik za procjenu indeksa radne sposobnosti (Work Ability Index – WAI) i ergonomski interventni program. Istraživanje je trajalo od januara 2021. do oktobra 2021. godine. Rezultati: Najveća učestalost MKP povezanih s radom kod zdravstvenih profesionalaca prije i poslije provođenja ergonomskog interventnog programa bila je u području vrata (83,1% prije, 64,9% poslije), u regiji gornjeg dijela leđa (71,8% prije, 56,5% poslije) te u regiji donjeg dijela leđa (68,4% prije, 55,9% poslije). Prosječna vrijednost indeksa radne sposobnosti prije uvođenja ergonomskog interventnog programa iznosila je 35,44±8,59, dok se poslije provedenog ergonomskog interventnog programa statistički signifikantno povećala i iznosila je 38,40±7,30. Zaključak: Ergonomski interventni program je utjecao na smanjenje učestalosti MKP uzrokovanih radom, i povećanje radne sposobnost zdravstvenih profesionalaca.

Pravilnom pripremom hrane moguće je spriječiti većinu hranom prenosivih bolesti. Značajni napori uloženi u usaglašavanje legislative na širim geografskim područjima, rezultovali su formiranjem općeprihvaćenog stava da je većina kupljenih namirnica sigurna za konzumiranje. Međutim, neophodno je da potrošači nastave dobre prakse rukovanja, pripremanja i čuvanja namirnica u domaćinstvima. Ovo istraživanje je provedeno kao presječna, deskriptivno-analitička i eksperimentalna studija u periodu novembar 2020. – juli 2021. godine. Mikrobiološka analiza briseva je provedena u akreditovanoj laboratoriji Odjela za mikrobiološku analizu namirnica, voda i predmeta opšte upotrebe pri Zavodu za javno zdravstvo Federacije Bosne i Hercegovine. U domaćinstvima je uzorkovano po 7 briseva radnih površina i pribora u kuhinjama (n = 2681) u skladu sa smjernicama standardne metode BAS EN ISO 18593:2019 – Horizontalne metode za uzimanje uzoraka sa površine. U više od polovine domaćinstava (61,5%) izolovane su ciljane bakterije u vrijednostima iznad referentnih. Najveća odstupanja u bakteriološkoj ispravnosti utvrđena su na radnim površinama u kuhinjama (45,8%), daskama za rezanje (34,1%) i slavinama (34,1%). Staphylococcus aureus je izolovan u 153, Enterobacteriacea u 151, a aerobne bakterije u 286 domaćinstava. Prema kategorizaciji ukupnog rizika, 17% domaćinstava na području Kantona Sarajevo spada u kategoriju visokog rizika od hranom prenosivih bolesti u svojim domaćinstvima. Obzirom da javnost nije upoznata sa rizikom u kojem se nalazi, smatramo da je što hitnije potrebno poduzeti korake u podizanju kolektivne svijesti o javno-zdravstvenom značaju sigurnosti hrane u domaćinstvima.

Introduction: Laboratory professionals (LP) are exposed to various hazards in the workplace, whose direct and/or cumulative effects can lead to the development of health disorders of varying severity. Our study aims to assess the level of occupational risk in biomedical laboratories. Subjects and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2020 and February 2021. The study included LP of all profiles in Europe, and the territorial affiliation of the respondents formed the basis for the formation of the groups studied. A validated questionnaire used for data collection was distributed online through the networks of professional associations. Based on the type of agent, frequency of exposure, characteristics of the workplace and work process, and individual factors, an occupational risk assessment matrix was created in categories ranging from low to very high. Descriptive and inferential statistical methods with a statistical significance threshold of 5% (p ≤ 0.05) were used for the statistical analysis. Results: Significant differences in risk categorization were found between the groups studied (p < 0.001). Overall, 81.2% of LP in the European Union fall into the medium risk category, while more than half (52.1%) of LP and 1.7% of LP in Bosnia and Herzegovina fall into the high and very high risk categories. Higher education, service longer than 21 years, public sector, and biochemistry laboratory were identified as predictors of high risk, while predictors of very high risk were higher education, service of 21 to 30 years, public sector, and histopathology and molecular laboratories. Conclusions: Lack of equipment, organizational issues and working conditions were identified as weak points that directly correlate with risk levels in biomedical laboratory workplaces. Additional efforts to control exposure in biomedical laboratories are needed to maintain the health of LP.

Introduction: Hypothyroidism is a common disorder of the endocrine system caused by insufficient biologically active hormones at the tissue level or the inability of the tissue to utilize thyroid hormones. Iron plays a crucial role in the synthesis and metabolism of thyroid hormones, and it is stored in the body as ferritin. We aimed to evaluate the correlation between serum ferritin (SF) levels and thyroid hormone panel levels in both hypothyroid and euthyroid subjects. Methods: In 2022, a matched case–control study was conducted. The study involved participants with hypothyroidism and a control group (n = 53). The levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (fT3), free thyroxine (fT4), and SF were measured using the chemiluminescence immunoassay on a Mindray Cl 900-i analyzer (Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., China). Results: The hypothyroid group had TSH levels that were significantly higher (10.76 [8.54-18.76] vs. 1.76 [1.26-2.58]; p < 0.001) and SF concentrations that were significantly lower (39.08 [21.15-45.70] vs. 54.09 [41.41-71.82]; p < 0.001) compared to the control group. In both male and female subjects of the hypothyroid group, a strong negative correlation was found between SF concentration and TSH levels ([Rho = −0.855,p < 0.01]; [Rho = −0.747; p < 0.01]). In female subjects of the hypothyroid group, a weak positive correlation was found between SF concentration and fT3 (Rho = 0.488; p < 0.05). In the euthyroid group, a correlation of the same strength and direction was found for fT4 (Rho = 0.366; p < 0.05). Conclusion: Research results indicate a correlation between lower SF concentrations and hypothyroidism, which is of particular importance for understanding the etiopathogenesis, diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment modalities of patients with hypothyroidism.

Introduction: Aging is a natural, irreversible physiological process that depends on genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. Many physiological, biological, psychological, and other factors play a major role. According to the World Health Organization, falls are the second leading cause of unintentional injury death in the world and represent a major global public health problem. Falls are most commonly caused by intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors. A comprehensive assessment of fall risk is critical to the development of effective fall prevention programs. The screening protocol is brief, easy to use, and multifactorial and allows the identification of risk factors for falls. The aim of this study is to investigate the importance of the presence of risk factors in the home environment and the impact on increasing the risk of falls in people in the third age. Methods: The study was conducted in the municipality of Podgorica. 109 elderly people from urban and rural areas were included in the study using the snowball method. The instruments used in our study are a standardized checklist for assessing risk factors in the home environment, inside and outside the home (HASSAT), and a self-assessment scale of one’s own concern about a possible falls efficacy scale international. The survey was conducted from the end of October to the end of November 2023. Results: There is a statistically significant difference in social and physical activities of daily living in the area of concern about falling. When analyzing the overall result of the fear of falling scale in relation to gender, a significant statistical difference is found. The analysis of the individual rooms in relation to the age of the respondents shows that there is a significant statistical difference. Conclusion: The results obtained show that the high risk of falling is present in all rooms of the home environment for people in their 3rd year of life and that fear of falling increases with age.

Introduction: Aging is a natural physiological process based on disturbances of homeostatic mechanisms and loss of adaptability that significantly affects life activities over time. The activities of daily living (ADL) in old age represent the relationship between the subjective characteristics of each individual, supplemented by previous life experiences, and objective socioeconomic factors that create a desirable living framework for people in the third age. The objectives of this research are to analyze the sociodemographic characteristics of third-age people, to study the daily activities of third-age people, and to compare the daily life activities of third-age people living in a rural setting with those of third-age people living in an urban setting. Methods: The research was conducted in the area of urban and rural environment of Travnik municipality. One hundred elderly people (50 from urban and 50 from rural areas) were included in the research using the snowball method. The instrument used in our research is a standardized questionnaire on instrumental ADL (IADL) according to Lawton-Brody. The study was conducted during the period from the end of March to the end of May 2022. Results: There is a statistically significant difference in ADL in all eight domains. The mean IADL score in the total sample (n = 100) was 6.36 ± 1.78 and ranged from 1 to 8. The largest number of respondents had the highest IADL score of 8 in 41% of cases, while only one respondent had an IADL score of 1. Conclusion: The obtained results prove that the score of ADL is lower in people of third-age living in rural areas.

Introduction: Knowledge of all safety factors: teamwork, employee satisfaction, work environment, stress awareness, risk perception and attitude are the basis for improving the safety performance of health care providers - health professionals. The aim of the research is to analyze the risk perception of health professionals on aspects of occupational safety in relation to the workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study included health professionals of all profiles from the Sarajevo Canton. It was conducted in the period from November to the end of December 2021. Respondents voluntarily and anonymously filled out a survey questionnaire, distributed electronically in the Google forms form. Results: The research included 266 health professionals of all profiles employed in health care institutions at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels of health care. Conclusion: The concept of risk perception of health professionals in a pandemic should be viewed as a group rather than an individual phenomenon.perception

Background: Radiotherapy is one of the primary treatment options in cancer management, together with surgery and chemotherapy. Radiation therapy is technologically complex discipline involving professionals with various specialties, and using high energy radiation in treatment of wide range of different cancer types. Technical complexity, increasing number of patients, large workload, and delivery of radiation therapy treatment with lack of human, technical and financial resources in low and middle income countries creates environment with great potential to develop incidents. Emerging need of modern radiation therapy is to develop preventive approach to risk management i to improve the patient safety. Objective: The objective of this research is to identify and assess risk associated with radiation therapy practice in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Methods: An anonymous, voluntary electronic on-line radiation therapy incident reporting system (IRS) was created. IRS consists of four sections containing questions about working environment, incident occurrence, root causes and contributing factors, and incident severity assessment. Data collected using IRS were used to create taxonomy of incidents in radiation therapy. Risk assessment was made using Risk Matrix method. Research was made using the data collected from first 60 incidents reported to IRS. Results: Based on probability and frequency of incident occurrence and severity of consequences, it was assessed that 41.7% of incidents had low risk level (L), 50% of incidents had moderate risk level (M), and 8.3% of incidents had high risk level (H). Radiation therapy risk profile based on risk assessment results clearly shows that incidents with low frequency, low occurrence probability, but high consequences severity level have highest level of risk. Conclusion: The results of this research confirm that the electronic on-line radiation therapy IRS allows the identification and classification of the most significant risk factors in radiotherapy and prevention of serious incidents occurrence.