Strengthening Primary Healthcare in Kosovo Requires Tailoring Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Prevention Interventions and Consideration of Mental Health
ObjectivesKosovo has the lowest life expectancy in the Balkans. Primary healthcare (PHC) plays an essential role in non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention. We described primary, secondary and tertiary prevention indicators in Kosovo and assessed their association with depressive symptoms.MethodsP...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-04-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.794309/full |
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| author | Katrina Ann Obas Katrina Ann Obas Ariana Bytyci-Katanolli Ariana Bytyci-Katanolli Marek Kwiatkowski Marek Kwiatkowski Qamile Ramadani Nicu Fota Naim Jerliu Naim Jerliu Shukrije Statovci Jana Gerold Jana Gerold Manfred Zahorka Manfred Zahorka Nicole Probst-Hensch Nicole Probst-Hensch |
| author_facet | Katrina Ann Obas Katrina Ann Obas Ariana Bytyci-Katanolli Ariana Bytyci-Katanolli Marek Kwiatkowski Marek Kwiatkowski Qamile Ramadani Nicu Fota Naim Jerliu Naim Jerliu Shukrije Statovci Jana Gerold Jana Gerold Manfred Zahorka Manfred Zahorka Nicole Probst-Hensch Nicole Probst-Hensch |
| author_sort | Katrina Ann Obas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ObjectivesKosovo has the lowest life expectancy in the Balkans. Primary healthcare (PHC) plays an essential role in non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention. We described primary, secondary and tertiary prevention indicators in Kosovo and assessed their association with depressive symptoms.MethodsPHC users (n = 977) from the Kosovo NCD cohort baseline study were included. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Depressive Anxiety Stress Scale-21. Cross-sectional associations between depressive symptoms and prevention indicators were quantified with mixed logistic regression models.ResultsPoor nutrition (85%), physical inactivity (70%), obesity (53%), and smoking (21%) were common NCD risk factors. Many cases of hypertension (19%), diabetes (16%) and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) (45%) remained undetected by a PHC professional. Uncontrolled hypertension (28%), diabetes (79%), and COPD (76%) were also common. Depressive symptoms were positively associated with physical inactivity (OR 1.02; 95% CI 1.00–1.05 per 1-point increase in DASS-21) and undetected COPD (OR 1.07; 95% CI 1.00–1.15), but inversely with undetected diabetes (OR 0.95; 95% CI 0.91–1.00).ConclusionsContinued attention and tailored modifications to primary, secondary and tertiary prevention in Kosovo are needed to narrow the Balkan health gap. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T04:12:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-56b19b6bd6284acd8def66781d2e41d8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T04:12:10Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-56b19b6bd6284acd8def66781d2e41d82022-12-22T03:03:05ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652022-04-011010.3389/fpubh.2022.794309794309Strengthening Primary Healthcare in Kosovo Requires Tailoring Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Prevention Interventions and Consideration of Mental HealthKatrina Ann Obas0Katrina Ann Obas1Ariana Bytyci-Katanolli2Ariana Bytyci-Katanolli3Marek Kwiatkowski4Marek Kwiatkowski5Qamile Ramadani6Nicu Fota7Naim Jerliu8Naim Jerliu9Shukrije Statovci10Jana Gerold11Jana Gerold12Manfred Zahorka13Manfred Zahorka14Nicole Probst-Hensch15Nicole Probst-Hensch16Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, SwitzerlandUniversity of Basel, Basel, SwitzerlandDepartment of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, SwitzerlandUniversity of Basel, Basel, SwitzerlandDepartment of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, SwitzerlandUniversity of Basel, Basel, SwitzerlandAccessible Quality Healthcare Project, Prishtina, KosovoAccessible Quality Healthcare Project, Prishtina, KosovoNational Institute of Public Health, Prishtina, KosovoMedical Faculty, University of Prishtina, Prishtina, KosovoUniversity Clinical Centre of Kosovo, Prishtina, KosovoUniversity of Basel, Basel, SwitzerlandSwiss Center for International Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, SwitzerlandUniversity of Basel, Basel, SwitzerlandSwiss Center for International Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, SwitzerlandDepartment of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, SwitzerlandUniversity of Basel, Basel, SwitzerlandObjectivesKosovo has the lowest life expectancy in the Balkans. Primary healthcare (PHC) plays an essential role in non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention. We described primary, secondary and tertiary prevention indicators in Kosovo and assessed their association with depressive symptoms.MethodsPHC users (n = 977) from the Kosovo NCD cohort baseline study were included. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Depressive Anxiety Stress Scale-21. Cross-sectional associations between depressive symptoms and prevention indicators were quantified with mixed logistic regression models.ResultsPoor nutrition (85%), physical inactivity (70%), obesity (53%), and smoking (21%) were common NCD risk factors. Many cases of hypertension (19%), diabetes (16%) and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) (45%) remained undetected by a PHC professional. Uncontrolled hypertension (28%), diabetes (79%), and COPD (76%) were also common. Depressive symptoms were positively associated with physical inactivity (OR 1.02; 95% CI 1.00–1.05 per 1-point increase in DASS-21) and undetected COPD (OR 1.07; 95% CI 1.00–1.15), but inversely with undetected diabetes (OR 0.95; 95% CI 0.91–1.00).ConclusionsContinued attention and tailored modifications to primary, secondary and tertiary prevention in Kosovo are needed to narrow the Balkan health gap.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.794309/fulldepressive symptomshypertensiondiabetesCOPDpreventionpublic health |
| spellingShingle | Katrina Ann Obas Katrina Ann Obas Ariana Bytyci-Katanolli Ariana Bytyci-Katanolli Marek Kwiatkowski Marek Kwiatkowski Qamile Ramadani Nicu Fota Naim Jerliu Naim Jerliu Shukrije Statovci Jana Gerold Jana Gerold Manfred Zahorka Manfred Zahorka Nicole Probst-Hensch Nicole Probst-Hensch Strengthening Primary Healthcare in Kosovo Requires Tailoring Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Prevention Interventions and Consideration of Mental Health Frontiers in Public Health depressive symptoms hypertension diabetes COPD prevention public health |
| title | Strengthening Primary Healthcare in Kosovo Requires Tailoring Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Prevention Interventions and Consideration of Mental Health |
| title_full | Strengthening Primary Healthcare in Kosovo Requires Tailoring Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Prevention Interventions and Consideration of Mental Health |
| title_fullStr | Strengthening Primary Healthcare in Kosovo Requires Tailoring Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Prevention Interventions and Consideration of Mental Health |
| title_full_unstemmed | Strengthening Primary Healthcare in Kosovo Requires Tailoring Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Prevention Interventions and Consideration of Mental Health |
| title_short | Strengthening Primary Healthcare in Kosovo Requires Tailoring Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Prevention Interventions and Consideration of Mental Health |
| title_sort | strengthening primary healthcare in kosovo requires tailoring primary secondary and tertiary prevention interventions and consideration of mental health |
| topic | depressive symptoms hypertension diabetes COPD prevention public health |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.794309/full |
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