Aim:To determine the rural–urban differences in primary care practice, hospital inpatient care and total services.Methods:This cross-sectional study used data from Zenica-Doboj Canton in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH). The overall sample size for the study was 1,995. Individual interviews were conducted in one randomly selected day of the week, except Monday and Friday, on the basis of EUROPEP (European Task Force on Patient Evaluations of General Practice Care) standardized questionnaire.Results:Out of total number (n=1 995), 47.9% was urban population and median of age was 42 years for both populations. The most of urban residents (81.4%) had finished high school or higher education compared with rural residents (58.5%) (p < 0.001). There are significant differences in employment status between rural and urban population (p < 0.001). Rural residents are more likely to travel more than 15 minutes to see their health facilities compared with urban residents (61.7% vs. 24.4%, respectively). Median of distance (kilometers) from residence location to the nearest hospital was statistically significantly higher in rural Me = 8.0 (5.0 do 14.5) km compared to urban population Me = 1.5 (1.0 to 3.0) km (p < 0.001). The rural population was more likely to buy drugs for medical treatment (p < 0.001) and parenteral injections in primary care practice (p < 0.001).Conclusion:There are significant differences in the overall health care assessment of rural populations as compared to urban populations.

Introduction:Based on the statistics the population in Bosnia and Herzegovina is getting older. In 2013 the average life span for women was 73.6 years and 68.1 for men. The chronic hemodialysis program is mainly reserved for elderly patients with high mortality risk. The most common cause of hemodialysis mortality relates to cardiovascular diseases (60.2%), regardless of frequent innovations and improvement of hemodialysis procedures.The aim of the study:was to determine the mortality rate by age groups with comments on the presence of non-traditional predictors (anemia, hypoalbuminemia, CRP, vascular access and PTH) in dialysis patients in the follow-up period of 36 months.Methods:The study included all patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis treatment at the Clinic of Hemodialysis of the Clinical Center University of Sarajevo (CCUS).Results:Out of a total number of hemodialysis patients (n=232), the specific mortality rate in patients under 65 years of age was 16.8%, and 50.5% in patients over 65 years of age. According to the age groups the mortality rate in elderly patients is as follows: from 65 to 74 years (45.1%), from 75 to 84 years (55.0%), over ≥85 years (75.0%). The most frequent vascular access in patients under and above 65 is arteriovenous fistula (79.6% and 62.1 %), temporary hemodialysis catheter (11.7% and 43.8 %) and long-term hemodialysis catheter (8.8% and 4.2 %). In the age group under 65 years of age the temporary hemodialysis catheter is significantly and more frequently used in diseased patients in respect to survivors (34.8% vs. 7.0%) [χ2(2)=15.769, p=0.001]. Diseased patients from the age group over 65 had a significantly lower mean value of haemoglobin in blood (M=100.9±17.5 g/L) in respect to survivors (M=109.2±17.1)[t(93)=2.339; p=0.021], lower mean value of albumin in blood (Me=32.0; IQR=29.0 do 35.0) in respect to survivors (Me=34.0; IQR=32.0 to 38.0) [U=762.5; p=0.006], and higher mean value of CRP in blood (Me=19.3 mg/L; IQR=6.6 to 52.0) in respect to survivors (Me=7.8; IQR=4.0 to 16.7) [U=773.5; p=0.008]. Diseased patients belonging to the age group over 65 had lower mean value of PTH, but without statistical significance (p>0.05).Conclusion:older age, temporary vascular access, anaemia and hypoalbuminemia are strong predictors of mortality in hemodialysis patients. Old age does not present contraindication for hemodialysis treatment, and treatment of terminal renal illness should not be abandoned.

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&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Aim&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;br /&gt;To investigate the effect of intermittent traction therapy (ITT) on pain in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP).&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;A total of 81 patients with CLBP were included: experimental group received ITT (n=40) and control group received&lt;br /&gt;conservative physical treatment (n=41) 10 times for two weeks. A visual analogue scale (VAS) was used for measuring low back pain.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;br /&gt;In the experimental group, 26 (out of 40; 65.0%) patients were females, in the control group 20 (out of 41; 48.8%) were&lt;br /&gt;females (p=0.141). In a within-group comparison, median of VAS value was significantly decreased in both groups after ITT. A comparison of pre-intervention and post-intervention VAS value showed no statistically significant difference. Females from the experimental group had a significantly greater decrease of VAS compared with females from the control group. Patients in the ITT group with L5/S1 level of hernia had lower estimated marginal mean of VAS scale compared to the control group, as well the patients with left side of leg pain.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusion&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Intermittent traction therapy is an effective treatment for pain reduction in patients with chronic low back pain.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

Introduction: Cerebrovascular insult (CVI) is acute or sub-acute occurrence of symptoms which signal death of cerebral cells caused by localized disruption of arterial circulation in the brain. The goal of this study is toinvestigate whether ischemic or hemorrhagic CVI can be used as predictor of rehabilitation.Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in the period from January 2009 to the December 2009 and as a source of data we used medical records. The study included 89 patients who had CVI and who werehospitalized at the Clinic for Physical medicine and rehabilitation, Clinical Center University of Sarajevo (CCUS). We analyzed socio-demographic variables such as gender and age and clinical variables: the diagnosis,the length of stay in hospital (LOH), and Barthel index (BI) at admission and discharge from hospital.Results: Out of 89 patients, 78/89 (87.6%) were patients with ischemic CVI (group A), and 11/89 (12.4%) with hemorrhagic CVI (group B). There was not a signifi cant association between the gender and type of CVI[(χ2(1)= .041, P> .05]. There was a statistically signifi cant difference in median of length of hospitalization (LOH) between two groups (U=186.5; z=-3,025; P= .002). There was not a statistically signifi cant differencein median of BI at admission (U=317.0; z=-1,399; P= .162) and  discharge (U=319.0; z=-1.374; P= .169) between two groups.Conclusion: Patients with hemorrhagic CVI have a longer stay in hospital and consequently more expensive cost of treatment.