The aim of our study was to examine whether the participation in Balint group is associated with the reducing burnout syndrome among primary health care doctors. This investigation was conducted on a population of 210 doctors employed in primary health centers in Belgrade. Out of 210 doctors, 70 have completed Balint training for a period of at least 1 year, whereas 140 doctors have never attended this training (the Non-Balint group). The level of burnout among physicians was assessed with the Serbian translation of the original 22-item version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory – Human Services Survey which defines burnout in relation to emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and personal accomplishment. We found that 45.0% of the Non-Balint participants and 7.1% of the Balint-trained participants responded with symptoms of high level of emotional exhaustion, with a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001). In relation to depersonalization, 20% of the Non-Balint subjects were highly depersonalized compared to 4.4% of the Balint-trained subjects, with a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001). Regarding the personal accomplishment, 21.4% of the Non-Balint subjects and 7.1% of the Balint-trained subjects had a perception of low personal accomplishment, with a statistical significance (p < 0.001). In the multiple ordinal logistic model, with emotional exhaustion as a dependent variable, statistically significant predictor was female gender (OR = 2.51; p = 0.021), while Balint training was obtained as a protective factor (OR = 0.12; p < 0.001). Non-specialists were detected as a risk factor for depersonalization (OR = 2.14; p = 0.026) while Balint group was found as a protective factor (OR = 0.10; p < 0.001), according to the multiple ordinal logistic regression analysis.Regarding the reduced personal accomplishment, our results indicated that nonspecialists were at risk for this subdimension (OR = 2.09; p = 0.025), whereas Balint participants were protected (OR = 0.18; p < 0.001). Participation in Balint groups is associated with the reduced burnout syndrome among primary health care doctors

There is a lot of evidence that suicide is preventable. It is known that only 28 coun tries in the world have national suicide prevention strategies and Serbia is not one of them.

Introduction. Psychiatric disorders represent an important risk factor for death by suicide. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of psychiatric disorders among the persons who committed suicide in the territory of the City of Nis in the period 2001 - 2010. Additionally, this study aimed to compare the socio-demographic characteristics between persons with and without psychiatric disorders. Material and methods. This retrospective study included 524 persons who committed suicide (330 with and 194 without psychiatric disorders) in the period 2001 - 2010. Data on socio-demographic characteristics, previous suicide attempts, and methods of suicide were obtained from medical and police records (Police Directorate for the City of Nis, and Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia). Results. We studied the incidence of suicides among the persons with psychiatric disorders compared to persons without any medical condition in the studied period. Depression (104, 31.5%) and personality disorders (103, 31.2%) were the most common psychiatric disorders among the persons who committed suicide, whereas only 21 persons (6.36%) had schizophrenia. Persons with psychiatric disorders had a higher level of education, more of them were divorced, had a private source of income and more frequently attempted suicide compared to persons without any diseases (p<0.001). The most common methods of suicide were hanging and poisoning in both investigated groups. Conclusion. Depression was the most common disorder registered among the persons with psychiatric disorders who committed suicide. It is necessary to develop a national strategy for suicide prevention for groups at high risk of suicide.

Background/Aim. Suicide is a significant public health problem worldwide. Numerous factors contribute to suicide. The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of suicide in the city of Niš in the period 2001-2010. Methods. The retrospective study consisted of 608 persons divided into three groups: suicide committers with mental disorders, somatic disorders or without registered disorders. Data on socio-demographic characteristics, previous suicide attempts, methods of suicide and presuicidal syndrome were obtained from the Police Directorate for the city of Niš, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Republic of Serbia and from the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia. Results. Persons with mental disorders were the most prevalent group of people who committed suicide (54.3%), followed by persons without registered disorders (31.9%) and with somatic disorders (13.8%). Persons with mental disorders who committed suicide were most often divorced, with high school education, monthly salary and with at least one previous suicide attempt. The hanging was the most frequent method of committing suicide in all investigated groups, followed by self-poisoning using drugs or liquid substances. The presuicidal syndrome was significantly more frequent among persons with mental disorders compared to persons with somatic disorders or without registered disorders others (45.8% vs. 16.7%, and 45.8% vs. 28.4% respectively p < 0.001). Conclusion. Although the persons with mental disorders are in the greatest risk of suicide, they are under medical care. In this regard, the prevention programs should be directed towards persons with severe somatic disorders and to old persons without registered disorders.

Pokušaj samoubistva predstavlja aktivnosti koje imaju za cilj oduzimanje sopstvenog života, a koje ne završavaju smrću. Odnos pokušanih i realizovanih samoubistava izražen je tzv. Indeksom opasnosti (Hazard ratio). Faktori rizika koji podstiču samoubilačko ponašanje su: različita emocionalna stanja, crte ličnosti, stresogeni životni događaji, zloupotreba psihoaktivnih supstanci itd. Cilj rada: prikazati učestalost i epidemiološko demografske karakteristike pokušanih samoubistava kod žena i muškaraca. Urađeno je istraživanje na uzorku od 56 pacijenata kod kojih je postavljena dijagnoza pokušaja samoubistva (Tentamen suicidii), na psihijatrijskom odeljenju KBC Priština, Gračanica. Uzorak je analiziran na osnovu pola, starosne dobi, zanimanja/zaposlenosti, psihijatrijske dijagnoze, motiva i načina pokušaja samoubistva. Rezultati: samoubistvo su pokušale 42 žene (75%) i 14 muškaraca (25%). Najveći broj ispitanika (26.8) u našem istraživanju su iz starosne dobi <20 godina. Najzastupljeniji su nezaposleni, 33,3% žena i 50% muška-raca. Najčešća dijagnoza su anksiozni poremećaji, 61,9% žena i 57,1% muškaraca. Najčešći motiv kod žena je patrnerski konflikt 54,8%, kod muškaraca egzistencijalna ugroženost 50%. Od 56 pacijenata njih 51 (91,1%) je pokušalo samoubistvo trovanjem i to anksioliticima. Znatno veći broj pokušaja samoubistva (75%) desio se u popodnevnim i vešernjim časovima, u periodu od 12 do 24h. Zaključak: žene su češće pokušavale samoubistvo u odnosu na muškarce, odnos 3:1. Najčešće nezaposleni kod oba pola ispitanika, najčešća dijagnoza, anksiozni poremećaji. Najzastupljeniji motiv kod žena je partnerski konflikt, kod muškaraca egzistencijalna ugroženost. Kod oba pola ispitanika najčešći način pokušaja samoubistva je trovanje, najčešće u periodu od 12 do 24h.Ključne reči: pokušaj samoubistva, faktori rizika, pol. UVODPokušaj samoubistva predstavlja aktivnosti koje imaju za cilj oduzimanje sopstvenog života, a koje ne završavaju smrću [1]. Oko milion ljudi godišnje izvrši samoubistvo, a između deset i dvadeset miliona pokuša samoubistvo. Broj ljudi koji su pod rizikom od pokušaja samoubistva varira između 0,4 i 4,2% [2]. Odnos pokušanih i realizovanih samoubistava izražen je tzv. indeksom opasnosti (Hazard ratio). Indeks ima različite vrednosti u zavisnosti od faktora rizika, vrste pokušaja samoubistva ili posmatranog regiona [3,4]. Mnogi teorijski okviri pokušavaju da objasne interakcije različitih faktora rizika koji pokreću samoubilačke misli, dovode do samoubilačkog ponašanja. Faktori rizika koji podstiču samoubilačko ponašanje (facilitatori) su: različita emocionalna stanja (depresivno raspoloženje, beznadežnost, anksioznost, ljutnja, bes, razdražljivost, stid, krivica, usamljenost, patnja, afektivna nestabilnost), crte ličnosti (impulsivnost, agresivnost, acting-out reakcije, ambicija, perfekcionizam, nisko samovrednovanje, konfuzija identiteta), stresogeni životni događaji (gubici-emocionalni, fizički, materijalni, interpersonalni konflikti, seksualno i fizičko zlostavljanje, loša akademska postignuća)....