Recruitment and retention of public health workers (PHWs) is crucial for the optimal functioning of the public health system at a time of budget cuts and the threat of a pandemic. Individual and job-related variables were examined by univariate and multivariate logistic regression to identify predictors of the intention to leave a job during the COVID-19 outbreak among Serbian PHWs in 25 institutes of public health (n = 1663 respondents, of which 73.1% were female). A total of 20.3% of PHWs intended to leave their current job within the next five years. Males and persons aged younger than 55 years who had additional practice were more likely to report an intention to leave their job than females, those older than 54 years and those without additional work. While uncertainty and fear of infection during the COVID-19 pandemic were almost perceived as job attractiveness, other job-related characteristics were identified as significant barriers to maintaining the sufficient capacity of qualified PHWs in the future. Authorities need to address these factors, including the following: the feeling of tension, stress or pressure, and unavailability of information during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as dissatisfaction with respect, valuation, and the job in general.

The population of Vojvodina, with 23.1% obese women and 20.2% obese men is one of severely affected European populations. High prevalence of obesity requires urgent public health action. Healthy lifestyle, balanced nutrition with low energy intake and increased physical activity have to be promoted within a prevention strategy and obesity management.

Sexual life of adolescents begins at the age of 16, on average, and only every third always uses contraceptive protection, which points to a need for better education on reproductive health by using contemporary methods. It is also necessary to increase availability of contraceptives (condoms) at all places where adolescents spend time (in schools, bars, cinemas, disco clubs etc.) in order to achieve responsible sexual behavior and protection of reproductive health among youth.

Background/Aim. Neurocutaneous flaps (NF) are the type of fasciocutaneous flaps whose clinical application has increasingly grown over the years. They have become an indispensable step in the reconstructive ladder for the small and medium soft tissue defects of the lower leg and foot. The aim of this study was to analyse the results of the treatment of patients with lower extremity soft tissue defects caused by trauma, infection, tumour removal or unstable scar formation, which were reconstructed with a variety of NF. Methods. This retrospective study includes 32 consecutive patients with soft tissue defects of the lower limb, treated in the Clinical Centre of Vojvodina from January 2004 to April 2017. All the operations were performed in regional anaesthesia with pneumatic tourniquet. Design of the flap and length of the pedicle were determined by the size and position of the recipient site after necessary debridement. The flap was harvested, rotated and positioned in the defect region. The patients and flap data were summarized upon their collection. Results. The average age of the patients, mostly males (81.2%), was 46.7 years. Distally based sural flaps were used in a majority of patients (56.2%), followed by the distally based saphenous (21.9%), lateral sural (12.5%) and proximally based sural flaps (9.4%). Defects were most often localized on the distal third of the lower leg and on the ankle (53.1%). The most common indication for surgery were trauma (46.9%) and chronic infection (31.2%). A satisfactory coverage of the defect was achieved in all 32 patients with no flap loss. A partial necrosis of the flap due to prolonged venous congestion was noted in 3 (9.4%) patients, which were healed by second intention or with delayed skin grafting. Five (15.6%) patients developed a localised infection. The infection signs withdrew spontaneously in 2 cases and after a surgical revision in 3 cases, where osteitis of the tibia had persisted. One of them required the Ilizarov orthopaedic procedure after bone resection. Conclusion. NF proved to be a paramount alternative to free-flap reconstruction of the lower limb. Intensive clinical application can be explained by the fact that it is a less technically demanding and time consuming surgical procedure with no major source vessel sacrifice. The reliability and safety of their utilisation are confirmed by our clinical data.