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The aim was to describe health literacy among the older population of Kosovo, an Albanian speaking post-war country in the Western Balkans, in the context of self-perceived health status and self-reported chronic morbidity. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Kosovo in 2011 including 1753 individuals aged a parts per thousand yen65 years (886 men, 867 women; mean age 73.4 +/- 6.3 years; response rate: 77%). Participants were asked to assess, on a scale from 1 to 5, their level of difficulty with regard to access, understanding, appraisal and application of health information. Sub-scale scores and an overall health literacy score were calculated for each participant. Information on self-perceived health status, presence and number of chronic diseases and socioeconomic characteristics was also collected. Mean values of the overall health literacy score and all sub-scale scores (access, understanding, appraisal and application) were lower among older people who reported a poorer health status or at least one chronic condition compared with individuals who perceived their health status as good or had no chronic conditions (p

Aim: Adequate functional health literacy is considered as a basic prerequisite for a proper health-seeking behavior of adult individuals. Our aim was to assess the levels and socioeconomic correlates of functional health literacy among adult primary care users in transitional Kosovo. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Kosovo in November 2012-February 2013 including a representative sample of 1035 primary health care users aged ≥18 years (60% females; overall mean age: 44.3±16.9 years; overall response rate: 86%). The cross-culturally adapted long version of TOFHLA test (an instrument assessing reading comprehension and numerical abilities) was used to assess functional health literacy among study participants. TOFHLA scores range between 0-100 with higher scores implying better functional health literacy. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to assess the association of functional health literacy with demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Results: Mean score of the functional health literacy was significantly higher among younger participants, in men, in highly educated individuals and participants with better self-reported income level. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that vulnerable socioeconomic individuals exhibit lower functional health literacy levels in post-war Kosovo. Health care professionals and particularly policy makers in Kosovo must be aware of the excess risk among the low socioeconomic groups and should tailor intervention programs accordingly.

This article reports on a study undertaken to assess the prevalence and causes of fatal road traffic accidents in Tirana, Albania. The cross-sectional study included all road traffic accidents (n = 1,578) recorded by the Traffic Police Department of Tirana district for the period 2000-2005. The authors administered a structured questionnaire that included information about the type of traffic accident (fatal vs non-fatal event), year of event, age and sex of the responsible party, reason of accident, location and time of event, and the type of vehicle involved. Of the accidents recorded, 272 (17%) were fatal. Analysis showed that younger age, high speed, and especially alcohol consumption were strong and significant predictors of fatal accidents. Fatal accidents were more prevalent on intercity roads and involved especially vans and trucks. The overall rate (per 100,000 population) of road traffic accidents has increased in Tirana district from 39.8 in 2001 to 54.3 in 2004. However, the mortality rate (per 100,000 population) has slightly decreased (9.9 in 2001 vs 8.4 in 2004). These statistics are attributed to the increase in the number of vehicle users. The decrease in case-fatality rate may be attributed to the improvement of quality of roads and road networks in Tirana district, as well as the improvement of vehicle quality. The authors conclude that their findings can serve as a basis for health care professionals and policymakers to create preventive measures for traffic accidents.