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Background: Seroprevalence studies have proven to be an important tool in tracking the progression of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic. The aim of this study was to measure the seroprevalence of antibodies to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) in the general population of Kosovo by gender, age group and region and among asymptomatic people. Method: The Institute of Public Health of Kosovo conducted a cross‐sectional population‐based survey, aligned with the protocols of the WHO Unity Studies, from the beginning of May to the end of June 2021. Results: The survey covered a total of 2204 people with a response rate of 91.8% (41.9% [923] males and 51.2% [1281] females). In May to June 2021, the prevalence of antibodies in the overall population (IgG antibodies ≥ 1.1) was 37.0%. Seroprevalence was 34.4% in men and 38.9% in women (p < 0.05), with the highest percentage (48.7%) found in the 60–69 years' age group. The overall prevalence of acute IgM antibodies (IgM ≥ 1.1) was 1% (95% CI: 0.7%–1.5%), with no significant difference between genders and the highest prevalence among participants of 60–69 years of age (1.6%; 95% CI: 0.7%–3.6%). Conclusion: A high prevalence of antibodies against SARS‐CoV‐2 was found in Kosovo before the start of the vaccination campaign. However, the results of the survey suggested that, by the end of June 2021, a desirable level of protection from the SARS‐CoV‐2 virus had not been reached. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because most human activities take place inside, indoor air quality is essential to human health. Numerous factors contribute to Kosovo's air pollution, including traffic, industrial emissions, aging thermal power plants, home heating, and other hazardous pollutants. The National Institute of Public Health and the WHO conducted a representative household survey to identify the most exposed and susceptible households, targeting two thousand households. Data from this survey were analyzed regarding the relationship between residential air quality predictors and health symptoms in Kosovo inhabitants. Effects from cooking fuel used on headaches, dizziness, and fatigue were somewhat stronger in females and type of heating seemed a little bit more effective in winter. The latter was also true for respiratory problems and heart disease, lending some credence to the causality of the findings. Thus, cooking devices and energy sources for both heating and cooking seem to have an effect on the health of Kosovars. Although the effect estimates were, in general, moderate with adjusted odds ratios in the magnitude of 2 to 3, they only explained a small part of the variation, with pseudo-R² often only reaching less than 10% and rarely more than 20%. In order to improve indoor air quality, regular monitoring and supervision systems should be established across the nation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tobacco use continues to be the leading global cause of preventable death. Most of these deaths occur in low and middle-income countries, and this trend is expected to widen further over the next several decades. The overall objective of the study is to describe and analyse the smoking behaviours of adults in Kosova.

There is increasing scientific evidence of the adverse health effects of indoor exposure to a collective mixture of chemicals in children. People spend 80–90% of their time indoors, breathing air that is often even more polluted than the air outside. This study presents results of school inspection and sampling of selected chemical pollutants—formaldehyde, benzene, and nitrogen dioxide—in classrooms and outdoors in ten schools in Kosovo, conducted by the National Institute of Public Health and the WHO. Nitrogen dioxide and benzene were most affected by outdoor concentrations and were too high in at least one school (NO2: >80 µg/m3, benzene: 1–2 µg/m3). Formaldehyde was significantly higher indoors than outdoors and higher in newer schools than older ones, but overall levels were not alarming (maximum around 20 µg/m3). CO2 levels during class indicated insufficient ventilation. The temperatures were occasionally too high during the cold season. This not only results in unnecessary energy wastage but also too low relative humidity. Improvements in air circulation and temperature control, as well as the identification and elimination of certain sources of pollution would improve the health and learning of school children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health behaviors shape health and well-being in individuals and populations. Researchers have recently shown great interests in studying health behaviors and their impact on the physical and mental health of individuals. Therefore, our aim was to analyze health behaviors (physical activity, diet, smoking and alcohol consumption) in relation to demographic variables (gender, age, economic status) in adults. Data collection is conducted through quantitative method and the respective instrument, with a sample of 961 Albanians from several cities in North Macedonia, aged 25-65. The findings showed that physical activity reached a mean score of (M=5,51) in the researched sample, while no statistically significant differences were found in any of the demographic variables. The carefulness regarding the food has reached a value above the mean (M=16,69) and differences are found in relation to gender with an obtained Z value for -4,478 p<0,01, in relation to age p<0,01 and economic status p<0,01. More than half of the sample (N=513) smokes and in relation to the demographic variables, smoking was found with significant statistical differences only in terms of gender, the obtained Z value for -4,165 p< 0,01. Of the total number of subjects (N=961), only 23% declared that have consumed alcohol, while 77%, namely N=753, had not consumed alcohol in the last 12 months, while statistically significant differences were found in the gender variable with an obtained Z value for - 5,809 (p<0.01) and age (p<0.01) regarding this variable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to verify the relationship between the stroke profile and driving style of employees at work, respectively Albanian teachers in higher education. The results of this study represent a significant contribution to the field of transaction analysis and organizational psychology, which can serve high education institutions and teachers themselves. The methodology used in the study is quantitative, including 144 randomly selected Albanian teachers of higher education, with an average age of 41 years. The correlative analysis has shown significant positive relationships between the positive profile of strokes with the driver Be Perfect, Please Others, and Try Hard, while statistically significant negative relationships with the driver Hurry Up and Be Strong, the negative profile of strokes showed a significant positive relationship with the driver Hurry Up and Be Strong, while a negative relationship with the driver Be Perfect, Please Others and Try Hard, while the regression analysis showed a significant result for predicting the positive profile of strokes and the driver Please Others and the negative profile of strokes for the driver Try Hard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Kosovo is the newest state in Europe facing a particularly difficult socioeconomic and political transition. The available evidence on socioeconomic conditions and quality of life of elderly people in Kosovo is scarce notwithstanding the ageing trend due to lowering of fertility rates and a higher life-expectancy. In this context, the aim of our study was to assess the socioeconomic conditions of elderly people in post-war Kosovo. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in Kosovo in January-March 2011 including an age- sex-and residence (urban vs. rural)-stratified sample of 1,890 individuals (83.5% response) aged 65 years and over. A structured questionnaire included assessment of socio-demographic and socioeconomic characteristics including educational level and self-perceived poverty. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the association of self-perceived poverty with socio-demographic and socioeconomic factors. Results The educational level in this representative sample of elderly people in Kosovo was quite low, particularly among women. About 47% of respondents perceived themselves as poor, or extremely poor (41% of men and 52% of women). In multivariable-adjusted models, self-perceived poverty was higher among older women, low educated individuals, urban residents, and elderly individuals living alone. Conclusions Findings from this study indicate that the socioeconomic situation of the elderly population in Kosovo is rather challenging. Demographic trends coupled with the economic and political transition raise serious concerns about increasing needs for socioeconomic support of elderly people in Kosovo. Specific policies and actions should be considered by a number of stakeholders, including government and civil society in transitional Kosovo.

The goal of this research was to examine the immunological status of women of fertile age in Kosovo and to evaluate the immune status of children under one year of age, based on the immune status of mothers. Immunological status with regard to measles was initially investigated through samples of serum from 433 female partcipants of fertile age (15-49 years) from the Pristina, Prizren and Gjilan regions. In the second phase of the research, samples from 84 mothers, and their children below one year of age, were tested for inherited immunity to measles. The mean age of female participants of fertile age was 29.11±7.91 years. 54.7% of them stated that they had been vaccinated with MMR and 29.6% had been infected with measles. The highest vaccination rate, at 91%, was among women aged between 15 and 19. The lowest immunity rate, at 79%, was found among women born between 1979 and 1983. In the analysis of 84 mothers and their children below one year of age, 42 mothers (50%) confirmed that they had been vaccinated, but their immunological status revealed that 71 mothers (84.5 %) had immunity (p<0.05). Focusing on and targeting unvaccinated females (before they get pregnant) would ensure passive immunisation of their babies as a protective measure, until they reach the measles vaccination age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to verify the correlation between the developmental stages of Kohlberg's moral attitudes and chronological age, through non-experimental methodology in a general sample of 167 subjects included in the study. In the theory of stages addressed in this study, there are three levels (six stages in total) in the hierarchical structure of Kohlberg's theory of moral development. In the first level, the judgments of the individual derive from obedience and punishment, respectively personal interests, in the second level, interpersonal interests such as authority are involved, while in the third level, the individual refers to a set of universal principles such as justice and fairness. The results presented through correlation analysis show that there is no statistically significant relationship between the first, second and third stage and the chronological age, while the relationship resulted as average with a positive direction, but statistically significant between the fourth, fifth and sixth stage. The data of the difference resulted as statistically significant, showing a higher mean rank in moral judgments at all stages of development in female subjects versus male subjects. Whereas, the analysis of the difference of moral judgments according to Kohlberg's developmental stages, the findings show that doctors had the most developed judgment in the first and fifth developmental stage, as opposed to students and teachers, while teachers, as opposed to doctors and students, resulted with the most developed second, third, fourth and the sixth stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Religion, atheism, secularism and laicism are interrelated concepts, through which many different social topics, in particular faith in God, are explained. There are also many other terms related to God, but the ones above are most prominent and current in our societies, especially in the 21st century. Many of them think that they know their meaning well, but in reality they may not even know that behind these concepts, however, many ambiguities are hidden. These topics have been, remain, and will be constantly subject to treatment, study and discourse. And the more they are discussed, investigated, written and read, the more they will be contested because of the sensitivity they contain. Through this paper, it is intended to highlight only some information that sheds light on the complexity of the themes, giving them meaningfulness, clarifying the conceptual meaning and emphasizing the role and importance of promoting greater initiative in elaborating the issues stated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]