Resource Tag: CROATIA

Background: Patients with combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have an increased frequency of suicide ideations, but also a higher risk of suicide attempts. Of all the known predisposing risk factors of suicide attempts in this population, personality dimensions are one of the least investigated. The main aim of this study was to examine if personality […]

Background/aims: Suicidal ideations (SI) indicate and predict psychological distress. We examined the prevalence of SI among early adolescents and its association with parental war participation, personal, behavioral, and sociodemographic characteristics. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional questionnaire study on 803 12-year-old adolescents. Data were collected using a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Junior Eysenck Personality Questionnaire and Children Depression Inventory. […]

This study examined the statistical relation between platelet serotonin concentration & serum cortisol concentration in a group of patients with posttraumatic stress disorder, with & without attempted suicide, treated in hospital in Zagreb. Results showed significantly lower platelet serotonin concentration in the patients, with & without suicidal behaviour, as compared to healthy controls. There were […]

In the last decade, suicide attempts & suicides have increased greatly among Croatian youth. Suicide is one of the leading causes of mortality in this age group. Risk factors which influence suicide & suicidal behaviour include genetics, family dynamics, & the external environment including school, friends & peers, social environment, & social media. It is […]

This study assessed the usefulness of transcranial sonography recording in a group of 17 patients with major depressive disorder & 14 patients with major depressive disorder who also reported suicide ideation. 40 healthy controls were included in the study. Reduced raphe echogenicity was found in 8 of 17 patients with major depressive disorder but only […]

This study tested the association of the polymorphism in the serotonin 2C (5HT-2C) receptor coding region (Cys23Ser) with deaths by suicide. The study was based on 2 independent samples, one German (284 suicide victims versus 297 controls) & the other of Slavic/Croatian ethnicity (118 suicide victims versus 275 controls). No significant differences in allele or […]

Owing to the assumed functionality of intronic polymorphisms of tryptophan hydroxylase (218AC) and 5-hydroxytryptamine transporter (VNTR-2) genes, the authors investigated frequencies of occurrence of the tryptophan hydroxylase & 5-hydroxytryptamine transporter genotypes containing lower activity alleles in 192 suicide victims & 377 controls. Significant differences in frequences of these genotype combinations were found between suicide victims […]

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This study examined the characteristics of 25 psychiatric inpatients who died by suicide in the Vrapce Psychiatric Hospital (Croatia) during the period 1996-2006. A typical profile was a middle-aged person, single, unemployed, repeatedly hospitalized, with schizophrenia, a history of suicide attempts, using a violent method after more than three weeks of hospital treatment. It is […]

The hypothesis that the level of alcohol intoxication & the choice of method are related was tested. Suicides in southwestern Croatia during the period 1996-2005 were analyzed. 10 methods of suicide were studied. The highest blood alcohol levels at the time of suicide were those that involved the use of an explosive device, a method […]

Violent behaviour in 116 Croatian combat veterans was analyzed. Of these veterans, 79 had diagnosed posttraumatic stress disorder. Of 15 veterans displaying autoaggression, 3 engaged in self-mutilation, 7 (5 with posttraumatic stress disorder & 2 without) had suicide ideation, & 5 (all with posttraumatic stress disorder) attempted suicide. Of the 7 veterans with suicide ideation, […]

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The authors investigated the incidence of suicide & its distribution according to age, sex & method in the Zagreb area before & during the war in Croatia, based on an analysis of autopsy records at the Department of Forensic Medicine & Crimology on suicides committed during the five-year peace period (1986-1990), & the five-year war […]

The authors hypothesized that war circumstances would both increase the number & alter the pattern of violent deaths (homicides & suicides) in South Croatia. Demographic, temporal & circumstantial data, including location, weapon used, & possible motives, were analyzed based on autopsy & police reports from 77 homicides & 254 suicides. There were found to be […]

This article reports the case of a scuba diver found dead at the bottom of an undersea cave with a knife protruding from his chest. Autopsy confirmed death due to both drowning & a penetrating knife wound. The incident was first considered a homicide, but careful forensic analysis of the profile of the diver’s last […]

This study compared suicide rates in Australia, Slovenia, & Croatia with suicide rates in Croatian immigrant groups in Australia & Slovenia in a 10-year period between 1985 & 1994. It was found that Croat immigrants to Australia have the lowest suicide rate, but the highest male-female suicide ratio, which the authors suggest may be the […]

This article discusses the widespread stress, depression, & trauma in Croatia & the resulting high suicide rate. The author identifies high risk groups & discusses the lack of response to the probelm by the government. A number of non-government agencies such as Psychological Help in Zagreb work hard to address the issue, despite the lack […]