The Health State of Women in Serbia in the Period 2006-2016

Women’s health is of particular importance because of the large and specific sensitivity of this population group and the fact that women are consistently concerned about their own health, but also about the health of their children, parents and other family members. The aim of this study was to considering the health of women in Serbia in the period from 2006 to 2016, in order to highlight the priority problems, which would serve to create preventive programs and measures aimed at improving the health of this population group. Chronic non-communicable diseases (malignancies, acute coronary syndrome, diabetes mellitus, etc) are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality, and one of the main reasons for the use of health care in the population of women in our country in the period from 2006 to 2016. How it comes to preventable diseases, actions in the field of health promotion should be directed at preventing or modifying risk factors that are responsible for the occurrence of these diseases, as well as the creation of national strategies for the prevention and control, monitoring the performance of screening and other preventive programs, planning and organization of health care. By promoting healthy lifestyles, empowering women and their active participation in the community can have significant positive effects on raising the health potential of this population.

Identifying the barriers to effective breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening in thirty one European countries using the Barriers to Effective Screening Tool (BEST)

The aim of this study was to identify barriers to effective breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening programmes throughout the whole of the European region using the Barriers to Effective Screening Tool (BEST). The study was part of the scope of the EU-TOPIA (TOwards imProved screening for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer In All of Europe) project and respondents were European screening organisers, researchers and policymakers taking part in a workshop for the project in Budapest in September 2017. 67 respondents from 31 countries responded to the online survey. The study found that there are many barriers to effective screening throughout the system from identification of the eligible population to ensuring appropriate follow-up and treatment for the three cancers. The most common barriers were opportunistic screening, sub-optimal participation, limited capacity (including trained human resource), inadequate and/or disjointed information technology systems and complex administration procedures. Many of the barriers were reported consistently across different countries. This study identified the barriers that, in general, require further investment of resources.