Zuzana Dankulincova Veselska

University of Pavol Jozef Šafárik · Department of Health Psychology and Research Methodology

Objectives: Patient safety incidents (PSIs) are common in healthcare. Open communication facilitated by psychological safety in healthcare could contribute to the prevention of PSIs and enhance patient safety. The aim of the study was to explore medical professionals’ responses to a PSI in relation to psychological safety in Slovak healthcare. Meth...

Objectives This study aims to compare selected early childhood health risks and health outcomes of children from marginalized Roma communities (MRCs) in Slovakia with those of the majority. Methods We obtained cross-sectional data from mother-child dyads from the majority (N = 109) and MRCs (N = 143) via questionnaires and from medical records. So...

Background Emotional and behavioural problems (EBP) are the most common mental health issues during adolescence, and their incidence has increased in recent years. The system of care for adolescents with EBP is known to have several problems, making the provision of care less than optimal, and attention needs to be given to potential improvements....

Dnes sú to už celé generácie odopierania príležitostí pre napĺňanie potenciálu a storočia diskriminácie, ktoré oberajú deti v marginalizovaných komunitách o detstvo tak ako ho poznáme my ostatní, ktorí sme mali viac „šťastia“. Tak, ako sa generácie ľudí v marginalizovaných komunitách točia v kruhu chudoby, z ktorého niet ľahkej cesty, tak sa aj my...

Background The fast development of digital technology and of its use at even younger ages is significantly shaping the current generation of adolescents. This is leading to an almost unlimited accessibility that provides a large number of opportunities, but also to many challenges that adolescents have to face. The aim of our study was to explore t...

Purpose Clinical guidelines call for the inclusion of exercise interventions in every patient’s dialysis session, but these recommendations are rarely adopted. Healthcare providers play a key role in this. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore how healthcare providers perceive the benefits, risks and barriers of intradialytic exercise (ID...

Introduction Limited access to healthcare services leads to lower vaccination rates in marginalized Roma communities (MRCs). This study aimed to explore health system barriers to HPV vaccination faced by people from MRCs from multiple perspectives. Methods The qualitative study was conducted in Slovakia in 2021/22 with 43 community members and hea...

Background Roma living in marginalized communities are among underserved groups facing limited access to vaccination services. The RIVER-EU in Slovakia aims to identify and tailor the intervention to address health system barriers to HPV vaccination faced by people from marginalized Roma communities. Methods Following principles of participatory a...

Background Technology plays a significant role in the lives of adolescents. Our knowledge is predominantly based on research exploring the risks associated with it, but adolescents also feel that technology supports their lives. This has received less consideration. Therefore, we aim to examine how adolescents perceive the benefits of digital techn...

Štúdia nám už niekoľko rokov poskytuje kľúčové poznatky k lepšiemu pochopeniu správania našich mladých ľudí v súvislosti so zdravím. Skúma množstvo tém súvisiacich so zdravím, ako je spánok, duševná pohoda, nutričné správanie či fyzická aktivita. Dôležitou oblasťou skúmania je aj škola a sociálne vzťahy v nej, rodina a rodinné zázemie, či vzťahy s...

Background Parents play an important role in the psychosocial care of their children. Previous research has primarily examined their role in care entry, whereas evidence on their role in other stages of the care process is scarce and lacking particularly in regard to the perspective of care providers. Our aim was therefore to examine how psychosoci...

Background People from marginalized Roma communities often experience poverty, limited access to education, employment, housing, and health care (HC). The aim of the study was to explore the perceptions of people from marginalized Roma communities and health professionals regarding health system (HS) barriers to HPV vaccination. Methods A qualitat...

Roma are the largest and most disadvantaged ethnic minority in Europe often facing generational poverty, and limited access to education, employment, housing, and various types of services. Despite many international and national initiatives, children from marginalized Roma communities face multiple risks and are being disadvantaged as early as fro...

Background Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can cause serious mental problems in adolescents and therefore may expected to be associated with higher use of psychosocial care, potentially varying by type of specific ACE. The aim of our study is to explore the association of the number of ACE and types of specific ACE with entering and using psyc...

This study aims to explore the associations of schoolmate and teacher support with emotional and behavioural problems (EBP) and whether schoolmate and teacher support affects the associations of adverse childhood experiences (ACE) and of EBP in adolescence. We obtained data from 5220 students aged from 11 to 15 (48.7% boys), who participated in the...

Objectives: To explore the role of resilience as a mediator in the association between adverse childhood experiences (ACE) and emotional and behavioural problems (EBP) among adolescents. Methods: We used data from the Slovak 2018 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study, comprising 2,839 adolescents aged 13–15 (mean age 13.93; 49.6% boys). We...

The aim of our study was to explore whether energy drink consumption is associated with both emotional and behavioural problems and whether this association might be mediated by amount of sleep and breakfast consumption among adolescents. The nationally representative Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study, realised in 2018 in Slovak...

Objectives: To explore the association of family-related adversities with physical fighting, and whether this association is mediated by hopelessness. Methods: The sample consisted of 3712 Slovak adolescents (mean age: 13.9, 50.7% girls). Participants answered questions regarding experienced family-related adversities, involvement in physical fight...

Background Half of the people living in social exclusion in the Czech Republic are of Roma origin. The worse health of Roma could be partly explained by numerous barriers to accessing health care. Therefore, our study aimed to explore the perceptions of various stakeholders and experts who may have an impact on the inclusion of Roma and/or their ac...

Family crisis and positive youth development: the role of gender and hopelessness in early adolescence

Care for adolescents with emotional and behavioral problems (EBP) is frequently unequally distributed. Parents may play a role in the access to this care. Therefore, the aim was to explore the association between parental characteristics and their adolescent's enrollment in psychosocial care. We used data from the Care4Youth cohort study. Our sampl...

The aim of this study was to investigate the test–retest reliability of the motives for undertaking physical activity (PA) items from the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children (HBSC) study questionnaire among Slovak and Czech adolescents and to determine whether this reliability differs by gender, age group and country. We obtained data from 580...

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and poor family support and communication can increase emotional and behavioural problems (EBP). Therefore, we assessed the association of difficult communication with mother and with father separately with both emotional and behavioural problems (EBP), and whether adolescents' communication with mo...

Sleep problems are common in adolescence with a negative impact on the mental health and functioning of adolescents. However, the roles of different sleep problems in relation to emotional and behavioural problems (EBPs), classified according to the 10th version of the International Classification of Diseases as emotional, conduct, hyperactivity an...

We are pleased to announce the important Special Issue entitled “Feature Papers in Children’s Health” in the IJERPH (ISSN 1660-4601, IF: 2.468, indexed by SCIE, SSCI, PubMed, etc., https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph). This is a collection of important high-quality papers (original research articles or comprehensive review papers) published in Op...

Vedecká monografia je výstupom projektu Care4Youth, ktorý si kládol za cieľ zmapovať súčasný systém starostlivosti o dospievajúcich s emocionálnymi problémami a problémami v správaní (ďalej len EBP) na Slovensku. Zachytáva aký systém starostlivosti je a aké sú jeho možné nedostatky z pohľadu všetkých, ktorých sa to týka (dospievajúcich s problémami...

This study aims to examine the association of adverse childhood experiences (ACE) with emotional and behavioral problems (EBP) among adolescents and the degree to which this association is stronger for more ACE. In addition, we assessed whether socioeconomic position (SEP) modifies the association of ACE with EBP. We obtained data from 341 adolesce...

The family is a very important institution that provides relationships and contexts in which adolescents are included and where the trajectory of positive development can be activated. A family crisis can affect family functioning and endanger adolescent development. Therefore, we aimed to explore the association of crisis in the family with positi...

Objective: To investigate the association between sleep duration and self-rated health and psychosomatic health complaints in a representative sample of Slovak adolescents aged 13 and 15 years. Background: According to empirically supported recommendations adolescents age 13 to 18 years old should sleep 8 to 10 hours per 24 hours on a regular ba...

Careful conceptualization and differentiation of both spirituality and religiosity is a necessary precondition for understanding the potential role they play in health, whether physical or mental. The aim of this study was to explore the associations of spirituality with self-rated health, health complaints, and life satisfaction of adolescents wit...

Objectives The aim was to explore the associations of family composition, family support and communication with emotional and behavioural problems among adolescents as well as a possible moderating effect of gender on these associations. Methods Data from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study conducted in 2014 in Slovakia were used. T...

Objectives Associations between the perceived social and physical environment and self-reported moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and screen time (ST) were examined among adolescents in four European countries. Methods Representative samples were surveyed with standardised methodologies. Associations between environmental variables and...

Youth subculture affiliation (SA) appears to be an important risk factor with regard to adolescents’ problem behavior. Excessive Internet use (EIU) has emerged as a new type of problem behavior; however, it has not yet been studied in adolescents affiliated with youth subcultures. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the association between SA...

Background: Understanding opinions, attitudes and knowledge of schoolchildren regarding eating habits is essential to develop effective preventive measures in this target group. Objective: The aim of the study was to find opinions and attitudes of schoolchildren regarding nutrition and related behaviour. Methods: Data were collected in selected e...

Aim: To describe the relationship between quality of life (QOL) and cigarette smoking among lung cancer patients as measured by the functional and lung cancer symptom scale. Design: Data for this exploratory study were collected using a cross-sectional model. Methods: The research sample consisted of 198 patients from six hospitals in Slovakia. Two...

Objectives The aim was to assess the association between physical activity and screen-based activities in adolescents and selected school factors and urbanization and whether these associations were modified by degree of urbanization. Methods We obtained data regarding the fifth–ninth grade students from 130 schools in 2014 via the Health Behaviour...

In Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), health-mediation programs (HMPs) have become central policy instruments targeting health inequities between segregated Roma and general populations. Social determinants of health (SDH) represent the root causes behind health inequities. We therefore evaluated how an HMP based in Slovakia addressed known SDH in i...

Introduction and aim: This study, which builds on previous research demonstrating that drinking motives are associated with adverse consequences, investigates the associations between drinking motives and non-alcohol-attributed adverse consequences and disentangles alcohol-related and direct effects. Design and method: On the basis of a sample o...

Background: The aim of this study is to explore if perception of an activity-friendly environment is associated with more physical activity and fewer screen-based activities among adolescents. Methods: We collected self-reported data in 2014 via the Health Behavior in School-aged Children cross-sectional study from four European countries (n = 13,8...

Background: Reports from schools indicate that adolescents with learning disabilities (LD) frequently show risk-taking behaviour (RTB), but evidence is lacking. The aim of the study was to assess the associations between LD status and RTBs among Slovak adolescents and to explore whether family affluence and family composition have a moderating or...

Aim: Physical and screen-based activity in adolescents plays a crucial role in future health outcomes. Therefore, the aim of the study was to examine the associations of physical activity and screen-based activity with behavioural and psychosocial characteristics of school-aged children. Methods: Data on 11, 13 and 15 years old elementary school...

Objectives: Physical activity significantly contributes to overall health and the level of activity during adolescence has been associated with physical activity in adulthood. The aim of this paper was to analyse motives for young people undertaking leisure time physical activity in the Czech and Slovak Republics. Methods: Eleven to fifteen year...

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess age and gender differences in prevalence of screen based behaviour, physical activity and health complaints among Slovak school-aged children. Methods: Data from the cross-sectional Health Behaviour of School-aged Children study collected in 2010 among Slovak children (age 11-15 years, N=8,042) was used....

Low levels of physical activity (PA) during adolescence contribute to obesity and poor health outcomes in adolescence, and these associations endure into adulthood. The aim of this study was to assess the associations between motives for PA and the level of PA among adolescent boys and girls. We obtained data regarding motives for PA and frequency...

Roma are the most deprived ethnic minority in Slovakia, suffering from discrimination, poverty and social exclusion. Problematic access to good quality health care as result of institutional and interpersonal discrimination affects their health; therefore, factors which affect health care accessibility of Roma are of high importance for public heal...

Alcohol use is a relatively common behaviour, particularly among adolescents, and has become a major public health concern. This study explores the associations between family composition, the quality of adolescents' communication with parents and adolescents' recent frequent alcohol drinking and lifetime drunkenness. Data were obtained from the Sl...

The aim of this study was to explore possible associations between social and socioeconomic status and ongoing treatment among patients with head and neck cancer. Material and methods Data from 159 examined patients treated with head and neck cancer during the period from 2011 to 2012 were explored. A logistic regression analysis was used to asses...

Purpose: To test whether differences in alcohol use between boys and girls and between northern and southern/central Europe are mediated by social, enhancement, coping, and conformity motives. Methods: Cross-sectional school-based surveys were conducted among 33,813 alcohol-using 11- to 19-year-olds from northern Europe (Denmark, Estonia, Finlan...

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the association between screen-based (SB) behaviour and selected health complaints in adolescents and whether physical activity (PA) moderates this association. Methods: Data from the cross-sectional Health Behaviour of School-aged Children study collected in 2010 among Slovak adolescents (age 11-1...

Regular physical activity leads to physical and mental health benefits. Previous studies have shown physical activity to be associated with body image and gender. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to explore the associations of body image with physical activity of adolescents and whether gender modifies this association. We obtained data on...

Background: Physical activity is influenced by determinants at several levels, e.g. the individual and its environment. Motives for physical activity are very important determinants for being physically active. The aim of this study was to investigate the test-retest reliability of motives for physical activity items from the HBSC questionnaire amo...

Background: The aim of this study was to compare socioeconomic characteristics of the Roma population living in Roma settlements with the majority population. Moreover, it was aimed to assess socioeconomic differences in health and health-related behaviour within the population living in Roma settlements. Methods: Data from the cross-sectional H...

Background: Several studies have revealed a high prevalence of risk factors associated with unhealthy lifestyle among individuals with lower socioeconomic status. In Slovakia, one of the most socially and health-disadvantaged groups is the Roma minority. The aim of this study is to explore differences in physical activity, smoking and alcohol cons...

Objective: The purpose of this study was to test the structure and endorsement of drinking motives and their links to alcohol use among 11- to 19-year-olds from 13 European countries. Method: Confirmatory factor analysis, latent growth curves, and multiple regression models were conducted, based on a sample of 33,813 alcohol-using students from...

Objective: The purpose of this study was to test the structure and endorsement of drinking motives and their links to alcohol use among 11- to 19-year-olds from 13 European countries. Method: Confirmatory factor analysis, latent growth curves, and multiple regression models were conducted, based on a sample of 33,813 alcohol-using students from Bel...

Background: With the development of new technologies children spend too much of their free time watching TV, playing computer games or using the internet at the expense of physical activity that is an important component in maintaining physical and mental health. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the influence of screen-based behaviour...

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Objectives: Roma constitute a large minority in several Central European countries, with a mostly disadvantaged societal and health position. The aim of this study was to assess biological and other cardiovascular diseases (CVD) risk factors in people living in Roma settlements and to compare them with non-Roma. Methods: We used data from the cr...

Objectives: The health of Roma has been found to be poorer than that of the majority population. The aim of this study was to explore the differences between Roma and non-Roma regarding perceived barriers in accessing health services. Furthermore, we aimed to assess the association between self-rated health status and Roma ethnicity and explore to...

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HBV infection among pregnant women in districts of Eastern Slovakia with a diverse prevalence of Roma population. Overall 59,279 serum samples from 9 regional departments of clinical microbiology from Eastern Slovakia were collected in the period from January 2008 till December 2009 and analy...

The aim of this study was to assess the influence of various stimuli that confound interpretation of assessed indicators of horse welfare during rest and working period by the use of non-invasive methods of sampling. In total, 40 horses of different breeds and used for different purposes in Slovakia were used. The following indicators were tested:...

Background: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to explore the association between adolescent drunkenness and participation in risky leisure time activities and parental monitoring. Methods: A sample of 3,694 Slovak elementary school students (mean age 14.5 years; 49.0% males) was assessed for drunkenness in the previous month, participati...

Physical activity is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle in adolescence. Previous studies have shown physical activity to be associated with socio-economic status and self-esteem; the latter association may mediate the former, but evidence on this is lacking. The aim of this study was to explore the associations of socio-economic status and th...

Research on health-related behaviors confirms the contribution of self-efficacy and affective factors to the initiation and continuation of smoking behavior. The aim was to assess the degree to which affectivity contributes to the association between self-efficacy and smoking behavior in adolescence. A sample of 501 elementary school students (mean...

Previous studies indicate that self-esteem is lower among adolescents of low socio-economic status and is associated with a number of intrapersonal, interpersonal and socio-cultural factors. Evidence on the mechanisms by which these factors contribute to the connection between socio-economic status and developing self-esteem is incomplete, however....

The aim of this paper was to explore connection between aspects of self and levels of physical activity among adolescents. An international sample of 501 elementary school students (mean age 14.7 ± 0.9 years, 48.5% males) from the Slovak and Czech Republics completed the Self-competence/Self-liking Scale, the Rosenberg's Self-esteem Scale, the Self...

The aim was to explore the association of self-esteem and resilience with smoking and cannabis use among adolescents, separately for gender. A sample of 3694 adolescents (mean age 14.3 years) from elementary schools in Slovakia filled out the Rosenberg Self-esteem scale, the Resiliency scale and answered questions about cigarette and cannabis use....

Patterns of health-compromising behaviors and their initiation and progression in adolescence are generally considered to be predictive of later involvement in such behaviors and exposure to their harmful consequences on health. Health-enhancing behaviors can be also traced back to childhood and adolescence. Empirical evidence supports the existenc...