Introduction: Our aim was to investigate is there association between level of religious moral beliefs and severity of PTSD symptoms, depressiion symptoms, anxiety and severity of alcohol abuse we tested 152 war veterans on presence of PTSD, depression symptoms, anxiety, alcohol misuse and level of religious moral beliefs. Subjects and Methods: We used Harvard trauma questionnaire (HTQ), Hopkins Check Scale SBCL 25, check list for alcohol misuse MAST. Subjects were assessed with regard to the level of belief in some basic ethical principles that arise from religious moral values. The score of religious moral belief index was used to correlate with severity of PTSD symptoms, depression symptoms, anxiety and severity of alcohol misuse.

The authors describe the arrival and treatment of 164 severe chronic psychiatric patients who were displaced from the Serbian army-controlled Jakes psychiatric hospital and off-loaded on the afternoon of 28th of May, 1992 at the gates of the Psychiatry Clinic in Tuzla.

Psychological trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may have an intensive negative impact on a patient"s spiritual beliefs or his/her belief in God; this effect may diminish the social and professional skills of many survivors. In the same time researches showed that religion plays a coping role among patients with medical and mental health illnesses. During the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina (1992 the whole population, regardless of age, gender, nationality or profession, suffered severely. During the pre-war period in communistic Yugoslavia religious believes altered with atheistic public life styles. Additionally, war traumatization had a negative impact on spirituality and religious beliefs. In the series of case reports we intended to describe and assess the impact of a session of group psychotherapy, with spiritual topics and content, which was offered to patients who needed to reestablish religious beliefs. The patients who come to the Psychiatry Clinic because of trauma-induced mental health problems and who we are interested in strengthening their spirituality met each other in the group regardless of their religious or spiritual conviction. We described the conceptualization and development of such a group and present some self-reported views of clients who took part in these groups. The supportive and empathetic presence of such group in the community helps to prevent withdrawal and isolation, alienation and deviation of traumatized persons. The presence of

ISLAMSKI PRISTUP U LIJEČENJU ALKOHOLIZMA, DEPRESIJE, SUICIDA I TRAUME Mevludin HASANOVIĆ Psihijatrijska klinika, Univerzitetski klinički centar, Medicinski fakultet Univerziteta u Tuzli, 75 000 Tuzla, Bosna i Hercegovina U radu je dat okvirni značaj religije u mentalnom zdravlju vjernika. Prikazani su islamski pogledi na dušu kao bazični princip ljudskog življenja, kao i koji su ispravni, blagotvorni efekti u stavovima i ponašanju individua prema svojoj duši, kao i šta sve može negativno utjecati na dušu, čime se stvara podloga za narušavanje mentalnog blagostanja, što izaziva mentalni poremećaj ili mentalnu bolest. Fokusiran je islam, kao kompletni svjetonazor koji počiva na teoriji Objave Kur'ana i prakse Božijeg Poslanika Muhammeda a.s. preko kojeg je Objava data cijelom čovječanstvu. Nabrojani su i ukratko objašnjeni bazični islamski teoretski i praktični principi i njihov blagotvorni protektivni i iscjeljujući utjecaj na mentalno, psihosocijalno i psihosomatsko blagostanje pojedinca i zajednice, kada se pravilno primjenjuje dnevna rutina islamskog življenja. Autor je posebno istakao terapijsku ulogu islamskih principa u liječenju alkoholizma baziranu na četiri postepena nivoa kognitivno bihejvioralnog pristupa, koju je realizirao Božiji Poslanik Muhammed a.s. svojim kreposnim primjerom i dosljednim slijeđenjem Upute dobivene kroz Kur'anski tekst. Autor izvodi i islamski pristup u liječenju depresije na bazi Kur'anskog teksta u kojem se preferira život u odnosu na smrt, akcija u odnosu na pasivnost, znanje u odnosu na neznanje, kao i svjetlost u odnosu na mrak. Islamski pristup na prevenciji suicida i liječenju suicidalnosti sa mogučnošću pokušaja i realizacije, se osniva na Božijoj odredbi da je strogo zabranjeno nanošenje štete sebi, na bilo koji način, a naročito je zabranjeno izravno nasrtanje na život. U radu su podastrti osnovi islamski principi koji su od pomoći ljudima koji trpe iznenadne, kratkoročne ili dugoročne nevolje i katastrofe, zbog kojih nastaje psihološka traumatizacija i njene akutne i hronične posljedice, zbog čega je liječenje traumatiziranih efikasnije i brže.

AIM: To assess the psychological health of war-traumatized children in different foster settings and compare them with children living with one or both parents, 7 years after the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. METHOD: The study was carried out in Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina, in March 2002. We assessed 186 (93 girls and 93 boys) elementary school children aged 12.7-/+1.8 years for war trauma, presence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and depression. There were 38 (14 girls) children from the government orphanage, 48 (24 girls) children from the non-governmental organization (NGO) SOS Children's Village, 50 (24 girls) children who lost a parent in the war but lived with the surviving parent, and 50 (31 girls) children who lived with both parents. For data collection, we used Children's Posttraumatic Stress Reaction Index and Children's Depression Inventory. Basic sociodemographic data were also collected. RESULTS: Of 186 children, 90 (48.4%) had been forced into refuge because of the war. Loss of a family member was most frequent among children in the SOS Children's Village, who also experienced the highest number of other types of trauma. PTSD was present in 51.6% of 186 children, with the highest prevalence among children in the SOS Children's Village (39/48). PTSD prevalence was higher among children who lost a parent but lived with the surviving parent (29/50) then among children in the orphanage (15/38) or children living with both parents (13/50) (chi(2)(3)=33.075, P<0.001). Depression was present in 42 of 186 (22.6%) children, but with no statistical difference among the groups (chi(2)(3)=6.337, P=0.096). The prevalence of PTSD and depression was similar in boys and girls. Loss of a parent was associated with higher frequency of PTSD and depression. The loss of both parents was associated with high prevalence of PTSD, but not depression. Prevalence of PTSD was positively correlated with the prevalence of depression (Spearman's rho=0.188; P=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: All children experienced war trauma and many had psychological consequences. The highest prevalence of PTSD, often comorbid with depression, was found among children who lost one or both parents. The children with the lowest rate of psychological disturbances were those living with both parents.

AIM: To assess the psychological health of war-traumatized children in different foster settings and compare them with children living with one or both parents, 7 years after the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. METHOD: The study was carried out in Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina, in March 2002. We assessed 186 (93 girls and 93 boys) elementary school children aged 12.7-/+1.8 years for war trauma, presence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and depression. There were 38 (14 girls) children from the government orphanage, 48 (24 girls) children from the non-governmental organization (NGO) SOS Children's Village, 50 (24 girls) children who lost a parent in the war but lived with the surviving parent, and 50 (31 girls) children who lived with both parents. For data collection, we used Children's Posttraumatic Stress Reaction Index and Children's Depression Inventory. Basic sociodemographic data were also collected. RESULTS: Of 186 children, 90 (48.4%) had been forced into refuge because of the war. Loss of a family member was most frequent among children in the SOS Children's Village, who also experienced the highest number of other types of trauma. PTSD was present in 51.6% of 186 children, with the highest prevalence among children in the SOS Children's Village (39/48). PTSD prevalence was higher among children who lost a parent but lived with the surviving parent (29/50) then among children in the orphanage (15/38) or children living with both parents (13/50) (chi(2)(3)=33.075, P<0.001). Depression was present in 42 of 186 (22.6%) children, but with no statistical difference among the groups (chi(2)(3)=6.337, P=0.096). The prevalence of PTSD and depression was similar in boys and girls. Loss of a parent was associated with higher frequency of PTSD and depression. The loss of both parents was associated with high prevalence of PTSD, but not depression. Prevalence of PTSD was positively correlated with the prevalence of depression (Spearman's rho=0.188; P=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: All children experienced war trauma and many had psychological consequences. The highest prevalence of PTSD, often comorbid with depression, was found among children who lost one or both parents. The children with the lowest rate of psychological disturbances were those living with both parents.

Research into the psychosocial consequences of war and political violence on children's and adolescent’s developmental wellbeing has shown a steady increase over the last decades. Numerous studies, from differing cultures in different war zones around the world, have documented the effect on children of exposure to war atrocities. The war in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BH) 1992-1995, at the end of 20th century found the citizens of BH and the world mental health professionals and scientists unprepared to deal with the adverse consequences for the entire BH population and especially for its most vulnerable part, children and adolescents, to be able to take adequate measures of sufficient mental health care to prevent devastating consequences of severe multiple traumas. Only a few research studies were done during and after this war in BH, the United States, Sweden, Norway, the UK and Germany focusing on the relationship between war trauma, Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, suicidal thoughts, acculturation, repatriation, poverty, behavioral problems, school adjustment, relational problems of children and their mothers after deployment of war PTSD veterans and war prisoners, and treatment of psychological consequences in examined children and adolescents from BH. The major part of this paper reviewed available literature on Medline that reported national and international studies which investigated the psychological consequences of war on BH children and adolescents and several papers about children and adolescents from Srebrenica, that were not indexed on Medline, but showed very crucial results for the issue described.

Key words: War, Children, Adolescents, PTSD, Depression, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Background. As a result of military, tactical and psychological unpreparedness, many soldiers of the Bosnian Army suffered penetrating abdominal wounds with fatal consequences. Due to the collapse of the National Health Service, the organization and transportation of wounded was poor. There has been no research conducted in to how many wounded soldiers died from penetrating injuries to the abdomen, and how the difficult conditions affected the patient's outcome. Methods. A retrospective study was performed of 172 medical histories of wounded soldiers who died from penetrating abdominal injuries at the Department of Surgery, University Clinical Center Tuzla, in the period from 1992 to 1995. According to the order of urgency in the treatment and evacuation the wounded soldiers who died were divided into three groups. Results. In the group of patients of the first order of urgency, 114 (81.4%) had associated abdominal injuries. The most commonly injured organ was the small intestine, the right lobe of the liver and the right colon. One hundred and twenty-five (89.3%) of the wounded were in a state of hemorrhagic shock upon admission to hospital. In the group of patients of the second order of urgency, 9 wounded (90.0%) had associated injuries. The most commonly injured organs were the right lobe of the liver and the right kidney. Eight wounded (80.0%) were in a state of hemorrhagic shock upon admission. In the group of patients of the third order of urgency, 20 wounded (90.1%) had associated injuries. The most commonly injured organs were the right lobe of the liver, the stomach and the right colon. All the wounded were in a state of hemorrhagic shock. Conclusion. The largest number of wounded patients died from non adequate resuscitation and hemorrhagic shock. The long transportation time, the lack of protective devices, inadequate first aid care and medical training were all limiting factors in rescuing the wounded and the reasons behind the high mortality.

Background: In Central and Eastern European countries, after abandoning communism, significant political, economic and social changes occurred, followed by the increase in income inequality and social disparity.
Aim: The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between psychological symptoms and monthly income of employees in companies undergoing privatization.
Methods: The study included 258 workers from seven companies undergoing privatization in the Tuzla Canton region. For the study purposes, the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) and a general questionnaire with questions about socio-demographic characteristics, income, and workplace, were used.
Results: Monthly income of the majority of workers (207 or 80.2%) was below the monthly income in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Workers with salaries below the average salary for Bosnia and Herzegovina have pronounced somatization, anxiety, paranoia, interpersonal sensitivity and hostility. The BSI scale yielded significant negative correlation between the level of monthly salary and the expression of psychological symptoms (r = -0.184, P = 0.002) and between the level of family income and the expression of psychological symptoms (r = -0.123, P = 0.024).
Conclusion: Based on the study results, it was determined that socio-economic factors such as the level of salary and total family income, educational level, marital status and gender may be predictors of psychological distress.

Objective. To estimate frequency, type and severity of the psychological trauma, severity of post-traumatic stress symptoms’ clusters and prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among Bosnia-Herzegovina (BH) refugee and internally displaced adolescents after the war 1992-1995.
Subjects and Methods. The sample of 217 pupils (106 females) aged of 15.1±2.1 years consisted from three groups of participants originated from different geographical regions from north-eastern BH: Srebrenica (n=69), Zvornik (n=79), and Bijeljina (n=69), who were exposed to the war catastrophes in the 1992-1995 war and were forced to leave their homes and property during the whole war and after it. War trauma experiences, PTSD symptoms severity and PTSD prevalence of adolescents were evaluated with Bosnia-Herzegovina version of Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ).
Results. The severity level of PTSD symptoms’ and social dysfunction was most severe in Srebrenica, than in Zvornik and finally in Bijeljina group.
The prevalence of PTSD statistically significantly differed between Srebrenica group (73.9%), Zvornik group (60.8%) and Bijeljina group of respondents (47.6%) (χ²test =9.854, df=2, p=0.007).
Conclusions. There were regional variations in Bosnia-Herzegovina warfare. Refugee and internally displaced adolescents suffer very frequently from PTSD 3.5 years after war. The most difficult war trauma was in surviving adolescents from Srebrenica, than Zvornik and finally from Bijeljina. PTSD prevalence is highly reported and significantly differed between groups.
Keywords: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Srebrenica, Zvornik, Bijeljina, Adolescents, Refugees, Exile, PTSD.

The authors describe the arrival and treatment of 164 severe chronic psychiatric patients who were displaced from the Serbian army-controlled Jakes psychiatric hospital and off-loaded on the afternoon of 28th of May, 1992 at the gates of the Psychiatry Clinic in Tuzla.Through analysis of their incomplete medical records, which arrived with the patients in Tuzla, and analysis of their activities during and after the war, they found that 83 of the patients (50%) were males and 147 (89.6%) were admitted to the Psychiatry Clinic in Tuzla. Of the patients, 86 (58.5%) were found to be Serbs. The majority of them were incapable of independent living and required ongoing medical and social care. They were from all regions of Bosnia-Herzegovina, 81.6% had schizophrenia and 70 (47.6%) were over 50 years of age.For its humanitarian work, its contribution to peace and for the maintenance of the multi-ethnic Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Psychiatry Clinic in Tuzla received the Golden Award for Peace from the International Legion of Humanists in May 1998.

Cilj – Ispitati učestalost, tip i intenzitet psihološke trauma, intenzitet skupina posttraumatskih stress simptoma i prevalenciju posttraumatskog stresnog poremećaja (PTSP) među prognanim i interno raseljenim adolescentima iz Bosne i Hercegovine (BiH) nakon rata 1992-1995. godine. Ispitanici i metode – Uzorak je sačinjen od 217 učenika (106 djevojčica) prosječne dobi od 15.1±2.1 godina, porijeklom iz različitih geografskih regiona iz sjeverno-istočne BH: Srebrenica (n=69), Zvornik (n=79) i Bijeljina (n=69), koji su bili izloženi traumama tokom i nakon rata 1992-1995. godine i koji su bili prisiljeni da napuste svoje domove i imetke tokom i nakon rata. Ratna iskustva, intenzitet PTSP simptoma i prevalenciju PTSP-a kod adolescenata su evaluirani upotrebom Harvard Trauma Upitnika (HTU) verzija za Bosnu i Hercegovinu.  Rezultati – PTSP simptomi i socijalno nefunkcionisanj su bili najviše izraženi kod adolescenata u grupi iz Srebrenice, zatim iz Zvornika i na kraju iz Bijeljine. Prevalenca PTSP-a kod adolescenata se značajno razlikovala između grupe iz Srebrenice (73,9%), Zvornika (60,8%) i Bijeljine (47,6%) (χ²=9,854, df=2, p=0,007). Zaključak – Postoje regionalne varijacije ratnih karakteristika u BiH. Prognani i interno raseljeni adolescenti su patili od PTSP veoma učestalo 3,5 godine nakon rata. Adolescenti iz Srebrenice koji su preživjeli rat najviše pate od ratne traume, zatim oni iz Zvornika i na kraju oni iz Bijeljine. Prevalenca PTSP-a je visoko prisutna i značajno se razlikuje između grupa.
Ključne riječi: Bosna i Hercegovina ▪ Adolescenti ▪ Prognani ▪ Egzil ▪ PTSP.

Book Description:
In the year 2009 the new “International Journal of Child and Adolescent Health” was begun under the auspices of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development in Israel, in collaboration with Nova Science Publishers in New York, in order to facilitate an outlet for peer-reviewed papers in the areas of both child and adolescent health and human development. The editors hoped that there would be an international interest in such a new journal, and they hoped to receive good-quality reviews and original papers in these areas. This in fact happened, and in this yearbook they have gathered papers from the year 2009. This new book discusses recent advances in child and adolescent health with research findings published in the year 2009. (Imprint: Nova Biomedical Press)

Table of Contents:
Introduction

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Chapter 8. The psychological disturbances of war-traumatized adolescents in rural and urban areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina and correlation with poverty and hopelessness
(Mevludin Hasanovic, Edin Haracic, Šemsa Ahmetspahic, Sanja Kurtovic and Hajrudin Haracic) pp.101-122
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